News

A year in review: What happened in 2025

Saturday, 27 December 2025

Collaboration, a whole new strategy, ground-breaking research and a European Championships on home soil...  just another year at the office for the team at British Equestrian.

Here’s our annual round-up of some of our favourite and biggest stories.

We began the year by recognising and celebrating those who are dedicated to our sport

Nicola Wilson was recognised in the New Year Honours list

The year started with the news that eventing athlete and coach Nicola Wilson would be awarded an MBE for services to sport as a coach and mentor. Since her competition career-ending fall at Badminton Horse Trials in 2022, Nicola’s journey has been inspiring, humbling and a lesson to all in overcoming adversity.

A well-deserved honour for one of equestrian sport’s finest ambassadors.

Find out more.

Her Majesty The Queen hosted a celebration of equestrian and para equestrian success from Paris 2024

Athletes, owners, grooms and support staff attended a reception at Clarence House, hosted by British Equestrian Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, to celebrate their achievements at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games last summer.

Find out more.

We released ground-breaking research alongside World Horse Welfare

The study on public attitudes towards horse sport and equine welfare highlighted that people in the UK:

• Recognise the social importance of horses to life in the UK
• Value procedural fairness, regulation, distributional fairness and transparency on welfare as additional drivers of trust
• Have concerns about the welfare of horses in sports but appreciate that welfare is complex and involves more than just preventing harm to horses
• Believe it’s important that a horse’s whole life is rich, engaging and dignified
• Feel that horses should have the opportunity to enjoy positive experiences
• Believe that horse sports should prioritise making competitions safer for horses

View the full report here.

February was a ‘strategic’ month

We released our new five-year, horse-centric strategy

The document is a road map to unite, inspire and grow Britain’s 4.3 million strong equestrian community for the benefit of everyone who connects with horses.

Our key strategic priorities for the next five years are to: 

• Enable and support a vibrant and healthy equestrian sector
• Represent and advocate for the needs of our member bodies and sector at the highest level, both nationally and internationally
• Be a leading equestrian nation 
• Support sustainable growth at all levels, ensuring a thriving, accessible, diverse and inclusive sport.

See our full strategy.

We reflected on a year of progress for our Horses For All strategy

Our federation-wide commitment to fostering a more inclusive and accessible equestrian community for everyone includes a range of projects and initiatives: 

• Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP):  Addresses barriers to participation and promotes diversity across the equestrian sector.
• New British Equestrian rulebook: A revised rulebook, which includes enhanced anti-discrimination policies. 
• Safe to Play platform: The successful launch of the Safe to Play campaign has streamlined the reporting process for safeguarding, making it easier to report concerns.
• Training: An 18-month equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) training programme has been delivered in collaboration with Inclusive Employers for Board members and staff across the federation.
• Enhanced data collection: Work to integrate diversity indicators into membership systems is well underway, helping to create a more representative and informed equestrian community. 

Find out more about what we’ve been up to.

... and we visited Paddle UK for our fourth Youth Pathway Coaching Conference

High-performing coaches from across the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines came together for the two-day seminar, held at the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont in Nottinghamshire. Around 45 coaches were in attendance, all working within the youth development pathway for British Dressage, British Eventing and British Showjumping.

Find out more about the day.

In April, we welcomed more people into our Federation

A new cohort of talented young athletes joined our World Class Programme

The new cohort of athletes for 2025–2027:

Dressage	Eventing	Para dressage	Showjumping
Angus Corrie-Deane	Barnie Brotherton	Alice Begg	Charlotte Ash
Myles Graham	Isabelle Cook	Fiona Maynard	Lauren Caroline
Sarah Khairallah	Sam Ecroyd	Elan Williams	Joe Fernyhough
Isobel Lickley	Emily King		Robert Murphy
Charlotte Lutener	Storm Straker		Jake Myers
Jessica McConkey	Max Warburton		Noora von Bulow
	Tom Woodward

 

Find out more about the pathway.

... and British Horseback Archery Association officially joined as our newest member body

It was an exciting step forward for the growth and development of horseback archery in the UK, while also expanding the range of disciplines British Equestrian supports and promotes, and helping more equestrians to engage in a diverse range of activities.

Discover horseback archery.

In May we celebrated our wonderful equestrian community

We honoured Badminton Horse Trials stalwarts

During the final day of competition at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, our Chair, Fields Wicker-Miurin OBE FKC, presented the British Equestrian Medal of Honour to Nicky Salmon and Jane Tuckwell.

Nicky Salmon has been an exceptionally dedicated supporter of eventing for over 40 years. A British Eventing Steward for four decades, her prowess in this role has taken her to European and World Championships under the FEI.

She’s currently on the British Eventing Sport Committee. With husband Robin, Nicky owned top flight horses for a number of riders, which led her to being pivotal in the formation of the Event Horse Owners Association, going on to serve on their board for many years. 

Badminton has been part of Jane Tuckwell’s life for over 50 years. From early beginnings as a Pony Club runner in 1974, Jane took on the role of event secretary in 1985, before the then Event Director Hugh Thomas appointed Jane as his Assistant Director. When Hugh retired in 2019, there was no one more qualified than Jane to take on the challenge of running one of the world’s premier equestrian fixtures.

During Mental Health Awareness Week, Riders Minds found 93.3% have experienced kindness in the equestrian community

Kindness matters given it significantly contributes to overall well-being, and can even reduce stress and anxiety.

With the theme of ‘Power in Community’ for Mental Health Awareness Week 2025, Riders Minds set out to find more about the perceptions within the equestrian community, with results revealing that 66.5% have felt positively supported by the equestrian community.

Stepney Western spotlighted the power of horses and alternative education in the city

This creative film project has been shining a light on the transformative impact of alternative education at Stepney Bank Stables in Newcastle. The urban equestrian centre offers young people opportunities to learn and develop outside of mainstream education, with horses as a powerful foundation.

The film, made by artist and documentary filmmaker Harry Lawson, draws inspiration from real experiences at the stables. It reimagines the local cityscape as a stylised Western setting, with the young people at its heart taking centre stage.

Read the full interview with Ella (participation and lead role in the film) and Harry Lawson.

... and Vikings Polocrosse told us how they’ve been opening the doors to an exciting sport.

We’re proud to celebrate clubs such as Vikings Polocrosse, who are passionate about creating opportunities and bringing new people into their thrilling sport.

From the start, Vikings set out to make polocrosse more approachable by offering regular training, supportive coaching and access to horses so that anyone can get involved, without needing to commit to competitions straight away.

We spoke to Liv Morton (Vikings Club Captain) and Guy Robertson (Vikings Club committee member), read the full interview.

As we prepared for the summer of Championships, support couldn’t come at a better time...

Agria supports our World Class Programme in ground-breaking new partnership

The partnership provides vital support to allow our athletes and practitioners to continue accessing the very best technology, training and other expertise as they work towards the European Championships this year and beyond to the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Running through to 2028, the milestone agreement is the first sponsorship of this type for British Equestrian in the modern era of the sport.

Championship season began in July and the Europeans were on everyone’s watchlist

It all started with the Longines FEI Jumping European Championship in A Coruña, Spain

An exciting squad that combined experience with new talent headed to a mostly sunny Spain to do battle with the best in Europe. It was an intense week, with Britain right at the sharp end from the very start, and our team did a super job to secure team silver. Four combinations qualified for the individual final and all finished in the top-11, with Scott Brash and the precocious Hello Folie stepping back on the podium to claim another silver medal. 

• Scott Brash and Hello Folie (individual silver)
• Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly (4th)
• Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette (10th)
• (Individual) Jess Mendoza and In the Air (11th)

Britain’s dressage heroes shone for a team silver in Crozet, France as they took their turn on the European stage

Our Paris squad returned for another shot at the podium, this time at the stylish Jiva Hill Resort at the foot of the French Alps. After a rocky start to the week, the team pulled together to secure team silver, before going on to secure strong results in the Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle competitions. 

• Becky Moody and Jagerbomb (4th in Grand Prix Freestyle)
• Carl Hester and Fame (6th in Grand Prix Freestyle)
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale (10th in Grand Prix Freestyle)

A British brace of bronzes at the FEI Para Dressage European Championships 2025 in Ermelo

Immediately following Crozet, we headed to the Dutch National Equestrian Centre in Ermelo, the Netherlands. This year's squad had a strong eye towards future development, with two debut combinations joining European and Paralympic medallists. It was a week of big emotions, with the British team missing out on the podium by a fraction of a percentage in the team competition, but some fantastic results in the individual and freestyle tests. 

• Mari Duward-Akhurst (G1) and Athen Lindebjerg (individual and freestyle bronze)
• Jemima Green (G2) and Fantabulous (individual and freestyle bronze)
• Nicola Naylor and Humberto L (G4) (individual bronze)

Rounding off the championship season, it was the Agria FEI Eventing Championship at Blenheim Palace

Our final championship of the season took place on home soil, after Blenheim Palace successfully won the host bid with support from UK Sport. With Ros Canter withdrawing from selection after announcing her pregnancy, there was an opportunity for some new faces – both equine and human – to make their championship debut. With cross-country day didn't go entirely to plan and took us out of the team competition, there was still hope for the podium – Laura Collett and London 52, and Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, proved once again why their considered amongst the best in the world. With the eyes of the eventing community upon them, they held their nerve on the final day to earn an individual bronze medal for Tom and the long-coveted title of European Champion for Laura. 

• Laura Collett and London 52 (Individual gold)
• Tom McEwen and JL Dublin (Individual bronze)

Relive the European Championship 2025 action.

Then we rounded up a summer of success across equestrian sport

As the warm days of summer began to fade, we took a moment to look back on a season filled with the very best of equestrian sport across a whole range of disciplines, showcasing an incredible variety of talent that makes our sport so special.

See the summer roundup.

July also marked the end of an era for the Young Professionals Programme as the final workshop took place

An initiative that has supported over 150 young riders since its inception in 2017

The Young Professionals Programme has played a pivotal role in helping young athletes to transition from youth pathways into professional careers within the equestrian industry. Through a series of interactive workshops, participants gained essential business and personal development skills, from contract writing and employment law to branding, finance and conflict management.

Read more about the final day.

In the Autumn, competition slowed, but our excitement continued as we discovered the true power of horses

Our research discovered that equestrianism generates £1.2 billion in social value each year

At a very special launch event at Saddler's Hall in London, we brought a number of key figures from our industry and beyond to reveal the huge social value of our sport. In addition to the £1.2 billion of value generated each year, we shared that:

• 25% of this is generated by riding schools, with an average social value of £292,000 per school
• On-horse participation: £2,000 per year for an adult riding twice monthly; £3,500 per year for a young person riding weekly
• Off-horse participation: £2,000 per person, per year
• Volunteering: £2,100 per year for weekly volunteering; £1,000 per year for monthly volunteering.

Read the full insights and stories from our launch event.

Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) showed the profound social impact horses make on the lives of disabled people across the UK

Each year, RDA’s therapeutic riding, carriage driving and equine-assisted learning support the wellbeing, confidence, independence and social connection of over 39,000 disabled participants, creating healthier, more inclusive communities.

• Mental health: 95% feel calm and focused; 63% report long-term mood improvements.
• Social connection: 82% feel more connected, 65% form friendships, 70% feel closer to nature.
• Confidence and independence: 90% report increased confidence, 95% are proud of achievements, 71% gain independence.
• Physical ability: 88% improve balance and coordination, 71% enhance motor skills, 48% are more active beyond RDA sessions.
• Educational engagement: 71% of children and young people are more relaxed at school, with over 11,500 awards and qualifications achieved in 2024.

See the full findings.

November was a time to reflect on our powerful partnerships

We collaborated with The Pony Club and Together an Active Future to make horses accessible for all

The initiative worked to engaged children from Madrassahs (Islamic educational settings) in horse care, riding and equestrian life. Equestrianism is one of the five Sunnah Sports encouraged by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), alongside grappling, archery, swimming and running.

Find out more about the project.

... and we highlighted what good employment means across the equestrian sector

During Good Employment Week with Equestrian Employers Association and British Grooms Association, we shared case studies of centres who look after their staff through excellent support, progression, work-life balance and teamwork.

Check out our Good Emplyment Matters series.

We dressed in our best for awards season in December

The UK Coaching Awards honoured Peter Tomlin from Park Lane Stables with the Change a Life Award.

Specialising in Riding for the Disabled Association riding and carriage driving sessions, Peter‘s approach allows for greater connection and ensures every child feels part of the stables, helping participants to feel confident, included and capable.

See all the winners.

Five outstanding coaches have been awarded their British Equestrian Level 4 Coaching Certificate.

The ceremony took place at the London International Horse Show, with certificates presented by British Equestrian Chief Executive Jim Eyre. This year, the coaches came from a range of organisations and disciplines, the successful coaches were:

• Amy Blount – British Dressage
• Charley Camp – British Horse Society
• Sarah Gairdner – British Eventing
• Emma Slater – British Showjumping
• Sophie Starr – British Horse Society

Find out what they said about their research.

A leading endurance official and event organiser was awarded our highest accolade, the British Equestrian Medal of Honour

Dianne Luke has devoted over 30 years of her life to the sport of endurance, first as an athlete and later as an event organiser and official. She is one of the highest qualified judges and technical delegates in the world and freely gives up her time to support and mentor new judges, officials and other ride organisers, ensuring the longevity of the sport she loves, and has been on numerous endurance committees at local and national level.

It may be two years away, but our plans for the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028 are well on their way

Jumping, dressage and eventing – the Olympic equestrian disciplines since 1912 – were confirmed for LA28 Olympic Games.

Santa Anita Park, located in proximity to the Los Angeles city area, has been confirmed as the venue of the equestrian events.

“Santa Anita Park will be a spectacular venue for the LA28 Olympic equestrian events,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. 

Para Equestrian Dressage will be part of the competition at the LA28 Paralympic Games.

The Para Equestrian programme will see 78 athletes compete in 11 medal events – individual and freestyle tests for Grades 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as well as a Team Championship. 

The LA28 Paralympic Games will be held from 15 to 27 August 2028.

Alec Lochore was appointed as eventing course designer.

British designer Alec Lochore, FEI Level 4 Course Designer and Technical Delegate, has been appointed as the eventing course designer for the Olympic Games LA28, while fellow Briton Mike Etherington-Smith, will act as course advisor.

With less than three years to go to until LA28, the Organising Committee has unveiled the official competition schedule.

Equestrian events will kick off with Eventing, followed by Dressage and wrap up with Jumping.

See all the news for LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.