In 2019 breeding stallion Secret made a rare public outing and competed at his first and only major international show at the 2019 World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo. The article that followed about the sire winning the 5-year old preliminary test was titled "The Secret's Out". Seven years later the first title that pops into my mind to describe yesterday's 7-year old preliminary class is "The Secret's Out - Part II".
Not only did Charlotte Dujardin make a rare appearance at a major high profile show on European soil (and not just in the U.K.) since her annus horribilis in 2024, but she finally presented her next super star to a greedy audience of dressage lovers gathered at the Hanoverian headquarters in Verden on Friday 7 August 2026.
Doom and Gloom
The day started dreary and made one feel like the European of summer of 2026 is having a schizophrenic episode. After a muggy and humid Tuesday for the horse inspection, and a hot first day of showing on Wednesday, the weather became perfect on Thursday, but Friday started out dark, heavily overcast, and cold. Summer had disappeared and snatched atmosphere and fun on the show grounds with it. People were suddenly bundled up, layering summer jackets to find enough insulation from the nippy weather. It threatened to rain but fortunately that did not come about.
Sophie Obel on Atterupgaards FibonacciThe 7-year old preliminary test started early at 7h30 in the morning and most of the seats stayed empty until noon time when the stadium filled up more. The first block of 7-year olds was a great appetizer though with some very interesting, promising horses performing early. This session turned into what seemed a "blood bath" because while scores were given to all pairs, no less than four combinations ended up eliminated from the first group of 10 horses following the tack check.
When the stewards were approached for an explanation, an omerta seemed to have been imposed and lips were sealed. "The FEI will issue a press release about it," which led to an even more ominious feeling and questions floating round. Little before 16h00 the FEI came with a statement which read, "FEI Stewards identified a number of matters requiring further review by the Ground Jury. Following review, four athletes were eliminated in accordance with the FEI Rules. Two athletes were eliminated under the FEI Dressage Tack and Equipment Rules, point 9.4, relating to artificial decoration of the horse and the use of substances or practices that may obscure an existing wound or injury. A further two athletes were eliminated in accordance with the FEI Dressage Rules, Article 424.5.6.2, which requires elimination where fresh blood is identified in the horse’s mouth, the area of the mouth, or the area of the spurs during the post-test check."
Adrian Munoz warming up VitalianoThough no names were revealed by the FEI about what happened to which horse ("The FEI does not comment on individual cases or athletes involved in ongoing competition matters") it quickly became apparent that it were Vitaliano and Atterupgaards Fibonacci who were eliminated for blood while Osaka P (Jessica Dertell AUS) and O'Toto van de Wimphof (Diederik van Silfhout NED) for (white / black coloured) creams being used to cover up a wound (one horse certainly on its pastern, the other reportedly also on that spot but no official confirmation of the actual spot was given).
The Silent Buzz: Secret Agent
The favourite for the win today, British double Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin and the Hanoverian bred Secret Agent, lived up to the expectations. The horse was a total "secret" for the majority of dressage fans as only a viral reel of him as a 4-year old had been floating around the internet and nobody saw the horse since then because of Dujardin's suspension in 2024.
Dujardin on Secret AgentThe show grounds were buzzing as everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of Dujardin's new super star who could take her back to the highest echelons of the sport after she sold her Grand Prix horse Alive and Kicking to the Oatleys in the spring (as well as Gio in 2021). That sale must have generated sufficient cash for her to buy out British investor Peter Belshaw, her former sponsor (Times Kismet), as Charlotte is now listed as sole owner of the horse. Belshaw confirmed to Eurodressage that he sold his 50% share a few weeks ago after they found him at Kerstin Klieber's in Germany and bought him together as a 2.5-year old. Klieber discovered the Westfalian licensed stallion at the Hanoverian stallion licensing pre-selection and re-sold him soon after.
Secret Agent is bred by Nicole and Friedrich Sievers and is by Secret out of Desaya II (by De Niro x Stedinger). He is also known in Germany by the name Sambesi. It is hard to paint a horse more beautiful than him: He's blackidy-black, gorgeous face, cresty neck, the right length in the back, long-legged, powerful, self confident, and truly amazing. He has two outstanding gaits, but the walk can get a bit sketchy in the rhythm, so let's see how that gait developed as he's being produced to Grand Prix level.
Dujardin and Secret AgentDujardin rode good trot extensions with plenty of overtrack and skilfully piloted him through the lateral movements in trot, but the discerning eye would spot that he gets a bit too floaty in trot and has a tiny hitch in his getalong. He was not 100% regular in his locomotion (and I'm not talking about unsoundness at all as he looks fit as a fiddle) when he trotted, but had a tendency to get stuck in his suspension by a fraction. The rhythm was clearly smoother on the left lead. Nonetheless, the horse moves in a mind blowing way. The extended walk was tense has he neighed and needed more relaxation and stretch of the neck. The extended canter left was superb and in the left half pirouette he showed much ability to collect. The four-time tempi changes were straight, but the flying changes to the left are more climbing, while the ones to the right are more through the body.
Judges Frederico Pinteus, Agnieszka Majewska, Elke Ebert, Peter Storr and Mats Eriksson scored the horse a winning 80.645£ with 9.2 for trot, 7 for walk, 9 for canter and submission and 8.9 for perspective. The technical score for the test was 76,607% and 73,571%. It was a whopping win, but with the second placed horse deservedly breathing down Secret's Agents neck with a score of 80,140%.
“I bought Secret Agent when he was two, and I’ve been riding him since he was three,” Dujardin said in the press release. “I really love this horse, his potential, his incredible character, and the way he is to train. I’ve never ridden a horse that is naturally so supple and elastic. He makes me smile every single day. The great thing is, we have such an immense partnership. I trust him 100 per cent and I knew he would go in there and do his best. I’m delighted with his test today, but the ultimate goal with this horse is different – the goal is Grand Prix sport.”
Secret Agent is one of no less than 18 (!!) Secrets competing in Verden this year. The Baden Wurttemberger stallion, who is now standing at stud in Celle, beats all other breeding sires out of the park with such massive representation. The second best represented sire is Vitalis with 9 offspring, followed by Escolar with 8, Lord Europe with 5, and Dynamic Dream and Toto Jr both with 4 offspring.
Divya Developed
Rosenkilde on Brandtbjergs DivyaLast year's silver medal winning Danish warmblood mare Brandtbjergs Divya (by Hesselhoj Donkey Boy x Don Olymbrio) finished second under his new rider and owner, Danish Young Rider Theresa Rosenkilde. Bred by the Buhl family, she was previously owned by Stutteri Søbakkehus and ridden by Anders Hoeck before selling to Rosekilde in September 2025.
The new pair is certainly a match and Divya has really developed into an FEI level. She has bulked in muscle and has a very easy way of going. She moved through the trot work with rhythm and balance, walked well but in canter could be a bit more uphill oriented. In the left half pirouette she really collected and took the weight on the hindquarters. The flying change at K was stabbing with the hind legs and not really through.
It was a very nice test and the judges rewarded the bay mare with 8.8 for trot and walk, 8.6 for canter, 8.8 for submission and perspective. The technical scores were 71,607% and 73,750% for a second place so far and marking her as one of the medal favourites.
"“She is such an amazing horse, and she was completely focused on me in the arena. I’m so happy," said Theresa.
Odi Murona Third
Tessa Kole on Odi MuronaWith 41 horses competing in the class, it was another marathon session that took through the afternoon to rank all combinations. The third placed horse came at the very end. Dutch young rider Tessa Kole delivered a lovely presentation of the Dutch warmblood mare Odi Murona (by Blue Hors Farrell x Johnson), bred by J. van den Broek and owned by Ko and Sandy van Belois.
The bright bay shows a very high degree of collection which makes her gaits more balanced than those of most of her peers. Kole excelled in her very neat presentation of the horse with a tidy execution of the movements. In canter the horse could cover more ground and there was a slight loss of impulsion in the right pirouette. Also in the four-tempi changes the ones to the right need to be straighter, but overall it was a solid ride.
Odi Murona received 8.4 for tot 8.5 for walk, 8.8 for canter, 9 for submission and perspective, and 71.071% and 72,500% for the technical execution of the test.
“I’ve ridden her since she was three,” Tessa says. “I’ve already competed her in several young horse classes, and she is simply always fantastic. She has a wonderful attitude. It was her first time in such a big arena, but she was completely focused," said Kole.
Top Five
Wienkamp on Schatzmeister MZGerman Ann Christin Wienkamp and the Luxembourg owned Oldenburg stallion Schatzmeister MZ OLD (by Secret x De Niro) were fifth in last year's 6-year old final and now finished fourth in the 7-year old preliminary test. Owned by Mandy Zimmer, who herself competed Famous Boy B (by Foundation x Breitling W) in the class to finish 18th, the bay Schatzmeister MZ executed correct trot extensions with a lengthening of stride AND frame. The collected and extened walk were clear in the rhythm, the flying changes were secure except for one bobble in the change on the centerline. In the left pirouette the horse could be more bent round the inside leg and in the end halt the stallion stood wide behind. Schatzmeister scored 78,847% with 8.8 for trot 8.2 for walk, 9 for canter, 8.6 for submission, 8.8 for perspective, and 70,714% and 71,071% as technical mark.
Mafalda Galiza Mendes on Belcanto HBA very fun and exciting horse landed fifth place: Mafalda Galiza Mendes' Hanoverian stallion Belcanto HB (by Benicio x Rascalino). After being finalist at the 2024 WCYH in Ermelo, they missed out on Verden in 2025 because the Portuguese broke her foot last year and couldn't make it. She's now back and a great way. Her colourful chestnut is such a happy chap: eager to work, forward, ears pricked in trot. His walk has plenty of overtrack but there could be a bit more ative marching. He is always nice and supple in the contact, showed good collection in the left pirouette. The four tempi changes could have been more straight. Belcanto looks so at ease with the work despite small imperfections in the ride. He scored 8.6 for trot, 8.7 for walk, 8.5 for canter, 8.2 for submission and 8.6 for perspective. The technical scores were 71.429% and 70.357%.
Past Medallists
Hogberg on Severucci HTThe 2024 WCYH bronze medal winning Swedish warmblood stallion Severucci HT (by Secret x Rubinrot) is back in action after missing out on Verden last year due to a hoof issue. Bred and owned by Gabriella Grewin Bramberg of company Absolut Dental AB, he was presented by his long-time rider Jeanna Hogberg and finished sixth with 77,257%. The chestnut stallion has become more muscled in the body and looks quite stocky now, but he's super a little powerball. The stallion looked so established in the small tour work, with the trot half pass to the right as one of the highlights of the test. The walk was very well regulated, the extended canter left uphill, but the canter half pass right a little flat. In the flying changes the rider swung a little too much in the saddle to my tate, especially in the four-tempi changes and the final change at K was in two phases. They received 8.4 for walkn 8.2 for walk, 8.8 for canter, 8 for submission and 8.5 for perspective and got 71.071% and 70.357% as technical scores.
Former double world champion Red Viper and Dutch Olympian Dinja van Liere landed 8th place with 75,824% and seems not in their winning shape. The massive Dutch bred liver chestnut stallion (by Romanov x Sir Sinclair), bred by Coen Kerbert and owned by Eugene Reesink, was very spooky in the arena, shied often on the short side at A and it was quite a task for the elegant Van Liere to command this powerhouse horse. The trot work was tense looking throughout, despite Red Viper's ground cover and arena filling looks. He broke into canter in the half pass right. The extended walk had good marching and relaxation though. The left extended canter was big, but in the right one the horse braked and stopped and missed the flying change. The fours were straight but there was another short change at K. The high scores were a little surprising considering they were not (yet) on their A-game. Red Viper got 9 for trot, 8.3 for walk, 7.8 for canter, 7.3 (?) for submission and 8.2 for perspective. The technical score was 68.929% and 71,964 (??)%
Quick Notes
Senta Kirchhoff on DribblerSandwiched in between Severucci HT and Red Viper was the the Hanoverian gelding Dribbler (by Don Martillo x Dancier), ridden by Senta Kirchhoff and owned by Senta's husband, Finnish Olympian Henri Ruoste. The tall chestnut bred by Angela Fitschen moved with a rather high and tight neck, but showed good balance and impulsion in the trot work. The shoulder in left had too much angle. He was a little hurried on the extended walk diagonal but held a clear rhythm. Also in canter the gelding looked very established and balanced but lots a bit of steam in the right pirouette. He scored 76,436% with 8 for trot, 8.3 for walk, 7.8 for canter, 8.5 for submission and 8.3 for perspective. His technical scores were 70.714% and 71,429% to land place seven.
Estelle Wettstein on Fortunello KWGOne of the most exciting horses of the day was the ninth placed Swiss warmblood Fortunello KWG (by Furstenball x Franzikus). Owned by Swiss U25 rider Tallulah Lynn Nater and ridden by her coach Estelle Wettstein, the black gelding bred by Walter Kunz is such refined, long-legged sporty type of horse. He was soft in the contact, correctly foaming and working hard for his rider. The gelding was a little too tense throughout the test, especially in the collected walk, but still did a lovely job. He showcased an uphill right extended canter, very good collection in the left half pirouette and straight four tempi changes. This is one to watch for the future. He scored 9 for trot, 5.8 for walk, 8.8 for canter 8.5 for submission and 7.9 for perspective. With 69.821% and 72,500% as technical scores he finished on 75.581% in total and 9th place.
