Show Horse of the Year 2026

Show Horse of the Year 2026

With film-star looks, superb ringcraft and manners to burn, the show horse who gives both an impeccable ride and wows the spectators.

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.

The shortlist

“Flynn” – shown lightly but successfully in-hand as a youngster to stand supreme at Northern Ireland Festival, among other titles – has come into his own this term. He’s notched up championships across Ireland, including champion at Balmoral, Clonmel and Tattersalls, before taking supreme hunter at Dublin.

The latter was especially sweet for pilot Brian Murphy, as it was a decade since he’d last won that accolade. In the supreme, the horse’s sporty breeding came to the fore – his grandsire is the legendary Arko III and his mother, BBK Sumaya, lightly contested affiliated showjumping. At Dublin, despite being a big horse, Flynn really lowered to cover the ground and gave the ride judges exemplary gallops.

“It’s like riding a Ferrari, not a four-by-four,” quips Brian.

Already one to watch in hack ranks, “DJ” reached new heights this term. After a disappointing end to the 2025 season – he was called forward as the judges’ choice as hack champion at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), before later being disqualified due to a previously unnoticed marks error – DJ and Helen Baker bounced
back. The twice Hickstead Derby champion returned to land a third hack championship at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS).

He later gave a stunning display of manners and turn of speed – his great-grandmother was a point-to-pointer –
to land the Winston Churchill trophy for the supreme horse. Helen helps DJ, a sensitive soul, keep his cool by singing to him during the go-round phase at shows.

This term, “Honey” has proved to be a consistent contender once again in mountain and moorland (M&M) mini ranks. She booked two HOYS tickets – one for
the M&M lead-rein final and one for the M&M first riddens – with Zara Constable on board. Honey also delivered a magical RIHS for the family, winning both the open and Pretty Polly home-produced lead-rein finals, before going on to claim the home-produced M&M mini sash in the section showdown.

Last term, she delivered a similar result at Windsor, claiming the overall mini open and home-produced championships for the family.

“She’s the perfect Barbie pony,” says father Simon, who leads Zara in lead-rein ranks. “Both my daughters ride her and she’s incredible. Zara is about to come off the lead and her younger sister Izzy will take over next year.”

This year, “Haribo” has delivered a dream season for rider Lilly Ahern. In this, their first season together, they kicked off with an early HOYS ticket and a reserve championship in the part-bred ranks at Royal Windsor. By the RIHS, they had gelled and claimed Haribo’s second show pony championship here – he was champion in 2023 with breeder Tammy Heathcote’s daughter Chloe. This was Lilly’s first RIHS championship.

They went on to land another coveted first, the enormous floral sash that is awarded to the supreme of show at the British Show Pony Society Summer Championships. Best of all? Haribo is a real character who frequently makes the whole of Lilly’s mother Alex and aunt Kirsty Pickles’ production team laugh.

Previous Show Horse of the Year Award winners

The previous winners of the Show Horse of the Year Award are:

• 2025: Stoneleigh Showtime, supreme pony at Royal International Horse Show, three-time show pony champion at Royal Windsor and HOYS winner
• 2024: Mulberry Lane, the working hunter who was crowned supreme horse at both Royal International and Horse of the Year Show
• 2023: Forgeland Hyde Park, one of the most consistent hacks of the past decade

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 2026

The Horse & Hound Awards are celebrating their 11th 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 intend to recognise both the big names who have made 2026 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at every level.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November, where some 300 people, including heroes of the summer’s World Championships, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, BAFTA-style speeches and dancing.