14 Oct 40 Years of FEI Dressage World Cup™ in Neumünster: Where Sporting History Is Made
(Neumünster) Four decades of world-class dressage, record-breaking performances and unforgettable moments: In 2027, the VR CLASSICS Neumünster will celebrate 40 years of FEI Dressage World Cup™ competition in the Holstenhallen. Since hosting its first qualifier in 1987, Neumünster has become the longest-standing venue on the World Cup circuit. From 18 to 21 February 2027, the international dressage elite will return to a stage where sporting history has been made time and again.
Few venues bring spectators quite so close to the action. In the Holstenhallen, the audience sits just metres from the dressage arena, creating an atmosphere unlike anywhere else on the circuit. An almost reverent silence accompanies each performance before the stands erupt in applause after the final salute. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic, the Neumünster crowd celebrates outstanding horsemanship regardless of nationality or reputation. It is this special connection between riders and spectators that keeps many of the sport’s biggest names coming back.
From the First World Cup Freestyle to the 90 Percent Record
The history of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ in Neumünster began in 1987 with a German victory, courtesy of Georg Theodorescu and Sunny Boy. Six years later, his daughter Monica Theodorescu became the first rider in the world to score more than 80 percent in a Grand Prix Freestyle, riding Ganimedes. In 2014, Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW broke the 90 percent barrier in the Holstenhallen, setting a new world record.
Yet it is not only records that leave a lasting impression. In 2007, Alexandra Korelova (RUS) and Balagur captivated the audience with a piaffe that earned the maximum mark of 10. The crowd responded with a standing ovation.
Isabell Werth remains the undisputed record holder in Neumünster, with nine victories aboard six different horses. Helen Langehanenberg has won four times, while Sven-Günter Rothenberger and Ulla Salzgeber have each claimed three victories. Of the 39 FEI Dressage World Cup™ qualifiers held to date, 27 have been won by German riders and twelve by competitors representing other European nations.
A Stage for Emerging Talent
Alongside the established stars, Neumünster has long provided up-and-coming riders with an opportunity to prove themselves on the international stage. In 2026, young Danish rider Alexander Yde Helgstrand made his FEI Dressage World Cup™ debut here, while Neumünster marked an important milestone in the first FEI Dressage World Cup™ season of German talent Moritz Treffinger.
The Holstenhallen have also played a significant role in the careers of several outstanding horses. German dressage coach Monica Theodorescu recalls: “Neumünster has often been the place where a horse made its international breakthrough. That was the case with Weihegold OLD in 2016, TSF Dalera BB in 2020 and Franziskus FRH in 2023. Neumünster has given quite a few horses the momentum they needed to establish themselves on the international stage.”
Long-Standing Partnerships Provide the Foundation
Neumünster’s four decades as a FEI Dressage World Cup™ venue owe much to its exceptionally loyal audience and the continued commitment of long-standing partners. The Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken in Schleswig-Holstein have supported the international equestrian event since the 1960s. In 1992, they first became sponsors of the Grand Prix, followed in 1999 by Volksbank in Neumünster’s sponsorship of the Dressage World Cup.
As a regional partner, VR Bank zwischen den Meeren supports the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Freestyle. To mark the event’s 75th anniversary in 2026, the bank renewed its title sponsorship of the competition.
The Road to Neumünster Begins in Herning
The new Western European League season gets under way in Herning, Denmark, this coming weekend. Among those competing are Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour with Mount St John Freestyle, alongside four German combinations: Isabell Werth with Quantaz, Dorothee Schneider with First Romance, Svenja Kämper-Meyer with Amanayara M FRH and Moritz Treffinger.
The 2026/2027 season features ten qualifying legs. Following Herning, the series travels to Lyon, Stuttgart, Madrid, London, Mechelen, Basel and Amsterdam. Neumünster offers riders their penultimate opportunity to secure valuable qualification points for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, with the last qualifier taking place in ’s-Hertogenbosch. The season will then culminate in the Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 24 to 28 March 2027.
World Cup Anniversary on 20 and 21 February 2027
At the VR CLASSICS Neumünster, the FEI Dressage World Cup™ action begins on Saturday, 20 February, with the CDI-W Grand Prix, Preis von Madeleine Winter-Schulze und Familie Schwiebert, Helenenhof. The highlight of the dressage weekend follows on Sunday, 21 February, with the CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by VR Bank zwischen den Meeren.
Tickets for the VR CLASSICS Neumünster 2027 are available online via RESERVIX, by telephone on +49 4321 755421, or by email at tickets@vr-classics.de. The online ticketing service and the ticket hotline have separate ticket allocations. If your preferred seats are sold out online, please contact the hotline or email the ticket office to check availability.
Photo: Moritz Treffinger © Stefan Lafrentz