British Dressage (BD) chief executive Amanda Bond presented the inaugural Shearwater BD Owners Awards on Saturday (30 January) at the British Dressage Supporters Club ball.
The prizes recognise owners from grass roots to Olympic level.
The first award went to Lancashire-based Laura Wood, 28, whose mare Loranta gained the highest percentage at the 2009 area festival final — 72.27% at prelim.
Dr and Mrs Bechtolsheimer, joint owners of European silver and bronze medallist Mistral Hojris with rider and daughter Laura, were acknowledged as owners of the horse deemed to have made the greatest contribution to British Dressage this year.