Sophie Wells produced the headline result for Britain at the para dressage World Championships in Aachen, Germany, taking Grade V gold with MSJ Gold Standard (pictured top), while Mari Durward-Akhurst won silver and Jemima Green and Nicola Naylor added bronze medals.Sophie Wells and the 10-year-old MSJ Gold Standard known as Gracie at home were crowned world champions delivering a performance that added another major individual title to one of British para dressages most distinguished riders. They scored 74.949%, winning by almost 2%. I think its just really special, especially as we lost my dad last year and he would have loved to have seen this, said an emotional Sophie. The 36-year-old has spent years at the very top of the sport, but admitted that there were times when she genuinely did not know whether she would make it back there.Ive got a perfectionist personality, and dressage obviously suits me for that reason, Sophie explained. I love the horses, I love riding, I love training them, and theres something in me that loves competing.Yet the road back had not been straightforward.I didnt know if Id get back to the top again, she admitted. Weve had a bit of a hard few years with horses and things happening in life and stuff.Her motivation, though, has remained remarkably simple.I get up every morning and I want to be the best I can be for my horses, she said.I wanted to give Gracie a really great ride today, Sophie said. It was my big idea at the end of last year, to see if we could get Gracie here, and shes been amazing, and shes just the coolest customer you could wish for.The partnership is still remarkably new. Sophie got Gracie in December, with Emma Blundell of Mount St John owning and breeding the mare, and the intention from the outset was to campaign her towards the World Championships.I started competing her pretty much straight away to get into the campaign. Really, the goal of having her was to campaign her for the Worlds this year, explained Sophie. That a 10-year-old horse could arrive at her first World Championships and immediately become a world champion speaks volumes about her temperament. Her brain is unbelievable, said Sophie. It is what sets her apart from everything else.Aachen is hardly a quiet environment, but Gracie appeared to take it all in her stride.Shes the most relaxed, accepting horse of this type of environment, Sophie said. As long as shes got food and love, shes happy.That attitude has made a refreshing difference for Sophie, who has previously partnered horses that could be more affected by atmosphere.The past couple of horses Ive had have been a little bit more on edge and a bit more tense, but Gracie is the opposite.A key to getting the best out of this mare has been to do less, rather than more.I have to do less and keep her fresh, and keep her willing, Sophie explained. At home she hacks and jumps, just to try to keep it as fun and light-hearted as possible for her.Even after the gold-medal-winning performance, Sophie believes there is much more to come.There werent any mistakes per se, but I feel like my simple changes could have been a lot better.And, when asked whether she could push Gracie further in the coming tests, her answer was unequivocal.Oh, 100%. Theres loads more in there.Durward-Akhurst delivers on the big stage If Sophie brought experience to the top step,Mari Durward-Akhurst brought the excitement of a first World Championship appearance, taking Grade I silver with the much-loved 19-year-old Athene Lindebjerg on a score of 75.542%. The pair produced a performance that Mari described simply as outstanding.She was amazing, she said. Everything we worked really hard on came off on the test.The atmosphere of Aachen might have been intimidating, but Athene thrived on it.She was really hot out here when she saw that screen, and she kept a lid on it, and she was really up for it, Mari explained. The bigger the atmosphere, the more up she is, and then shes easier to ride. I definitely didnt play safe. I went bold. Mari has worked with a psychologist on going into the arena with greater conviction. Ive worked really hard with the psychologist on going in and owning it, she said. Its really special. Im going to get emotional now. Shes obviously 19 now, so were not sure what the future holds. Shes such an incredible mare. Im so pleased shes now a World Championship horse as well.What an experience!: Jemima Green makes an impressive World Championship debut There was another British debutant on the podium in Grade II, whenJemima Green (pictured above, right) and Fantabulousproduced a bronze medal performance on a score of 75.241%, just 0.242% off the gold medal spot.What an experience! Jemima said. I wasnt too sure on what to expect going up the centre line at my first World Championships.Jemima commented Fantabulous, who is just an eight-year-old, was almosttoorelaxed and has earned himself a nickname of Fantaland for when he disappears into his own little world mentally.It wasnt easy to ride. He almost felt so relaxed in there, which I wasnt prepared for.Everything felt connected apart from that one transition, but after that, he was like, Oh, Im back with you, Mum.Jemima recalled her first international championship experience at Ermelo with Fantabulous as a completely different kettle of fish. I very much remember the first test at Ermelo. I wasnt breathing, he wasnt breathing, and it was just a bit of a blur and hard work in a very different way.This time, she was able to ride positively into the atmosphere.I definitely think together weve earned confidence, she said.The final score surprised her, too.I was very shocked because I was actually walking up going, Oh no, that was a disaster.Then the scores appeared.I saw that one judge gave me 80%+ and I just couldnt hold in the shock.Jemima believed it was her first 80% score and a personal best a remarkable result for a first World Championship test.Thats just incredible to get that for our first world test.Naylor completes the British quartet of incredible results Britains fourth individual medal came fromNicola Naylor and Humberto L, who claimed bronze in the Grade IV class on a score of 73.861&.For Nicola, who is visually impaired, this was her first World Championships, and the occasion inevitably brought nerves.Its my first time as a World Championships and I cant say that I wasnt a bit nervous, said Nicola. I felt like there was a real partnership there, and he actually really trusted me. Once he had settled, Humbertos confidence grew.Once he got going, he was just on fire, Nicola said, who went on to say that this 14-year-olds canter is when he really comes into his own. Hes got such a big bouncy canter, and you can feel hes really happy when hes cantering, said Nicola. Hes like, Come on, were doing the thing I like now.Ive had him for about six years, and its been a real relationship of love and work. He could not have done that six years ago, so Im super proud of him.The result was particularly meaningful because Aachen has long been a dream venue to compete at for Nicola. Aachens always been the dream place for me to come, she stated. The team competition gets underway at 8am UK time tomorrow and concludes on Saturday, with the freestyle taking place on Sunday. Images: FEIRelated contentThe most incredible feeling in the world: Lottie Fry and Glamourdale claim history-making World Championship freestyle gold for Britain Brilliant Britain strike gold at eventing World Championships as Michael Jung takes individual title and Brits fill the rest of the podium How to watch the 2026 FEI World Championships on TV and via livestreamWhats happening, when? The full 2026 FEI World Championships timetableThe post Sophie Wells leads British para dressage medal charge with World Championship gold appeared first on Your Horse.