As the applause was dying down after Becky Moody (GBR) and Jagerbomb entered the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, a fan exclaimed “we love your outfit.” The playful comment momentarily broke Moody’s focus before the start of her test, but she couldn’t help but laugh. The light moment set the tone for a lovely performance from Moody and Jagerbomb. The pair impressed the judges to earn 76.761% to win the Grand Prix of the Zen Elite FEI Dressage World Cup Final. She was joined on the podium by Christian Simonson (USA) and Indian Rock in second place and Patrik Kittel (SWE) and Touchdown in third place.

Moody and Jagerbomb Shine in Thursday’s Grand Prix

When asked about the highlights of her test during the press conference, Moody was self-deprecating and pointed out how she wanted to improve the rein back and canter pirouettes. It was fellow competitor Kittel who explained what the highlights were in Moody and Jagerbomb’s test.

“The horse looks really happy,” Kittel said of Moody’s Jagerbomb. “He looks in such a great harmony. He has his ears to the front, the neck is beautiful and he’s beautiful in the mouth. Becky rides with super small aids. It just looks very harmonious, and that’s what we want to see in this sport today.” 

Moody added her praises for “Bomb,” saying he seems to enjoy enthusiastic crowds. While she is proud of him and considers him to be like her child, she noted that he isn’t the flashiest horse.

Becky Moody (GBR) and Jagerbomb show off their extended trot during Thursday’s Grand Prix. ©Amy K. Dragoo

“I always say he’s a horse who’s not exceptional at anything, but he’s just really good at everything,” she said.

Moody has made her trip across the pond worthwhile with Thursday’s win. The trip to Texas marked her first time traveling overseas and competing in the U.S. The 2026 FEI World Cup Finals became a target event for Moody and Bomb for them to get the experience of flying and competing outside of Europe.

“He was amazing traveling. He took it all in his stride,” Moody said of Bomb. “He came off the transport here quite nice and pingy, so that was good. And he has been super cool to work with all week.” 

Simonson and Indian Rock Slide Into Second Place

Despite it being Simonson’s first FEI World Cup Finals, he delivered a stellar performance with the talented Indian Rock. They earned a score of 75.413% to clinch second place. The pair had a slight error at the beginning of their test when “Rocky” backed up in the opening halt and salute. Simonson thought Rocky was a bit surprised by the large Longines watch banner at the end of the ring during their halt, but after that, they were all business.

Christian Simonson (USA) and Indian Rock perform a canter pirouette. ©Amy K. Dragoo

“The moments I was so happy with were the piaffe, passage and the [canter] pirouettes,” Simonson said. “All in all, I’m just so happy with the trust we had throughout that test and what we developed together. I just love him.”

Looking back on his FEI World Cup Final thus far, it feels like a dream come true for Simonson. “It feels a bit surreal to even say that I’m here at World Cup final, let alone to get to be here with two people [Moody and Kittel] that I really admire and have watched for so long. Rocky was amazing tonight,” Simonson said. “The crowd really was special tonight. Going around the ring, I could hear people chanting and screaming, which I think it’s really fun for the sport. Also, it’s an honor to represent my country here, to be a Zen Elite rider.” 

Kittel and Touchdown Land in Third Place

Kittel shared a similar sentiment to Simonson about the crowds. Like Moody, the fans were getting Kittel pumped up before the start of his test with plenty of cheering.

Patrik Kittel (SWE) and Touchdown demonstrate their piaffe. ©Amy K. Dragoo

“Normally I don’t smile when I go around the ring, but then someone else is like, ‘We love you, Patrick!’ And I just smiled from ear to ear even before I started, so it’s just nice to see the people in the audience so with you because that’s what it’s all about,” Kittel said. “We want to present our horses that we work with every day, that we love every day, that we train with every day for this audience, and when they can take in what we give, that’s the best feeling.” 

Kittel had a fluid test with Touchdown, delivering for the enthusiastic crowd. They had nice piaffe and passage work and smooth flying changes. Kittel seemed thrilled at the end of his test with lots of pats for Touchdown and fists pumping in the air. They tallied a score of 72.869% to finish third.

Competition Continues Saturday

All combinations will move on to Saturday evening’s Grand Prix Freestyle to decide the winner of the 2026 Zen Elite FEI Dressage World Cup Final. The musical freestyles are always entertaining for dressage fans, and if Thursday was any indication, the crowd will be adding excitement to the already electric atmosphere.

For More:

  • For more of our coverage of the 2026 Zen Elite FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, click here.
  • To check out the event website, click here.
  • To view the event schedule, click here.  
  • To buy tickets for the event, click here.
  • To check results, click here.
  • Watch the 2026 FEI World Cup™ Finals live stream on FEI.TV.

Thanks to Zoetis for our coverage of the 2026 FEI World Cup Finals. It includes lead-up events, rider interviews, competition reports, photos and more.