Thursday, 27 August 2026
Horse & Hound has officially opened nominations for the 11th annual Horse & Hound Awards, in partnership with NAF and Agria. The prestigious awards celebrate both world-class champions and the unsung heroes who form the backbone of the equestrian community.
Following the 2025 campaign in which some 114,500 public votes were cast, the 2026 event will culminate in a glittering ceremony at the Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire on 25 November. Around 300 guests – including World Championship athletes, industry leaders and grassroots champions – will gather for the BAFTA-style awards evening.
Previous winners include Ros Canter (Professional Rider of the Year), Jagerbomb (Dressage Horse of the Year), Rachel Proudley (Young Rider of the Year), Stoneleigh Showtime (Show Horse of the Year), and Jane Holderness-Roddam, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“We’re so delighted to bring the awards back in 2026 and, as always, we thank our partners NAF and Agria, as well as all the individual category award sponsors,” said Horse & Hound Editor-in-Chief Sarah Jenkins.
“We’re always excited to receive your nominations – it’s great fun reading all your stories. The awards are so special because they celebrate the obvious stars of the year – winners and medallists – but also hidden heroes, from horses who make their owners’ lives better to people who make it possible for others to succeed or enjoy their horses.”
Eloise Chugg, UK sponsorship and events manager for NAF, shared: “We’re delighted to support the Horse & Hound Awards alongside Agria and to put our name to the new Unsung Partnership category, celebrating the extraordinary bonds between horses and people at the heart of our community. Through everyday care, every challenge and every step forward, these partnerships remind us that sometimes, horses really are all you need.”
Vicki Wentworth, CEO of Agria UK, added: "Few events bring together and celebrate the equestrian community quite like the Horse & Hound Awards, which is why we're so pleased to be returning as joint headline sponsor and presenting the Agria Horse of a Lifetime Award once again.
“Since the award was launched, we've been privileged to celebrate some truly remarkable horses, from Emma, The late Queen Elizabeth II's beloved Fell pony, to last year's winner, Hovis, whose story captured the hearts of horse lovers across the country. Yet for many owners, the most important horse in the world is simply the one that changed their life. That's what this award is all about, recognising those once-in-a-lifetime horses whose impact is never forgotten."
Nominations for the 2026 awards close at 5pm on 10 September and can be made at horseandhound.co.uk/awards. The shortlists for voting will be unveiled in Horse & Hound’s 8 October issue, with voting closing on 16 October. The offi cial awards report will run in the 3 December issue.