Equestrian Australia (EA) has announced the combinations selected for the 2025 FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses, with Dark Diamond and Tayla Desmet named in the five-year-old division, and Exact ridden by Alexandra Vodermair named in the six-year-old division.
Experienced World Young Horse Championship competitor Maree Tomkinson has been named as the Australian Chef d’Equipe.
Alex and ‘Chewie’
Alex Vodermair and Exact caught everyone’s attention at Dressage & Jumping with the Stars this year when they took out the Young Dressage Horse Champion of Champions title.
Alex was born in Germany but has lived in Australia for the past decade, after initially falling in love with the country and spending time here on a gap year back in 2003. She found Exact in Germany as a three-year-old, and speaking with Equestrian Life earlier this year recounted that first ride: “When I sat on him, I knew he was for me. He certainly did not feel like a three-year-old who hadn’t been ridden for six weeks. I put him on a plane as soon as I could and got him back to Bowral!”
By Escamillo out of a Hohenstein x Sandro Hit mare, Exact was produced in Australia by Alex, and following their success at DJWTS earlier this year they took the plunge and headed to Europe. The pair’s success has continued abroad, with impressive results at PfingstTurnier Wiesbaden in Germany last month.
You can read more about Alex and Exact’s journey in the April issue of Equestrian Life here.
Rider: Alexandra Vodermair
Horse: Exact
DOB: 02/01/2019
Sire: Escamillo
Dam: Hauptstutbuch Hoffnung
Dam sire: Hohenstein
Studbook: Hannoveraner Verband e.V. (HANN)
Breeder: Thorsten Hogrefe
Owner: Alexandra Vodermair
Tayla and ‘Zack’
Equestrian Life recently caught up with Tayla Desmet, who has enjoyed recent success in young horse classes with Dark Diamond, aka ‘Zack’. The gelding is out of Tayla’s Grand Prix mare, Zaubermaus and by the stallion Diamond Hit.
“Dark Diamond is super special to me! I bred him while I was still living in Australia, and he’s out of my dream mare, Zaubermaus – so to now be training and competing with him in Germany feels like a full-circle moment!” said Tayla, who has been based in Germany since 2019.
Rider: Tayla Desmet
Horse: Dark Diamond
DOB: 26/10/2019
Sire: Diamond Hit
Dam: Zaubermaus
Dam sire: Zonic
Studbook: Hannoverian Horse Society of Australia (HHSA)
Breeder: Tayla Desmet
Owner: Philip Desmet
Congratulations to Alex and Tayla on their selection for the 2025 FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses.
A third Australian rider, Alicia Ryan, is also set to compete at the event after being named on the Swedish team. Alicia has been selected for the five-year-old class with stallion Morricello II VH (by Moricone x Floricello), and has also been named a reserve for the six-year-old class with Vilas Blarney (by Bon Coeur x Floricello).
Don’t forget you can watch all the action live and on-demand via ClipMyHorse.TV.
