The event horse who has thrilled the crowds with his or her skill and bravery across the disciplines.
For the third year in a row, we will crown the best horses in their individual sports based on your votes as part of the annual Horse & Hound Awards. See who’s made the shortlist and place your votes below…
Hit Air Event Horse of the Year 2025 shortlist
Colorado Blue
16yo gelding, Jaguar Mail x Rock King
Rider: Austin O’Connor
Owners: Austin O’Connor and The Salty Syndicate
Breeder: Kate Jarvey, Mellon Stud
Stable name: Salty
The 2023 Maryland five-star winner Colorado Blue added two more podium finishes at five-star to his bumper record this year, finishing third at Badminton – for the second time – and second at Burghley. This was Ireland’s best Burghley placing since 1963.
After finishing second to Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, Austin said: “Finishing second to Ros is maybe as good as winning because the history books will say this is the best-ever combination to grace five-star eventing. It’s like a win to me.
“Horses like Salty don’t come into our lives often. He’s 16 but he thinks he’s six. If you don’t have a special horse, you’re never at the races. We are just blessed to have him.”
JL Dublin
14yo Holsteiner gelding, Diarado x Canto 16
Rider: Tom McEwen
Owners: Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston
Breeder: Volker Göttsche-Götze
Stable name: Dubs
JL Dublin entered the rare group of horses who have won individual medals with two different riders when he landed the individual bronze at the eventing European Championships at Blenheim with Tom McEwen.
The pair’s record together also includes Olympic team gold and three podium finishes at five-star, while Dubs was also a double European gold medallist with Nicola Wilson in 2021, before moving riders following her serious fall at Badminton 2022.
Tom said at the Europeans: “Dubs has done phenomenally well. He couldn’t have done any better and was just beaten by two better horses, possibly two of the greatest horses in our sport. You work your best and that’s where we are at.”
London 52
16yo Holsteiner gelding, Landos x Quinar Z
Rider: Laura Collett
Owners: Laura Collett, Karen Bartlett and Keith Scott
Breeder: Ocke Riewerts
Stable name: Dan
At his sixth championship, London 52 finally nailed an individual title, becoming European eventing champion at Blenheim in September.
Not naturally the bravest, he has become a supreme event horse through his partnership with rider Laura Collett, and it was particularly special that his cross-country performance was the defining phase of his victory.
“I can’t tell you how much I’ve wanted this,” said Laura. “Mainly for the horse, because I feel sometimes I’ve let him down and he’s finally got the championships he deserves. This is for him, it’s all him.”
The achievement caps the bay’s hugely impressive CV – three five-star wins at three different venues, two Olympic team golds, Olympic individual bronze and European team gold.
Lordships Graffalo
13yo British-bred gelding,
Birkhof’s Grafenstolz TSF x Rock King
Rider: Ros Canter
Owners: Michele and Archie Saul
Breeders: Lordships Stud and Pennie Wallace
Stable name: Walter
“What an amazing horse – I hope he’ll go down in history as a legend of our sport, not only for his performances but also his character,” said Ros Canter after her Burghley win last month. “Walter is an unbelievable horse who thrives on these occasions.”
This year, Lordships Graffalo sealed his legendary status by taking both British five-star titles, becoming the first horse to win both Badminton and Burghley twice. He was already an Olympic team gold medallist and double European gold medallist.
Voting closes at 5pm on Thursday 30 October and the winners will be revealed at a star-studded ceremony on 26 November, and featured online, on social media and in the following week’s magazine (4 December). Read the H&H Awards 2025 terms and conditions
Previous Event Horse of the Year Award winners
The previous winners of the Event Horse of the Year Award are:
- 2024: London 52, Laura Collett’s three-time five-star-winning ride who led Britain to Olympic team gold and snaffled his own individual bronze in Paris
- 2023: Lordships Graffalo, Ros Canter’s brilliant partner who won Badminton and the Europeans
Prior to 2023, the Horse of the Year Award ran across all equestrian disciplines, and the winners include:
- 2022: Vanir Kamira, the much-loved veteran mare, who added Burghley to her previous Badminton win
- 2021: the world’s best showjumper and Olympic champion Explosion W, ride of Ben Maher
- 2020: the legendary Valegro was crowned the horse of the decade (2011-2020) by H&H readers
- 2019: Piggy French’s ride Vanir Kamira may be “a pain in the arse 352 days a year”, but this true five-star horse “comes into her own at Badminton and Burghley”
- 2018: Arctic Soul, the former racehorse turned elite eventer, ridden by Gemma Tattersall
- 2017: Nip Tuck, Carl Hester’s outstanding equine partner
- 2016: Valegro, the elite dressage star and world record breaker, ridden by Charlotte Dujardin
About the Horse & Hound Awards 2025
The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 10th year, being held in partnership with NAF and Agria.
As ever, the Horse & Hound Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by you, with the exception of the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award, which is decided by a Horse & Hound panel. We will recognise both the big names who have made 2025 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at whatever level.
The ceremony will take place at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire, where some 300 people, including stars of this summer’s European Championships, will enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, Oscar-style speeches and dancing on Wednesday 26 November.
