Henrik von Eckermann faces the defence of his world title with a new trump card. The current Show Jumping World Champion will arrive at the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 alongside the 12-year-old stallion Minute Man, a horse with whom he hopes to fight for medals once again, although he recognises that the circumstances are very different from those he experienced four years ago with the legendary King Edward.
In an interview published by the World Championship organisation, the Swedish rider looked back on the unforgettable success achieved in Herning 2022, where he won both team and individual gold. That moment also coincided with his rise to world number one, a week he describes as «very special», although also marked by the enormous pressure he felt.
«We went in as absolute favourites and, mentally, winning was the only option. Finishing second would have felt like a failure, confessed Von Eckermann, who acknowledges the relief he felt when everything went according to plan.
Now, the setting will be Aachen, a venue that has always held a special place in his career. The Swede recalls attending the 2006 World Equestrian Games as a spectator and claims that ever since then he has dreamed of competing there at the highest level.
«I love entering that stadium. The atmosphere, with tens of thousands of spectators, is incredible. Aachen is the mecca of our sport; there is nothing comparable,» he stated.
Regarding his sporting aspirations, the champion prefers to remain cautious. He believes that Minute Man possesses enormous potential, but acknowledges that he is not yet at the level that King Edward reached during his prime.
«I take it day by day. Minute Man has a huge amount of quality and potential, but the situation is different. King Edward was the undisputed favourite; now we must build our championship step by step, he explained.
The Swede also highlighted one of the great virtues of his current team-mate: his consistency. As he explained, Minute Man projects calm from the outside, although in reality he possesses a lot of energy and a great competitive spirit. In addition, he believes that this consistency will be one of the keys in such a demanding championship, where maintaining the level over several matchdays is essential.
In his preparation for Aachen, Von Eckermann has competed with Minute Man in Riesenbeck and Falsterbo, two shows held on grass, a surface similar to the one he will find at the World Championship. He also recalled that the horse already knows the Aachen arena having competed there previously with Willem Greve.
After finishing fifth in Riesenbeck, the rider assures that he is travelling to Aachen with positive feelings and great excitement to compete in a championship he considers unique, not only because of the atmosphere in the stadium, but also because of the facilities and the care that horses, male and female riders, and teams receive throughout the competition.
