TSCHIO Aachen 2026 — Show Jumping Festival ahead of the World Equestrian Games

A Unique Edition — Due to the World Equestrian Games

2026 is an exceptional year for Aachen's Soers venue: The regular CHIO Aachen — usually held in summer — will be suspended due to the simultaneous FEI World Equestrian Games (CHIO World Championships) in August 2026. Instead, there will be an early, significantly more compact special edition: TSCHIO Aachen 2026 from Friday, May 22 to Sunday, May 24, 2026. The format focuses exclusively on show jumping and three days of intense competition — a unique constellation that will never be repeated.

Three Days of World-Class Show Jumping

While the regular CHIO encompasses seven disciplines (dressage, jumping, eventing, vaulting, driving, para-dressage, hunt jumping), TSCHIO 2026 features only show jumping — but with maximum intensity. Over three days, there will be CSI5* competitions (the highest international category), a CSIYH1* Youngster Tour for 7- and 8-year-old horses, as well as two qualifying rounds and the grand finale. The world's top show jumpers will compete — Daniel Deusser, Christian Ahlmann, Marcus Ehning, Beezie Madden, and many others.

The Rolex Grand Prix — Sunday, May 24, 2026

The absolute highlight is the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday, May 24, 2026, from 12:40 PM to 4:20 PM. "The Grand Prix of Aachen" is part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping — the series that, along with Geneva, Spruce Meadows, and 's-Hertogenbosch, belongs to the world's four most prestigious show jumping events. 40 athletes will compete in two rounds plus a jump-off, with obstacles reaching 1.60 m. The event lasts approximately 3¾ hours — one of the most intense equestrian experiences globally.

"Horse & Symphony" — The Saturday Evening Concert

A unique side event crowns Saturday evening: On Saturday, May 23, 2026, from 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM, the main stadium transforms into an open-air concert stage. At "Horse & Symphony", the Sinfonia Aachen (Aachen Symphony Orchestra) will play James Bond themes, accompanied by show riders, equestrian performances, and a light show in the stadium arena. A "unique open-air experience full of excitement, glamour", as the organizers themselves describe it — a show appealing equally to equestrian fans and classical music lovers.

Daily Schedule at a Glance

Friday, May 22, 2026

• 09:30–12:35: Prize of Soers (CSI5*, Two-Phase Jumping, up to 1.45 m)
• 13:30–14:55: 1st Youngster Tour Jumping (CSIYH1*, 7-/8-year-old horses, up to 1.35–1.40 m)
• 16:00–18:20: 1st Qualifier Rolex Grand Prix (CSI5*, Single Round, up to 1.55 m)
• Evening: TSCHIO Beergarden with DJ Art of Life

Saturday, May 23, 2026

• 08:30–09:55: 2nd Youngster Tour Jumping
• 10:45–11:55: Prize of CHIO Aachen CAMPUS (CSI5*)
• 12:45–13:30: MERKUR CASINO-Cup (Combined Jumping + Driving)
• 14:45–17:25: 2nd Qualifier Rolex Grand Prix (CSI5*, with Jump-off, up to 1.55 m)
• 20:00–22:30: "Horse & Symphony" Concert with Sinfonia Aachen + James Bond Themes

Sunday, May 24, 2026

• 08:00–09:00: Prize of Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein (CSI5*, up to 1.50 m)
• 09:45–11:25: Prize of Handwerk — Youngster Tour Final
• 12:40–16:20: ROLEX GRAND PRIX (40 athletes, two rounds + jump-off, up to 1.60 m)
• 16:25–17:00: Farewell of Nations (Closing Ceremony since 1953)

What's Missing in 2026 — and Why

Unlike the classic CHIO, the following disciplines are omitted in 2026: Dressage, Para-Dressage, Eventing, Driving, and Vaulting. Instead, the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) will take place in Aachen in August, featuring these disciplines — and jumping — at the highest level. The ALRV (Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein) is thus concentrating its resources on two highlights: TSCHIO in May (jumping special format) and the WEG in August (all disciplines). The regular CHIO with all disciplines will return in 2027 (June 25 – July 4, 2027).

AVV Ticket as Travel Pass

Tickets for TSCHIO Aachen 2026 also serve as AVV tickets for travel by bus and train throughout the Aachen Transport Association — a combination established for years at CHIO. Those traveling from Aachen, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Maastricht, or Liège can use the AVV ticket for local public transport.

Aachen — The UNESCO World Heritage City and the CHIO

Aachen is the UNESCO World Heritage City of Charlemagne, the coronation city of German emperors, and simultaneously the world capital of equestrian sport. The Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein (ALRV), founded in 1898, is the organizer — one of the oldest and most renowned equestrian organizations in the world. The CHIO Aachen is considered the "Wimbledon of Equestrian Sport" — and TSCHIO 2026 is the unique special edition that will not be repeated in this form.