We want to know who is your hero rider of this decade – the one who has achieved huge feats in their sporting field
The shortlist has been chosen and voting for this award is open for one week only, until 11.59pm on 5 November, in accordance with these terms and conditions.
Carl Hester
53 years old; multi-medallist at all dressage championships
Top horses this decade: Uthopia and Nip Tuck
Carl Hester was the man behind Britain’s Olympic success in 2012, being a team rider and trainer to team-mate Charlotte Dujardin, to whom he gifted the ride on Valegro. An Olympic gold medallist and multi-medallist at European and World Championships, he also holds more than 65 national titles.
Nick Skelton
62 years old; reigning Olympic showjumping champion
Top horse this decade: Big Star
Not only the greatest showjumper of the decade, but for over 40 years. He achieved his greatest triumphs in the twilight of his career – he was core to Team GB’s Olympic glory in London 2012 before taking the individual crown in Rio, when a nation shared his tears.
Oliver Townend
37 years old; eventing world number one
Top horses this decade: Ballaghmor Class and Cooley Master Class
The current world number one and top British Eventing points winner in six of the nine years 2011–2019. Oliver has won three five-stars this decade (Burghley 2017, Kentucky 2018 and 2019) and been a European team gold and silver medallist.
Charlotte Dujardin
35 years old; back-to-back Olympic dressage champion
Top horses this decade: Valegro and Mount St John Freestyle
Charlotte and Valegro won double gold at London 2012 and retained their title at Rio 2016. In between they claimed world, European and World Cup golds. Charlotte then went on to win world individual bronze with Mount St John Freestyle in 2018.
Previous winners of this award when it was looking back at the past 12 months, rather than the decade, include:
- 2019: Piggy French, who won Badminton for the first time among a record 14 internationals, including Blenheim CCI4*-L, was second at Burghley on Vanir Kamira and took European team silver with Quarrycrest Echo
- 2018: Ros Canter, who became eventing individual world champion at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon
- 2017: Nicola Wilson, who took team gold and individual bronze at the European Eventing Championships
- 2016: Charlotte Dujardin, who added a second individual Olympic gold at Rio 2016 and helped the Brits to team silver
About the Horse & Hound Awards 2020
The H&H Awards, in partnership with NAF, are back – this year’s ceremony will be virtual, an exciting multi-media online bonanza. This innovation means equestrian fans around the world can be part of the celebration. We look forward to sharing the evening with you all.
This year’s awards will celebrate the heroes of the past decade (2011–2020) in elite equestrian sport, while honouring the unsung stars who have helped our industry, our horses and our spirits during this unusual year.
As previously, the H&H Award winners will be nominated and voted for by you. Anyone is welcome to nominate the person, group or horse they feel deserves recognition from Thursday 3 September.
Following the close of nominations at 5pm on 4 October, the H&H judging panel will decide on a shortlist of contenders. The panel will be influenced by the number of nominations and strength of the story of the nominee’s dedication and achievement.
On 29 October, we will announce the shortlisted candidates in the magazine and online, sharing their stories and inviting you to vote for your winners online, with voting closing on 5 November.
The winners will be revealed in our sparkling online virtual ceremony on 10 December, with guests joining us from around the world.
