Where is Birmenstorf, and how do I get there?
The small town of Birmenstorf is located in Aargau, not far from Baden and around a 30-minute drive from Zurich. If you’re travelling by public transport, take a train from Zurich Main Station (HB) to Baden. From there, shuttle buses run from Wednesday toSunday at a cost of 5 francs per journey. Alternatively, you can take regular bus line 7 to Birmenstorf. The venue is the idyllic Hardwinkelhof, which is within a 10-minute walk.
What competitions are there?
There are the following disciplines in the sport programme, each with categories for both juniors and adults:
TÖLT:
This unique four-beat gait has made Icelandic horses famous worldwide. Unsurprisingly, everyone is eager to watch the world’s best riders compete in this discipline. Competitors must demonstrate different tempi, with the fast tölt being particularly spectacular.
FOUR-GAIT: The all-rounder’s test: riders must perform both slow and fast tölt, slow and medium trot, walk, and a slow to medium canter.
FIVE-GAIT: This includes all gaits shown in the Four-Gait test, with the addition of flying pace.
PACE RACE: In this event, two horse-rider pairs race head-to-head. The time is recorded over a 200-metre stretch, with each pair racing four times in total.
SPEED PACE : The race begins with a rolling start. From any gait, the horse enters the flying pace at the start line and holds it for 100 metres. It’s a fast and thrilling event.
PACE TEST: Once the horse has entered the flying pace, the time is measured after a 50-metre marker. Judging also includes the transition into pace, pace quality, and how the horse is brought out of it.
Who are the favourites?
In the tölt disciplines, reigning World Champions Jóhanna Margrét Snorradóttir and Máni Hilmarsson are among the favorites again this year. The 2023 Five-Gait WorldChampion, Sara Sigurbjörnsdóttir, will also compete in the tölt this year, on a horse from Germany, no less.
In the Four-Gait, Switzerland’s Oliver Egli and Bárður frá Melabergiare strong candidates for a win, while Germany’s Frauke Schenzel will compete in the Five-Gait with solid chances. In the pace disciplines, Austria’s Helga Hochstöger and Switzerland’s Markus Albrecht-Schoch, racing on home turf after a strong 2025 season, will be among the names to watch. As a team, the Icelanders, with numerous reigning individual World Champions, are almost unbeatable. However, Sweden, Germany, and hosts Switzerland are also in strong contention for the rankings.
What kind of tickets are available, and where can I get them?
Tickets are available in advance via the official website and Ticketcorner, starting from CHF 31.50. You can purchase week passes, with optional camping, which is especially popular, as well as weekend and day tickets. Walk-ins will be served at the box office starting August 5th.
What else is on offer besides equestrian sport?
Plenty! There's an Event Town with entertainment for the whole family, including concerts, food stalls, and shopping opportunities. There are also lots of ways to learn more about Icelandic horses. The star act in the evening programme will be none other than the legendary Icelandic cult band Stuðlabandið, perfectly in keeping with the World Championship motto: “The beat goes on.”
Who are the sponsors?
We couldn’t do it without them, so they deserve a special mention. The Icelandic Horse World Championships are supported by Egli Gartenbau in Uster as PresentingPartner and saddle maker Eques. Co-sponsors include sauna manufacturer Klafs, horse husbandry experts B & M Agrotech, event technology provider Megratron, and Techno AG, specialists in consumables. Platinum Partners are Hestar-Hof Heller, Gut Gützenhof, specialists in the breeding and training of Icelandic horses, and Kontiki, specialists in Northern travel.
