PB performance for Tayla Desmet and Dark Diamond in Verden

Australian Tayla Desmet and homebred gelding Dark Diamond posted a personal best 79.6% in the Small Final for Five-Year-Old Horses at the World Breeding Championships in Verden, improving over 8% from qualifying to finish sixth from 30 combinations.

Tayla Desmet and Dark Diamond in the Small Final for Five-Year-Old Horses at the 2025 FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Verden. Image by Leanjo de Koster/DigiShots.

Equestrian Life

Published 9 Aug 2025

Share this article

Australian rider Tayla Desmet has recorded a personal best score with five-year-old gelding Dark Diamond (Diamond Hit x Zonik) at the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Verden, Germany, on Friday.

The pair contested the Small Final for Five-Year-Old Horses, scoring 79.6% with marks of 8.2 for perspective, 8 for trot, 8 for canter, 7.8 for submission, and 7.8 for walk. In the qualifying round, Desmet and Dark Diamond received 71.4%, thereby achieving more than an 8% improvement in their second test. The result saw them finish sixth in the Small Final from 30 combinations, and although only the top three ranked horses progress to the Final, it was an outstanding performance.

This gelding was bred in Australia by Tayla and her family and is out of their Grand Prix mare Zaubermaus.

Fellow Australian Alicia Ryan, riding for Sweden, scored 74.2% for 17th place with stallion Morricello II VH (Morricone x Floricello) in the Small Final, receiving 7.8 for canter, 7.5 for perspective, 7.3 for trot, 7.3 for walk, and 7.2 for submission. This stallion was bred and is owned by Västra Hoby Stuteri AB.

The Netherlands’ Bart Veeze and Roman Empire (Romanov Blue Hors x Sir Sinclair) claimed victory with 89.800%. Germany’s Beatrice Hoffrogge and Because of You OLD (Benicio x Dimaggio) followed closely in second on 88.600%, with compatriot Jessica Lynn Thomas riding So Special 12 (Secret x Bon Coeur) into third on 84.200%.

Re-watch all the action on ClipMyHorse.TV.

Another win for Denmark in the 7-Year-Old Qualifier

Fiona Bigwood and Danish Warmblood Quinn G (Quaterhit x Fassbinder) topped the First Qualification for 7-Year-Old Horses, scoring 80.177%. This mare was the 2024 Six-Year-Old Champion (Fiona Bigwood) and also the 2023 Five-Year-Old Champion (Bettina Jaeger), with Final scores exceeding 90% on both occasions.

Charlotte Fry and stallion Ilegro (Inclusive x Negro), representing the Netherlands for Van Olst Horses, placed second on 77.634%, ahead of Cecilie Hedegaard for Germany with stallion TSF Gaspard ND (His Moment x Imperio) on 77.075%.