Chinese Team of Young Dressage Riders Capture Historic Gold at 2026 Asian Games

-- - Text © Eurodressage (this article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition)  
-- Photos © Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed - NO SCREENSHOTS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

A youthful team of Chinese dressage riders wrote history for China as they captured the team gold medal in the nations competition at the 2026 Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday 25 September 2026. 

The Chinese team of four strong -- all aged between 18 and 28 -- all placed within the top 12 and put China firmly at the top of the leaderboard for the team gold medal with a team total of 208.148 points.  They stayed almost three percentage points ahead of the Republic of South Korea, while host nation Japan took bronze, much to the delight of the local visitors of the show who cheered loudly for their home heroes. 

Pinnacle of Sport in Asia

The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, are held every four years in the even years between the Olympic Games. These are the largest sporting event world-wide – with 12,000 athletes competing, whereas the IOC has limited the number of athletes at the Olympic Games to 10,000.

The Asian Games are organised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The first edition of the Asian Games was held in 1950 and currently there are 46 countries, members of OCA. They invited to participate in the Asian Games where 40 sports are showcased (including all Olympic sports). Equestrian sports first made an appearance at the 9th Asian Games in 1982 held in New Delhi (IND) following by Seoul, South Korea in 1986. They did not take part of 11th edition in Beijing, but were reintroduced again in 1994 and have since been part of the Asian Games program.

The Asian Equestrian Federation first came into being in 1978 and was recognised by the FEI as a body which would promote and ensure the growth of equestrian sports in the Asian region. 

A field of 45 combinations from 16 nations will compete at the JRA Equestrian Park in Tokyo (JPN), the venue that hosted the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.  The 2026 edition of the Asian Games saw a big increase in countries and riders as there were "only" 30 combinations from nine nations at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou (CHN) in 2023.

The team competition was judged by Vittorio Barba, Hans-Christian Matthiesen, Ricky MacMillan, Helen Hughes-Keen, and Sunil Shivdas.

The Championship of Schoolmasters

For the first time Eurodressage attended the Asian Games live for on the scene coverage. While the vast majority of athletes are familiar faces on the European show scene -- with European trainers, horse dealers, grooms and experts lined up on the sideline of the competition ring (for whom these Games are a huge business model) -- the fact of seeing them all grouped together in one class on Asian soil is something entirely different. After having witnessed the entire Prix St Georges and Grand Prix today, the competition left a clear taste of "schoolmaster championship" in our mouth; which is certainly not a bad thing as there is nothing better than to learn from an experienced, hopefully still fit and healthy horse.

The majority of Asian countries are developing dressage nations which have none or less than a handful of Grand Prix riders competing internationally. High performance sport in Asia is highly concentrated on M-level (FEI World Challenge) and small tour level, even though efforts are being made to lift the sport to Grand Prix.

For the first time the Asian Games were held in mixed format. Initially it was decided that at least one team member had to compete at Grand Prix level, but the organizers soon back-paddled on that decision and did not make a big tour combination mandatory. It is good to know that as of the 2030 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, the competition will be fully held at Grand Prix level. Whether OCA is biting off more than they can chew will be revealed in the next few years.

With 45 combinations competing at the 2026 Asian Games and only one pair opting for Grand Prix, the message is clear that many countries are either not ready or need to be pushed off the cliff before they step up their game. Korea, which ran a successful dressage development programme 20 years ago sponsored by Samsung, but then had only two individual riders making their mark in the big arena in the 2010s,  was the only country to field a Grand Prix pair in Tokyo for the 2026 Games.

Many well known international Grand Prix horse are serving a second term in their sport career as schoolmasters for Asian riders; European and World Championship horses such as Dono di Maggio, Cennin, Rosetti, Lacoste are familiar faces. Four horses were aged 18 or older. Many horses have had a successful career as small tour horses in Europe and now do their duty under their ambitious, Asian riders seeking glory in their own continental championship. 

China Sees Golden Future in Youth

The Chinese team is one brimming with youth though. It's four riders - Zhanzhao Gu (18) on Shakespeare, Yue Wu (21) on Iggy Pop Bek, Jiayi Yu (21) on Jackpoint, and Jiayi "Sarah" Rao (28) on Geniaal - delivered refreshing rides, showcasing concentration and dedication to learning the craft, more so than a great deal of riders who permanently keep their horses in training in Europe and occasionally fly in for the excitement and glory of a show.

China's team anchor was newcomer Jiayi Yu (21) on Jackpoint, a 14-year old Danish warmblood by Johnson x Welt Hit II. They placed second in the Prix St Georges with a personal best score of 70,265%. Yu rode her horse in a beautiful, long, open frame with a very quiet contact, clearly showing off the stamp of her trainer, Cathrine Dufour (DEN). The trot extensions were lovely with much ground covering, only in the lateral movements the horse could be a fraction more balanced. The walk right after the trot was ambling and also in the extended walk there needed to be more overtrack, but in canter  the half pirouettes were well executed and the tempi changes incredibly secure and straight, even though on the short side the horse lost the clear 3-beat rhythm. The end halt could have been more polished. The right curb rein also dangled pointlessly loose compared to the left curb rein. Danish judge Matthiesen had them on 71.324% while Philipino judge Bara saw 68.824% in it.

China’s second-best combination, Jiayi "Sarah" Rao and the 15-year old KWPN gelding Geniaal (by Vivaldi x Biotep) arrived in Tokyo as the hot favourites for individual gold after having won the FEI Asian Championships in December 2025. Trained in the U.K. by Sarah Higgins, Rao was the last Chinese rider to go and needed to produce a safe, fault-free test to bring home the gold. This is exactly what the pair did. The trot extensions were rather conservative and there was a loss of rhythm in the first one but overall the trot work was well balanced and rhythmical and the contact with the bridle was soft.  There was a loss of activity in the right walk pirouette and the walk got rather slow and dodgy in the rhythm.  Also the extended walk had 1 to 2 hooves overstep but was not fully relaxed over the back. The horse improved in the canter work with small half pirouettes and super straight tempi changes.  They scored 69.618% for fourth place. 

Hof Kasselmann apprentice Zhanzhao Gu and the 16-year old Mecklenburrger registered Shakespeare (by Sancisco x Lomber) also placed inside the top 10 with an 8th spot on a score of 68.265%. Coached by Lars Ligus, the pair showed bouncy, rhythmical trot work, but overall the horse needed to be more up in the poll and more regular in the left half pass. The extended walk needed to achieve more overstep, but it was in the canter work that the young 18-year ol and his 16-year old horse convinced the most with smart work. The pirouettes were well ridden. His scores ranged from 65.588% to 70.588%, both from the judges on the long side. 

Yue Wu and the 13-year old KWPN bred Iggy Pop BEK (by Dream Boy) finished 12th on 67.735%, making their result China’s drop score. The pair needs to improve on a contact that is equally elastic in both reins (stronger on the left now) and a less hurried tempo. The right half pirouette in canter was a highlight. 

Excited Korea Grabs Silver

A super excited Korean team was jumping for joy when they mounted the podium to receive the silver medal from FEI president Ingmar de Vos (BEL) at the end of the day. 

Only two riders were able to crack the 70% barrier and it was Korean Dongheon Nam, who won the inaugural FEI Asian Championships in 2019, who led Korea's charge to silver. Aboard the 10-year old KWPN bred Leonidas (by Trafalgar x Alexandro P) he topped the leaderboard in the Prix St Georges with a personal best of 70.559%. Nam has partnered with the bay gelding since purchasing him in Holland in 2023 and the pair has only shown in 2 CDI's so far (CDI Aarhus in December 2025 and CDI Lier in February 2026). Today the pair showed really good energy in the trot work with an uphill tendency and smooth lateral movements. In both trot half passes the hindquarters led at the onset though. The gelding stalled in the walk pirouette right. In the extended walk there wasn't the big marching, but the horse achieved enough overstep. In canter, Leonidas was always striding uphill with lovely straight four and three tempi changes and a very good extended canter and flying change. They had a confident ride that deservedly put them first, although overall one hope to see a bit more lightness and effortless in the contact. 

Korea's second best score came from Myeong Seok Lee aboard the 18-year old Danish warmblood Rossetti (by Romanov x Midt West Ibi Light). The bright bay represented Finland under Henri Ruoste at the 2019 European Championships before selling to Galleria Sportpferde for Korean Dong Seon Kim to ride. He re-sold the horse to Lee, who clearly benefit from the gelding's through training at Grand Prix level. The trot extensions were ground covering, even though Rossetti leaned a bit on the forehand. The extended walk was good, the tempi changes were big even though the rider swung unnecessarily much in the saddle to make them happen. The horse's experience paid off and Lee scored a personal best of 67,971% for a 10th place in the PSG. 

The youngest on Korea's team, 23-year old Hyunwoo Do and the spicy KWPN mare Nina Ricci MP (by Just Wimphof x Totilas), finished 17th with a personal best of 66,735%. Having moved from Helen Langehanenberg to Spaniard Borja Carrascosa for training, Do and his dark bay mare showed elastic trot work with proper bending on the voltes, even though there was a slight tilt. The walk pirouette left was rather tense, the right one better. There was not enough relaxation nor overtrack in the extended walk. Young Do did some really patient, beautiful riding in canter as his mare got very hot and he patiently waited and prepared for the exercises, particularly the right canter half pirouette. The flying changes were tense, but fault-free.

Korea's drop score was 62.935% coming from the only Grand Prix combination that showed at the end of Friday’s competition; Korea showed the spirit of being willing to step up to Grand Prix level ahead of the 2030 Asian Games. Shiwoo Kim and Borja Carrascosa's former international Grand Prix ride, 13-year old Westfalian gelding Sir Hubert (by Sir Heinrich x Florestan), treated the crowds to a taste of the big tour. They showed lovely trot extensions and half passes, as well as solid passage work, but the piaffe was barely happening today. The left pirouette lacked bending, the right one was better. There was a bobble in the two's and the canter half passes to the left in the zig zag had more ground cover than to the right.

Bronze for Home Nation Japan

Home nation Japan filled the spectators with pride as they climbed the bronze step of the podium with a team total of 204,117% at the ens of the day. Japan stayed far ahead of India, the team gold medalists at the 2023 Asian Games, who this year decided to leave its strongest scoring pair (Agarwalla on Straight Horse Floriana) home and failed to fill that void.

Japan's leading rider was Olympian Shingo Hayashi who been Japan's most consistent international (Grand Prix) rider for years. Permanently based in Japan, Hayashi rode the 11-year old KWPN bred King Leatherdale O (by Lord Leatherdale x Ronaldo), previously owned by Hungarian Arie Yom Tov.  The bay gelding is not the flashiest mover, but Hayashi proved his skill in training and presenting horses. In trot he never over-asked the horse, but carried him through the work, which did lead to a rather unbalanced contact with the bit; a stronger snaffle contact on the left than right. The horse lost the rhythm in the right walk pirouette, but showed a good extended walk. The right canter pirouette was the better on and the tempi changes were secure even though the bay gelding does not have the biggest canter.  Hayashi was fifth with 69,294% and put Japan on the podium.

The second best ride for "Nippon" was from team newcomer Ryuma Hieda on the 14-year old Westfalian Vagabund (by Vitalis x Dream of Glory). The 48-year old Hieda has been showing internationally for a decade but has never competed outside of Japan. As fourth rider to go in the class he gave Japan a solid start with a personal best score of 67,529%. One would like to see the rider sit a little more like a dressage rider instead of a show jumper, tucking his elbows and keeping the thumb as highest point of the hand (instead of flat piano hands). Nonetheless he and his liver chestnut showed good marching in the extended walk and a secure right pirouette. The horse put in an early unscripted flying change in the extended canter way before the marker, something many horses today anticipated and did. They were 13th.

Fumiyasu Nishiwaki certainly rode one of the most beautiful horses of the day, the 14-year old Oldenburg stallion Furst William OLD (by Furst Wilhelm x Lord Sinclair), owned by show host Japan Racing Association. Unfortunately a truck load of sugar on the left side of the horse's mouth could not hide - in fact highlighted - the gaping mouth and the tongue sticking out regularly. The eye-catching dark bay stallion produced active trot work but the flying change at M was short. The left pirouette was the best one. NIshiwaki was very bold and took risk in the extended canter. Coached by Patrik Kittel, the pair scored 67,294% but had marks ranging from 63.971% to 69.265% probably because the judges differed in opinion about the mouth.

Akiko Yonemoto made her team debut aboard the 11-year old Hanoverian Bombay Saphire (by Bordeaux x Welt Hit II). Trained by Heiner Schiergen, the pair executed a good halt at entry, but there was tension in the otherwise nice trot tour. The horse pushed himself high in the neck. The walk was rather limited in reach today. The pirouettes earned them mainly 7s, but there were bobbles in the tempi changes. They had the drop score of 66,647% for 18th place. 

Top Five

So India landed fourth place with 201,971 total. Shruti Vora became the team's anchor with a 9th place finish on a score of 68.059%. While in Europe Vora initially  trained with Helen Langehanenberg but moved to the U.K. to collaborate with Becky Moody. Her 14-tear old Oldenburg Magnanimous (by Millennium x De Niro) did not stand entirely immobile in the halt at entry, but then produced flowing trot work, but lost some airtime in the voltes. One would like to see the horse seek the contact a little more instead of creeping behind the vertical. The walk pirouettes were small, the collected walk a bit tense, but the quality of walk improved in the extended. The tempi changes and pirouettes were tidy, but again in the end halt the horse moved when the rein was released. The other three Indian team riders consistently delivered and scored what was expected of them (Chheda, Pundir, Sud).

The team of Taiwan completed the top fie with 197,824 points. Their team leader was Hsiu-Hua Yeh, who rode her 5th Asian Games in her career. This time she saddled the sympathetic 10-year old KWPN mare Lorava (by Giovanni x Westpoint) and achieved a personal best of 68,383% for a 7th place. The liver chestnut mare produced fluent trot work with good crossing in the half passes. The walk was almost lateral though and the collected walk very short but there was okay overtrack in the extended. The left canter half pirouette was really nice, the four tempi's were straight but one change in the threes was short behind. The horse did not stand immobile in the end halt as she moved when the rider released the rein to salute. 

Take Note

Individual rider Aleksandra Maksakova, who represents Palestine, landed third place in the ranking. The Dutch based Russian born rider saddled the 8-year old Hanoverian So Secret (by Secret x Desperados), which she competed at the 2025 World Young Horse Championships in Verden. The quiet rider is the underdog for a medal and at home she is coached by Anne van Olst, although "Sasha" seems to be here in Tokyo on her own. The trot work was really smooth and flowing and the walk parts earned her sevens. In canter the horse showed good flying changes, but missed one in the three tempi. Overall one would like to see So Secret a bit more soft and chewing in the contact. Without the hiccup in the tempi changes they would have cracked the 70% marker. Now they were third with  69,882%.

Thailand's Nynn Puttisombat and the 13-year old Oldenburg bred Rock That Tango (by Rockefeller x Tango) landed sixth place with 68.500%. Trained in the U.K. by Sara Gallop, the pair was a pretty one to watch. The gorgeous black gelding has an expressive trot, but Nynn did not push the pedal to the mettle. The first extension was too conservative, the shoulder in left did not have enough angle, but the walk was good with nice pirouettes. The horse had enough overtrack but could march more in the walk extension. Rock That Tango was incredibly soft-footed in his canter strides and the rider rode with quiet aids. Unfortunately the final change in the threes was short behind. 

The youngest rider in the field, 17-year old Kendra Li, produced a safe and clean round on the 11-year old Hanoverian Ferati (by Furst Belissaro x Del Piero). Li competed for Malta at the 2023 European Children Championships before switching to her native country Hong Kong. She is coached by Germans Carina and Fabian Schlolz and took over the ride on the well trained Ferati from the Baumgurtel family. The petite Li and sympathetic Ferati are a good match and the horse is so obedient and willing to do the job. Everything looked easy and smooth, flowed from one movement into the other, but there was no real collection, not in trot and clearly not in canter. The horse made no big mistakes but for bigger points he needs to take more weight on the hindquarters in the future to generate more uphill tendency. Today the personal best of 67,794% was a fabulous feat for this young girl whose appetite is hopefully now whetted for a bigger future in the sport.

What's in Store?

And is this not the goal of the Asian Games: enticing Asian countries to develop the sport of dressage by relying on well trained horses and coaching from the mother continent Europe? At least that is what it felt like today at the JRA Baji Koen equestrian center in Tokyo.

Action continues tomorrow, Saturday 26 September 2026, with the Intermediaire I and Grand Prix Special as qualifier for the individual freestyle final on Sunday. The top 15 will move to the freestyle. After a glorious day today with 29 C temperatures and sunny weather, an incessant, torrential downpour of rain is predicted all day tomorrow. With no shelter provided for photographers anywhere round the arena, this journalist is dreading the day and digging deep to muster the courage to brave the rain and take photos of soaked horses and riders. I will wake up tomorrow at 7 AM and decide if it's worth the battle. 

-- Photos © Astrid Appels/Eurodressage - No reproduction allowed - NO SCREENSHOTS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

Related Links
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2026 Asian Games
Scores: 2026 Asian Games