What's Happening: April 2026

Belgian based Polish Grand Prix rider Roy First had a tumultuous return from the 2026 CDIO Fontainebleau. He went straight from the Grand Prix ring to the hospital. "I had an abscess that needed to be surgically drained," he told Eurodressage. "It was was crazy painful and started during the show already, but luckily it only got really bad only on Sunday. The drive home was not a fun ride, but at least I was done with the competition."

Spanish Grand Prix rider Juan Matute Guimon has to share a bit of the spotlight with his wife, Paloma Zafrilla. The 25-year old dentistry student and aspiring beautician has another passion: cooking. She has been accepted on the Masterchef Spain TV-show for 2026. She made the cut for the actual show by convincing the judges with her Italian-style carbonara with sobrasada and honey, which she dedicated to her mother.

Equestrian Life reported that Lyndal Oatley's reason for pulling Forever Young HRH out of the CDI Lier at the end of February was due to a personal injury.  "A young horse spooked at the geese and stomped on my foot,” Lyndal laughs. “I brushed it off at first but then realised it was getting worse. Doctors told me six weeks off and threatened me with a cast if I misbehaved. It’s already feeling better with doing less so I hope to be back mid-April to continue my World Championship campaign.” 

Dutch dressage rider Ferenc Damen has participated in the Dutch version of the tv-show "Married at First Sight". The show marries couples who never met before and follows their journey in a Big Brother house for a  few months. The 46-year old Damen, who also is an interior designer, has been working out to look fit for his secret union to another man on the show, which airs 7 April.

French-Spanish Olympian Morgan Barbançon has moved again in Belgium, relocating from the equestrian centre in Massenhoven which was owned by her ex-boyfriend Jos Verlooy, to a new yard in Geel, Belgium. "A fresh start in a new place," Morgan told Eurodressage. She has now purchased the property and is no longer renting.

The Westfalian licensed stallion Tesla has been sold to British born-UAE rider Natalia Lankester. The 11-year old liver chestnut stallion by Vitalis x Johnson has journeyed across the world, from Germany to the USA and back to Holland. He has competed very little since 2022, but is Grand Prix level trained. Lankester, who used to train with Morgan Barbançon, now works with Saskia van Es in Holland.

Silvia Hartmann has joined the marketing team at Oldenburger Pferde Vermarktungs GmbH on April 20, 2026. The 42-year-old brings with her many years of experience in national and international equestrian sports as well as in professional stable management. Having grown up on a breeding farm and at a riding school, she has always been closely connected to horse breeding and equestrian sports. Her career has included positions with Breido Graf zu Rantzau, Susanne Miesner, and Heinrich Gießelmann, among others. For many years, she worked as a stable manager for Thomas Heineking. She gained further valuable international experience during the tournament season in Wellington (USA) at Darragh Kenny’s stable and subsequently with Peter Wernke in Holdorf. Most recently, she returned to Thomas Heineking as a stable manager and rider. Silvia Hartmann is also successful in competition and has achieved results up to the S* level in dressage.

Belgian FEI steward Chris Heylen passed away on 14 April 2026. "As a steward and official, he was a fixture at competitions for many years, where he distinguished himself through his dedication, knowledge, and warm involvement. He enjoyed great respect from riders, organizers, and colleagues," the Flemmish equestrian federation posted.