Justin Verboomen & Zonik Plus World No. 1 for 5th Month on Stallion’s 10th Birthday

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Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus. © Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS,com

Dec. 31, 2025

Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus launch 2026 as world No. 1 celebrating the horse’s 10th birthday. Becky Moody climbed to second, the highest ranking for the British star on her home-bred Jagerbomb.

Christian Simonson of the United States riding Indian Rock vaulted to 15th from 151st over the month while Canada’s. Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu jumped to 36th from 184th in November, the two biggest changes in the world’s top 50 riders in the FEI rankings. (see separate report)

The ranking of the Justin Verboomen of Belgium and Zonik as the world’s top rider and horse for the fifth straight month were boosted by the  score in December of 91.195%, the first result above 90% for the partnership that began Big Tour just over a year ago when Zonik was aged eight. The official birthday for horses in the Northern hemisphere is January 1.

The result was the highest for any combination since the 2023 European Championships when the freestyle in Riesenbeck, Germany produced three bigger scores: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on TSF Dalera BB at 92.818%, Charlotte Fry on Glamourdale at 92.379% and Charlotte Dujardin on Imhotep on 91.396%.

Justin’s five months at No. 1 places him behind Jessica von Bredow-Werndl who was at the top for 18 months following the separation of rankings for riders and horses in September 2022, Isabell Werth with seven No. 1s and Charlotte Fry with six.

Becky Moody whose last-minute selection for Britain’s team at the Paris Olympics in 2024 when ranked in the teens, jumped to No. 2 after several months in the fourth spot.

Charlotte Dujardin, rebuilding her resume after a year away from competition, moved to 13th from 18th in the same period.

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour’s second place on Mount St. John Freestyle in Frankfurt with 91.085% did not help keep her near the top; a schedule of fewer competitions saw her drop to 24th from No. 3 a month ago.

Complete rider rankings: https://data.fei.org/Ranking/Search.aspx?rankingCode=D_WR_A

Complete horse rankings: https://data.fei.org/Ranking/Search.aspx?rankingCode=D_WR_H_2