The wait is over — the finalists in the 2019 Horse & Hound Awards, in partnership with NAF, have been revealed, and they need you.
Voting is open from today (17 October) for one week only, in 10 categories, allowing H&H readers to tell us who they think are this year’s equine and human heroes of the year.
The shortlisted candidates are announced in today’s magazine and are available to view on our website, for the awards listed below, and voting is open until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 23 October.
H&H editor-in-chief Sarah Jenkins said: “Once again we were inundated with nominations for this year’s Horse & Hound Awards, this year brought to you in partnership with NAF, and it is always such a challenge for the panel to narrow down those incredibly worthy people and equines to just four or five in each category.
“This year the nominations were more diverse than ever, which was also really great to see. Please do read about each of our shortlisted candidates and place your votes to help us crown the most worthy winners.”
The shortlisted candidates will be among the guests at the fourth annual awards ceremony, which takes place at Cheltenham racecourse on 4 December.
Previous winners include Nick Skelton, Mark Phillips and Valegro.
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Sarah added: “Everyone shortlisted will be honoured at Cheltenham, after all it is they who make the greatest difference to our sport and hobby, for which we are all so grateful.
“Your votes really do mean a lot to all those mentioned in our pages this week, and to the winners particularly.”
As well as the 10 categories listed below, the H&H lifetime achievement award winner will also be announced at the ceremony, having been decided upon by the H&H team.
Ceris Burns Equestrian Professional Rider of the Year: Gareth Hughes, Piggy French, Pippa Funnell, Ben Maher, Holly Smith – vote here >>
Horseware Horse of the Year: Enable, Explosion W, Our Cashel Blue, Tiger Roll, Vanir Kamira – vote here >>
Absorbine Inspiration of the Year: Joe Stockdale, Rory Gilsenan, Laura Goodall, Khadijah Mellah – vote here >>
Horserail Moment of the Year: Mikey Pender winning the Hickstead Derby, Tiger Roll’s second Grand National triumph, Pippa Funnell’s Burghley Victory, Paisley Park’s Cheltenham win – vote here >>
Balanced Horse Feeds Pony of the Year: Hot Fuss, Midnight Dancer II, Rowfantina Hetty, Smurf – vote here >>
Saracen Young Rider of the Year: Amber Thorpe, Finn Healy, Georgia Wilson, Mikey Pender – vote here >>
Pikeur Amateur Rider of the Year: Katie Corteen, Adam Harvey, Emily Proud, Jo Bollen – vote here >>
NAF Five Star Groom of the Year: Cormac Kenny, Rob Melvin, Amy Phillips, Steph Sharples – vote here >>
Prime Stables Volunteer of the Year: Kerry Dawson, Charlotte Ditchburn, Caroline Eagle, Olivia Robertson – vote here >>
HorseDialog Club of the Year: Crown, Equi-Fun, Royal Artillery Equestrian Centre Thorney Island, Ulverston and District Equine Club – vote here >>
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
