Stuttgart German Masters 2025
The Stuttgart German Masters remains one of the flagship events on the European equestrian calendar, serving as a pivotal stop in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League and forming an integral stage within the broader EEF indoor season. The 2025 edition once again culminated in the prestigious German Masters title, a class regarded as one of the most significant and historic indoor trophies in the sport. Stuttgart also hosted a key leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup, drawing the world’s leading combinations to contest valuable early-season points.
Set within the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle, the event attracted many of the sport’s heavyweights alongside national champions and rising stars, all competing in front of one of the most knowledgeable and atmospheric crowds on the circuit.
Founded in 1985, the Stuttgart German Masters has evolved into one of Europe’s most influential indoor shows and remains one of the few venues worldwide to stage FEI World Cup qualifiers in three disciplines within a single week. The FEI Jumping World Cup has been part of the programme since 2006, the FEI Dressage World Cup since 2012 and the FEI Driving World Cup since 2002, giving the event a unique multi-discipline profile on the winter calendar.
The character of the German Masters is shaped as much by its history as by its venue. The steep grandstands and close seated configuration of the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle create an intense competitive environment that demands precision, quick decision-making and composure. Stuttgart’s crowd, deeply knowledgeable and responsive, amplifies the atmosphere across all disciplines, rewarding bold riding, expressive dressage and faultless driving with equal enthusiasm.
Although the event sits firmly under the FEI World Cup umbrella, it also runs alongside national and EEF-linked elements, including the prestigious German Masters title. This blend of international and domestic sport contributes to its status as one of the most dynamic and complete fixtures of the European indoor season.
Jumping: CSI5 W Competition at the Stuttgart German Masters
The jumping programme at Stuttgart delivered the high technical standard and tight indoor sport for which the German Masters is known. The Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle, with its steep stands and intimate arena footprint, created a competitive intensity that shaped every round, rewarding forward riding, precision on the turns and quick decision making under pressure.
Opening Day: CSI5 W 1.50 m Prize of XXL Sicherheit
The week began with the 1.50 metre speed class, the Prize of XXL Sicherheit, which set the pace for the jumping programme. 39 combinations faced a track designed to encourage pace from the outset, with riders choosing between direct lines and tight rollback options that tested balance and adjustability.
Rik Hemeryck and Navarro van het Eelshof produced the winning round, stopping the clock at 61.06 seconds after committing to the forward distances and delivering clinical turns that kept the rhythm uninterrupted from start to finish. Their performance demonstrated both confidence and familiarity with the demands of Stuttgart’s indoor layout.
Second place went to Richard Vogel and Phenyo van het Keysersbos, whose 61.39 second round showcased Vogel’s trademark efficiency and precision, falling just fractions short of Hemeryck’s time. Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida and Karonia L completed the podium with 61.59 seconds, delivering a smooth, economical ride that highlighted the mare’s agility.
With Longines ranking points on offer, the speed class played an important strategic role, allowing riders to begin their week by establishing momentum and sharpening timing before the more technical challenges ahead.
Main Attraction: 1.55 m Stuttgart German Masters (CSI5*-W)
The centrepiece of the jumping schedule, the Stuttgart German Masters presented by DVAG, took place on Friday evening and drew a full house eager for one of the most historic indoor titles on the circuit. The first round produced a select but high-quality group for the jump-off, reflecting the accuracy and control required to negotiate a track that rewarded balance, carefulness and decisive riding.
Julien Epaillard and Donatello d’Auge delivered the standout performance of the night. As the final pair to jump, they entered under considerable pressure as the arena quietened ahead of their round. Epaillard set an immediate pace, riding forward to the first oxer and committing early to an inside turn that only a handful attempted. Their rhythm never wavered, and their time of 31.39 seconds proved uncatchable. It was a display of trademark boldness combined with careful execution, reflecting the maturity of the partnership and their consistency at this level.
Richard Vogel and Cloudio secured second place with a sharp, balanced round in 32.96 seconds, demonstrating the gelding’s scope and responsiveness in the tight indoor setting. Bas Moerings and Kivinia claimed third, producing a composed clear in 34.05 seconds after opting for a slightly more conservative line that prioritised precision over risk.
Strong efforts deeper in the line-up, including committed performances from riders such as Peder Fredricson and Sophie Hinners, underscored the class’s depth and the overall strength of the Stuttgart field. For Epaillard and Donatello d’Auge, the victory added another high-profile indoor title to their record and reaffirmed their position among the sport’s most consistently competitive combinations heading into the heart of the World Cup season.
Dressage World Cup 2025: Stuttgart Leg
Alongside the showjumping programme, Stuttgart also hosted a strong dressage line-up, combining CDI4* classes with an important FEI Dressage World Cup qualifier. The German Masters weekend offered a concentrated view of current form among several established and rising combinations.
In the CDI4 star Grand Prix, Germany delivered a home podium sweep. Anabel Balkenhol and High Five took the win with 72.391%, ahead of Carina Harnisch and Sheldon Cooper on 71.435%. Moritz Treffinger and Fiderdance completed the top three with 71.218%, underlining the depth of German combinations capable of performing solidly at this level. The CDI4* Grand Prix Special saw the form carry through, but this time it was Charlotta Rogerson and Bonheur de La Vie, riding for Switzerland, who topped the class on 72.447%. Marieke van der Putten and Torveslettens Titanium followed closely in second with 71.468%, while Moritz Treffinger and Fiderdance again featured on the podium with 71.362%.
The focus of the weekend, however, lay on the CDI-W classes. In the World Cup Grand Prix, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Diallo BB produced a composed and expressive test to score 73.261% and secure the win. The performance showcased a developing partnership that combined clear ring craft with growing power and confidence. Patrik Kittel and Touchdown finished second on 72.804%, bringing characteristic elasticity and expression, while Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot claimed third with 72.478% after a fluent, forward ride that confirmed their place among the promising German combinations coming through at this level.
The Grand Prix Kür to Music on Sunday delivered the defining dressage moment of the show. Riding to an expressive, well-structured freestyle, von Bredow Werndl and Diallo BB lifted their performance again to score 83.095% and complete a Stuttgart double. Their ride showed greater freedom, power and confidence than in the Grand Prix, with Diallo clearly growing into the atmosphere in the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle. Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot rose to second place with 80.765%, their freestyle highlighting balance and harmony, while Patrik Kittel and Touchdown took third on 79.620% with an expressive performance.
Together, the CDI4* and CDI-W classes added a significant dressage dimension to the Stuttgart German Masters, confirming the event’s status as a key multi-discipline fixture on the European indoor calendar and offering an early-season indicator of combinations to watch on the World Cup circuit.
FEI Driving World Cup: Four-in-Hand Driving at Stuttgart
Stuttgart has long been a cornerstone of the FEI Driving World Cup calendar, and the 2025 edition once again delivered an intense showcase of indoor four-in-hand competition. The Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle provides a uniquely demanding setting for drivers: tight corners, rapid sequences of obstacles and an atmosphere that builds with every manoeuvre. Across two rounds, precision, power and control were tested at championship intensity, with the crowd responding to every bold line and split-second recovery.
The competition opened with a fast-paced first round that rewarded fluid transitions and accurate rein management. The top drivers adapted quickly to the technical indoor pattern, using tight turns and well-timed accelerations to gain an advantage. The decisive drive, however, came in the final round, where the leading combinations faced both a reconfigured obstacle layout and the rising pressure of a full Stuttgart crowd.
Boyd Exell, the long-established benchmark of indoor driving, delivered a masterclass to secure victory. His team showed exceptional responsiveness, moving seamlessly through the cones and obstacles while maintaining the speed needed to stay ahead of the clock. Exell’s ability to combine accuracy with bold forward riding once again separated him from the field and earned him one of the most coveted indoor wins of the season.
Bram Chardon finished second after a strong, committed performance. His horses showed excellent alignment and impulsion, particularly through the more technical sections of the course, and his final round demonstrated the precision that has made him one of Exell’s closest challengers in recent years. Third place went to Michael Brauchle, whose home crowd reception fuelled a powerful and determined effort. His team’s strength and straightness through the obstacles offered a strong contrast to the more tempo-driven strategies of the leading riders, and his podium finish added to the German contingent’s success across the disciplines.
As with the jumping and dressage classes, the atmosphere in Stuttgart played a defining role in the FEI Driving World Cup competition. The intensity of the indoor arena sharpened the pace and focus of every round, and the spectators responded with the same clarity and enthusiasm that characterises the entire German Masters week.
Stuttgart’s FEI Driving World Cup leg remains one of the highlights of the indoor season. The 2025 edition reinforced that status, delivering a compelling and high-calibre contest among the very best drivers in the sport.
Across all three disciplines, Stuttgart sharpened the competitive edge throughout the week and gave a clear display of which combinations are settling into early-season form and which partnerships are building momentum as the World Cup circuits continue. As the tour now moves to its next stages, the lessons taken from Stuttgart will undoubtedly shape how riders, drivers, and horses navigate the remainder of their winter campaigns.
