Tien-Chi Shyong Achieves Historic Feat for Taiwan, Winning PSG at 2026 CDI Jerez

Shows

2026 CDI Jerez de la Frontera

Tien-Chi "Jonathan" Shyong achieved a historic feat for Taiwan by winning the Prix St Georges at the 2026 CDI Jerez de la Frontera in Spain, on Saturday 7 March 2026. This might be the first ever Taiwanese win on European soil in a CDI competition.

In a field of 14 riders, representing seven different flags, the 25-year old Shyong piloted the 12-year old NRPS registered gelding Dordogne DN (by Daloxe Corton DN x Royal Highness) to a first place with a score of 67.382%. He edged out Dutch Geert Hofland on the 11-year old KWPN bred Kentucky (by Hofrat x Olivi) with 66.853%. Spanish Maria Gomez Guzman and the 9-year old CDE bred Moonlight (by Revoltoso LXV x Polansky) were third with 65.941%.

"It feels amazing and surreal to be the first Taiwanese to win a CDI in Europe," a thrilled Tien-Chi told Eurodressage. "My mother happened to be in Europe visiting me, and it meant the world that she got to witness this. But most importantly, I feel extremely grateful to my trainer, Mr. João Reis, and my team, in both Taiwan and Belgium."

Shyong repeated that feat the next day and also won the Intermediaire I with 68.206%.

Hot Wheels

Shyong began his international show career less than a year ago, in August 2025, at the CDI Macon in France. His partner-in-crime Dordogne DN was previously owned and shown by Dutch Demi Feijs in 2021 and 2022. Feijs finished 7th at the 2022 Dutch Junior Riders Championship with the gelding. A group of owners, including the rider, João Marcos Inverno Dos Reis, Min Fong Yen, and Mong Ping Shyong purchased the gelding for Tien-Chi to compete.

At the 2025 FEI Asian Championships in Thailand

"Interestingly, Dordogne was actually the first horse that I tried," said Tien-Chi about his search for his career-launching ride. "Dor, as we call him at home, has an amazing character; willing, sweet, and understanding. He’s very calm at competitions, which is a huge help for me as I am inexperienced in international competitions. I love him and he’s one in a million for me! I hope to continue learning and improving with him."

Tien-Chi and Dordogne DN have been on hot wheels, travelling the world from Europe to Asia and back, in an 8-month time frame. After showing the horse in Macon, Görlitz, Neustadt-Dosse and Troisdorf, the duo travelled tot he 2025 FEI Asian Championships in Pattaya, where they were 12th in the Inter I and 13th in the Inter I Kur. The Taiwanese team landed fifth place in the nations' competition. The pair returned to Europe and began its 2026 competition year in Lier, followed by the big trek south to Jerez de la Frontera.

A Base in Belgium

An assistant trainer at Cornerstone Performance, a Taipei based riding school, Shyong rode for the McGill University equestrian team in 2022. Under the supervision of Portuguese João Marcos Inverno Dos Reis, with whom he began training in 2021, Shyong made the leap into international competition sport last summer with the Asian Championships as short-term goal.

"I’ve been calling my trainer João Reis 'Mr. Saved-my-career' but I guess we need to upgrade that nickname now," Shyong joked.

At their CDI debut in Macon in August 2025

"Some victories mean more than just a ribbon," trainer Reis said after the win in Jerez de la Frontera. "After countless hours, endless sacrifices, emotional highs and lows, and overcoming so many obstacles, Tien Chi has taken first place. Hard work pays off. I am beyond proud of this journey, this partnership, and this incredible achievement."

The Taiwanese, who gave up a job in banking to commit fully to dressage, is based at the stable Durondeau Dressage of Belgian Under 25 rider Lauranne Lammens in Peer, Belgium, where Taiwanese compatrior Yuddy Cheng has also found her European home. Team mate Vivian Chang is located 45 minutes away in Diepenbeek, Belgium. His next target are the 2026 Asian Games in Japan in September.

"In the next few months, we plan to do more international shows in preparation for the selections for Team Chinese Taipei... and hopefully, Tokyo in September," he added.