World number one heads impressive dressage entry list at The Dutch Masters
The very best of international dressage sport will gather in large numbers at The Dutch Masters, taking place from 12 to 15 March, for one final opportunity to collect enough points to qualify for the World Cup Final in April in Fort Worth, USA. Interest in the CDI1* competitions and the Young Riders category is also high.
World Cup
The leader of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ standings, Belgian rider Larissa Paulius, will travel to the Brabanthallen. She has already secured her place in the Final but has decided not to make the long journey due to the age of her horse Flambeau. Germany’s Raphael Netz, who is currently in third place alongside Germany’s dressage queen Isabel Werth, is almost certain of a starting position in the Final.
The world number one will compete in ’s-Hertogenbosch with his top horse Zonik Plus. The duo won last year’s European Championship in Crozet, and since then Verboomen has competed his impressive 10-year-old stallion sparingly. After Crozet, they competed in Lyon, where they won the World Cup, followed by another victory in Frankfurt with a score of 91.195%.
This year, The Dutch Masters will be their first competition. “I’m really looking forward to The Dutch Masters. It will be my and Zonik Plus’s first competition of the year, and I’m very excited about that,” Belgian rider Justin Verboomen says enthusiastically. “I have great memories of last year, The Dutch Masters was one of our first 5* competitions together. It was an amazing experience for both me and Zonik Plus. The freestyle to music went extremely well; it was the very first time we completed a freestyle without any mistakes.” The audience was also clearly charmed by the likeable combination and will once again be able to enjoy the European champions this year.
However, Verboomen will face strong competition, including from British rider Charlotte Fry, who has already qualified for the Final as the defending champion. “Both Glamourdale and Everdale are in very good form at the moment, so we thought it would be nice to take Everdale to a competition again, as it has been a while since he last competed,” Fry explained. “His last competition was in Lier in May. For a while we weren’t sure which horse to take to The Dutch Masters. We decided that Glamourdale will go to Fontainebleau a few weeks later, so for The Dutch Masters we’ll bring Everdale.” Everdale turns 17 this year, “but he still feels like a young, energetic horse. He is super fit, but we took things a bit easier over the summer while I focused mainly on Glamourdale. This winter we worked calmly and decided which competition we wanted to ride with him. I hope we can do well at The Dutch Masters, because it is always a wonderful event.”
The Dutch Masters is a home competition for Fry: “It’s so close to home and everything is excellently organised—the stables, the facilities for the grooms, and the arena is fantastic. There is plenty of space around the arena, which is very pleasant and something you don’t often see at indoor World Cups.”
Dutch riders
Marieke van der Putten, currently seventh in the standings, and Thamar Zweistra, in eighth place, can further secure their tickets to the Final in the Brabanthallen. Other Dutch riders competing include Dominique Filion, Dinja van Liere and Rowena Weggelaar.
In total, 33 riders and 38 horses from 10 countries will compete in the international dressage competitions. The FEI Dressage World Cup™, presented by RS2 Dressage Grand Prix, will take place on Friday 13 March at 2:00 pm, and the FEI Dressage World Cup™, presented by Equestic Freestyle to Music, will be held on Saturday 14 March, also at 2:00 pm.
Complete list competitors international dressage competitions
Programme The Dutch Masters 2026
Order your tickets here
Photos: TDM/Remco Veurink