Verden, Germany – Two U.S. combinations gained valuable experience at the 2025 FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses, held at the Turniergelände Verden in Verden, Germany. Hope Cooper and O Romeo S represented the U.S. in the six-year-old division, while Rebecca Rigdon and Stay Cool competed in the five-year-old division.
“I was super happy with our riders and horses. Hope [Cooper] and O‘Romeo S made it straight into the Final out of 40 combinations in the first qualifier. This is a great accomplishment considering O‘Romeo S is a U.S.-bred stallion and it was Hope‘s first time competing in Europe at the WBC,” said Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor Christine Traurig. “Rebecca [Rigdon] and Stay Cool did well also. Her horse has three very good gaits, and as he matures I am sure he will do very well as a six-year-old and we‘ll see them competing at WBC again. Both riders came home feeling inspired and motivated by the quality of the horses and riders they competed with and against and it shows how important it is for U.S. riders to have that experience in Europe.”
Cooper (Concord, Mass.) and O Romeo S, a 2019 KWPN stallion (Charmeur x Evanta III MMW) owned by Tammy Richard and bred in the United States by Sonnenburg Farm, LLC, qualified for this year’s Six-Year-Old Final, marking the first time in a decade that a U.S. combination moved forward to the Large Final. . Known in the barn as “Ollie,” O Romeo S’s achievement stands out as a recent notable milestone for U.S.-bred horses.
In Sunday’s Final, Cooper and O Romeo S tied for twelfth place on a score of 82.400%. The judges rewarded their supple, balanced, and uphill canter work, as well as their overall potential, noting the young stallion’s ability to collect and take weight, an important quality for a future in top-level dressage. “My ride [in the Final] felt amazing,” said Cooper. “It was one of the best feelings I’ve had so far in the arena with him. I think we truly showed off the direction we hope to go in the future, and I couldn’t be prouder of him for how hard he tries every single time.”
Reflecting on the week, Cooper added, “On Wednesday I felt incredibly proud of ‘Ollie’ and my team. I was honored to represent the U.S., and this being my first time at the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championships made it even more special. I was in awe of how much he fought for me in the arena and how fulfilling our partnership feels.” The result highlights the growing depth of U.S. breeding programs and reinforces the nation’s potential to produce horses capable of competing and excelling on the international stage.
Rigdon (Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.), partnered with Stay Cool, a 2020 Hanoverian gelding (Secret x Dequila), owned by Ad Astra Collective, also represented the U.S. with distinction in the five-year-old division The pair qualified for the Small Final for Five-Year-Olds, where they finished in twelfth place with a score of 76.000%. Judges praised the gelding’s canter work, impulsion, and elasticity, underscoring his promise to continue his development toward the upper levels.
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