Mr. Deußer, do you remember your initial reaction when you heard in November 2023 that the 2026 FEI World Championships would be held in Aachen?

I was definitely totally thrilled. Aachen is a venue where absolutely nothing is lacking. Everything one could possibly need is at hand, for both the horses and the riders. Every year we enjoy a wonderful show here and I firmly believe that championships should be held in exactly this kind of setting.

There are only just over two and a half months to go before the World Championships and it is the ultimate goal of almost every rider. Is that true for you as well?

Absolutely. It would be a major objective to have the privilege of competing at the World Championships in Aachen in 2026. Of course, between now and then, we still have to prove ourselves worthy of a place on the team. However, Otello achieved some very good placings in the past indoor season; he delivered a powerful performance at the World Cup Final and, even last year in Aachen, remained completely unfazed by the unique atmosphere and impressive backdrop. If he puts in similar performances this season and we can deliver several solid results throughout the year, the World Championships will most certainly become one of my primary goals.

How much are you looking forward to it – whether you ultimately make it onto the squad or not?

I am incredibly excited – whether I manage to qualify for the team, or not. A championship event on home soil is always something special. And when it takes place in Aachen, at those world-famous show grounds, you can be sure it is going to be a magnificent championships. The expectations are high, but Aachen has proven often enough in the past that it is more than capable of hosting such high-calibre events.

You already briefly mentioned that Otello is a potential horse for the World Championships in Aachen. How are you currently preparing him for the tasks of that level?

At the moment, I’m not fundamentally training him differently just because the World Championships are on the horizon. Otello is a horse with excellent stamina training and he masters both grass and sand arenas superbly. My daily training focuses primarily on keeping him mentally fresh so that he remains interested and motivated. Of course, I ride him on grass arenas regularly, do work to improve his suppleness and occasionally take him out to the racetrack – overall, I simply try to integrate as much variety as possible into his daily routine. That is incredibly important for a horse like him.

A unique feature of the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 is that all six disciplines will be held at one single venue. In your opinion, what does this mean for the equestrian sport?

This is actually quite an unusual occurrence for our sport, since there are very few venues left these days that are capable of hosting all six disciplines simultaneously. Precisely for that reason, it is therefore of huge significance if an organiser makes this possible. Far more people come together, very different disciplines converge and this creates a truly unique, shared atmosphere. This sends a powerful signal for the equestrian sport as a whole.

What makes the atmosphere in Aachen so unique for you personally?

On the one hand, of course, it is the incredible number of people, who pilgrim to Aachen. And it is the fact that spectators can watch multiple disciplines in one location. Normally, you have to travel to see different disciplines, sometimes even to different cities or countries. In Aachen, on the other hand, you can watch show jumping one day and dressage, eventing or another discipline the next – all within very short distances. This is a huge advantage, not only for the spectators, but also for the organisers and for us riders. Such a concentration of sport, emotion and spectators is a rarity anywhere in the world.

Do you remember the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen? How did you experience that event?

Unfortunately, I was only able to follow the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2006 on television; I didn’t compete myself at the time. The format was still quite different back then, but I vividly remember watching the legendary show jumping competition with an exchanges of horses at home on TV. The atmosphere, the images of the packed stadium, the sheer excitement – all of it was very tangible even through the screen. If we manage to recreate a comparably special atmosphere in Aachen in 2026, it will be a World Championships that the equestrian world remembers for a long time to come.