In 2017, the Top Ten Final for the world's best dressage riders celebrated its premiere in Stockholm. In 2025, the world's top dressage riders will change venues and hold their final as the ‘Top 12 Dressage Final’ in Frankfurt.
‘On the initiative of the IDRC (International Dressage Riders Club), represented by its president Isabell Werth, we have succeeded in bringing the ’Top 12 Dressage Final‘ supported by Circle of Excellence to Frankfurt from this year onwards,’ says Matthias Alexander Rath, show director and managing director of the event agency Schafhof Connects. ‘In 2019, we raised the dressage competitions in Frankfurt to five-star level and were confident that we had reached the top, but this final is actually the icing on the cake.’
It was Isabell Werth who asked Rath after Stockholm's cancellation whether Frankfurt would like to host the final. ‘I agreed immediately,’ explains Rath.
IDRC President Werth has competed in the Top Ten Final many times and won it herself in 2017 and 2018. She knows how important this special stage is for international dressage. ‘This final, with the world's best pairs currently competing in one place, is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our sport at the highest level and with guaranteed exciting competition,’ says Werth, emphasising the importance of this final. ‘We always had first-class sport and a great atmosphere in Stockholm, but now I'm looking forward to the final in Frankfurt even more. The charm of the festive Festhalle is unique; I can't imagine a more perfect stage for the final. The international riders are very happy that Frankfurt has taken over the final from this year onwards.’
The final is supported by a group of dressage enthusiasts, the Circle of Excellence, consisting of the following partners: Bankhaus Metzler, Almased, Liselott Schindling Foundation, Anrecht Investment, Paul Schockemöhle, the Pistner family, Ralph Uwe Westhoff, Madeleine Winter-Schulze, François Kasselmann, Dreame.de and Abus Equestrian.
The ‘Top 12 Dressage Final’ is planned to take place in Frankfurt for the coming years – with two changes to the previous ‘Top Ten Final’:
• Plus two – instead of the previous ten best dressage riders according to the world rankings, Frankfurt is inviting the twelve best in the world to the final.
• Plus 50,000 – instead of the previous prize money of 250,000 euros, the finalists in Frankfurt will compete for 300,000 euros in prize money.
On the Friday of the Frankfurt tournament, 19 December, the top 12 participants will compete in the Grand Prix starting at 11 a.m., with the final freestyle scheduled for Sunday morning at 11.15 a.m.
‘With the final of the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal, the final of the Louisdor Preis and now also the “Top 12 Dressage Final” – we couldn't be in a better position in terms of dressage,’ beams Rath. ‘It's fantastic.’
Previous ‘Top Ten Final’ winners:
2024 Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour/Mount St John Freestyle
2023 Jessica von Bredow-Werndl/ TSF Dalera BB
2022 Jessica von Bredow-Werndl/ TSF Dalera BB
2021 Jessica von Bredow-Werndl/TSF Dalera BB
2020 Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic
2019 Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour/Atterupgaards Cassidy
2018 Isabell Werth/Weihegold OLD
2017 Premiere Isabell Werth/Emilio
