Acknowledging the rider who does not make their living from riding, training or competing horses, yet dedicates themselves to their passion.
Long-haul flights and solving crimes are all in a day’s work for these busy amateurs, who juggle their jobs outside horses with their competitive goals – who takes your vote in the annual Horse & Hound Awards?
Amateur Rider of the Year 2025 shortlist
Hollie Clark
Police investigator, prolific winning showjumper and a regular at elite shows
Hollie combines a full-time job as a financial investigator for the South-East Regional Organised Crime Unit with looking after her 21-month-old daughter, and “winning just about everything” in forces showjumping.
Hollie has contested the services jumping at Royal Windsor for three years running, and at London International, and hopes to contest London qualifiers next year with her new ride, Figaro Van Avermaet.
“Going to London last year was amazing,” she says. “I was the only police rider to qualify and it was my career highlight; I’m so glad I got to do it.”
Hollie set up the Wiltshire Police equestrian club, with which she works to promote riding and competing to other police staff, and advises the Bahrain police team.
“They might come and attend some services events here, and who knows, in future we might go there,” she says.
Allisha Coulson
Pub landlady who finished eighth at the Badminton grassroots championships
Before coach Caroline Moore passed away, she told her student Allisha Coulson that only a top-10 finish at the Badminton grassroots championships would do. Allisha and No Mercy duly came eighth.
Allisha combines running The Ship Inn in Southfleet with eventing. She has secured the ride on a three-year-old and has a former racehorse arriving soon.
She bought “Hootie” as a four-year-old, after she had come off him twice.
“Caroline rang the seller, then said, ‘It sounds like you need to be better, so just be better!’” Allisha says. “So I got better and here I am.
“This year was my first time at Badminton and it was a dream. I felt the pressure – but we did it. I came across the finish and blew Caroline a kiss. That was special.
“I just love horses,” she says. “The connection is amazing, there’s nothing else like it.”
Rebekah Pring
Flight service manager with an almost invincible winning streak in the show ring
Rebekah has had a fabulous run with Littletons Tiger Lily, winning just about every class they have entered.
In 2025, she and the six-year-old mare won the Royal International (RIHS) amateur supreme championship, having taken the amateur hack final. They also won the amateur hacks at Windsor, and were second in the small hack final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) earlier on this month.
She bought the Tiger Attack mare as a three-year-old.
“She has so much character and just wants to win,” Rebekah says of Lily, who is produced by Elliee Stunt. “She loves being in the arena, she doesn’t have a nasty bone in her body. We have such a bond; she’s amazing.”
Rebekah fits in riding with work as a flight service manager for Virgin Atlantic, all on long-haul flights.
“I have a little girl, too, so I have to be as organised as possible,” she says.
Rebecca Parkin
Multitasking amateur on a mission to score at London International
Rebecca has had a fabulous run with her own Foxgrove Legally Blonde, coming third in the SEIB Search for a Star riding horse/hack final at HOYS in 2024, and qualifying for the London International Horse Show this year in small riding horse ranks.
Rebecca bought “Winnie” as a three-year-old, backed her and took the reins in the ring when she was five, last year.
“I absolutely love her,” she says. “It’s a cliché but I go in the ring with her and always feel great. She’s amazing.”
Rebecca has four horses in total, including a veteran who still does a few shows, and a yearling who came second in-hand at the Great Yorkshire.
She also works six days a week; three as a hairdresser, three at her father’s landscape gardening business, doing the horses every morning and evening.
“I don’t know how I fit it all in,” she says. “But I do.”
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 Amateur Rider of the Year award winners
Previous winners of this award include:
- 2024: Lucy Latta, the marketing professional who was Badminton five-star runner-up – on her five-star debut
- 2023: amateur event rider Amy Dixon, who won BE90 Badminton grassroots and Blair Scottish Championships
- 2022: amateur five-star event rider who works full-time in the medical devices industry Libby Seed
- 2021: accountant and an amateur four-star event rider Lauren Innes
- 2020: Inspirational para showjumper and disability campaigner Evie Toombes was crowned amateur rider of the decade (2011-2020)
- 2019: amateur event rider Adam Harvey
- 2018: amateur event rider Katie Preston
- 2017: amateur event rider Alice Goring
- 2016: amateur dressage rider Claire Abel
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 every 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.
