The 2026 Aachen World Championship winners ended their campaign in Spain with a thrilling jump off won by Aachen gold medalist and World number 1 ranked Richard Vogel and Cloudio, a 12-year-old Holsteiner stallion.
It was Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil and Major Tom who jumped off against the Germans. But a fence down in the last round put them in second place, along with team leader Pedro Paulo Luz Lacerda.
World silver medalists Belgium claimed third place with coach Peter Weinberg. They finished on 5 points to Brazil’s 4, thanks to a final clear by Abdel Saïd aboard Wathnan Bonne Amie.
“It’s a top feeling,” said Otto Becker of winning again in 2026 after taking the series in 2024. “Teamwork makes dream work. It was a long season. To win this Longines League of Nations™ after the World Championship in Aachen…the team deserves it, and I’m really happy.”
Barcelona’s Real Club de Polo once again hosted the popular Final, with a course designed by Spain’s Santiago Varela. Ten teams started the season, but only the top eight advanced to the last leg, where they were joined by the home team under Francois Mathy Jr.
The scores from this summer were reset to zero as the start list lined up. Late afternoon sun peeked out after a weekend of heavy rain, and the footing was perfect for duos trying to cross the Longines beam in the allowed 71 seconds.
At the interim, Germany were already dominating with no penalties, Sophie Hinners and Iron Dames My Prins being the discard score of 4.
They were chased by Belgium with 1 time fault from Saïd. Brazil was in third place just above the USA, each on 4 points. Ireland, Spain, France, defending champions Great Britain, and Italy followed in that order.
With no dropped score in Round 2, the tension ratcheted up a notch. A double clear from three-time World Cup champion Marcus Ehning and Coolio 42 gave Germany a fantastic start.
But double clears from Pieter Devos of Belgium (Primo DV) and Stephan de Freitas Barcha (Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio) kept the pressure on the leaders.
As shadows lengthened, one by one teams dropped from contention for the podium. Another double clear from Jörne Sprehe and Toys kept Germany on zero points.
A double clear from João Victor Castro Aguiar Gomes De Lima with Cashpaid J&F and 4 from Emilie Conter with Portobella van de Fruitkorf saw Brazil and Belgium switch places.
It would all come down to the final three rides — or so it seemed.
A clear from Olympic gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa and Major Tom meant Brazil would stay on 4. Abdel Saïd also kept all the rails up, giving Belgium a final score of 5.
It looked like Germany had the trophy sewn up. But a vertical down from anchor athlete Richard Vogel and Cloudio saddled them with 4 points. And that resulted in a jump off — fun for the crowd but a nail biter for the athletes.
The jump off course between the veteran and the rising star was a fast one, with a very tight hook back at the end, before a long run to the finish.
Rodrigo Pessoa is an eight-time Olympian, whose first Olympic competition was at Barcelona in that very same arena. Would it be lucky for him?
Pessoa and Major Tom negotiated the tricky elements brilliantly. But having the first obstacle down like in Round 1 stuck them with 4 points to go next to their time of 39.48 seconds.
If Vogel and Cloudio could keep the fences up, the cup would go to Germany.
The reigning European champion attacked the course as he always does. He rubbed the finish at the Longines clock, but it stayed in the cups. The win was Germany’s!
“I think it was a long time ago the last time I was here, so I’m more than happy today” said Ehning, also a member of the Aachen championship team. “Coolio did amazing again. Like Otto said, we have a great team. It was an exciting class.”
Sophie Hinners echoed his sentiments on her way to the awards ceremony, mentioning she was “really, really nervous” before the jump off: “I’m very, very proud of my teammates. They delivered today, and that’s why we’re standing here. I think we had a great team spirit again. All our horses jumped great today, and I think we can be very happy and proud.”
Jörne Sprehe praised her horse for the team victory: “Toys was jumping the whole season really, really good. And today he did an amazing job once again.” New to the Nations Cup level, she thanked her teammates for the honour of riding with them.
Likewise, Richard Vogel gave thanks for his equine partner, Cloudio: “He’s an incredible horse. He jumped fantastic, delivered a lot of clear rounds. Today, unfortunately, I let him down in the second round. I was too far off on one oxer.”
“We made it more exciting than it had to be for us,” Vogel laughed. “But I guess for the crowd, it was very thrilling sport!”
Vogel used his second position in the jump off as an advantage: “I knew what time he [Pessoa] had and unfortunately for him that the first fence was down. That made my job a little easier. But still there was enough pressure to bring it home…especially if you gave it away once.”
Otto Becker thanked the Barcelona organisers: “They did a wonderful job, especially under the circumstances the last few days with the weather. This team well deserves this victory. Perfect day!”
In the end, the USA finished off the podium in fourth behind Brazil and Belgium, followed by Italy, Great Britain, Ireland, France, and Spain.