It’s that time of the year again – a unique and important opportunity for fans to have their say on the best of the best in the equestrian world through the FEI Awards 2024.
FEI is delighted to start the clock today on the online voting for the FEI Awards 2024, with the Longines FEI Rising Star, Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete, Cavalor FEI Best Groom, and FEI Inspire Award up for grabs ahead of a glittering and glamourous awards ceremony.
There are 16 impressive candidates from nine countries nominated across the four award categories this year. They include Olympic and world champions, emerging talents, hard-working grooms, living legends, inspirational volunteers and pioneering Federations.
The public have until 13 October to cast their vote here. The winners will be announced at the FEI Awards Gala presented by Longines on 13 November in Abu Dhabi (UAE).
The FEI welcomes back long-time award partners Longines, Peden Bloodstock and Cavalor for the FEI Awards 2024.
The Longines FEI Rising Star category spotlights young talents who have already left their mark on the equestrian landscape. The nominees are 21-year-old French Para Dressage athlete Chiara Zenati, who finished fourth and just off the Grade III podium on home soil at the 2024 Paralympic Games, 21-year-old Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi of the United Arab Emirates, who was the youngest Jumping athlete at Paris 2024 and qualified for the Individual Final on his Olympic debut, 20-year-old Australian international Grand Prix Dressage athlete Jessica Dertell and the multi-talented 19-year-old Mathies Rüder of Germany, who combines skill sets across both Eventing and Jumping.
The nominees in the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete category are Germany’s Christian Kukuk, who won individual Jumping gold at Paris 2024 with Checker 47 after an incredible three-way jump-off for the medals, Great Britain’s Laura Collett, whose inspirational story has seen her recover from terrible injury to help win and defend Olympic Eventing team gold in Tokyo and Paris, France’s Théo Gardies, who claimed his first world title in Vaulting in Bern (SUI) in July of this year, and Bram Chardon, who recently clinched world team gold and individual silver for The Netherlands at the FEI Driving World Championships 2024 in Szilvásvárad (HUN).
The Cavalor FEI Best Groom category celebrates the unsung behind-the-scenes heroes. This year’s nominees are Germany’s Lisa Fundis, Jumping groom to compatriot and Paris Olympian Philipp Weishaupt, Denmark’s Mette Klose Nielsen, Para Dressage groom to Norway’s multi-medalled seven-time Paralympian Jens Lasse Dokkan, France’s Bettina Cardinael, Eventing groom to Belgium’s Lara De Liederkerke-Meier, who won this year’s German five-star feature at Luhműhlen with Hooney d’Arville, and Estonia’s Pille Riin Roosileht, Driving groom to the Hungarian Youth team under Zsolt Rimarcsik of Hungary.
The FEI Inspire Award showcases the incredible spirit and determination of individuals and organisations serving as role models and showing that anything is possible.
The nominees for the FEI Inspire category are Georgina Urwin of Great Britain for her work with Summerfield Stables – Horses in the Community, the Namibian Equestrian Federation’s heartwarming “Enabling Through the Horse’’ programme, the brilliant Dr Salom Nghinamito of Namibia as an FEI Permitted Treating Veterinarian, and the iconic Lucinda Green of Great Britain for her cross country coaching skills with the Lucinda Green Academy.
Established in 2009, the FEI Awards celebrate individuals and organisations that are making an outstanding contribution to the progress and excellence of equestrian sport, both in and outside the arena.
The lucky award winners will be flown to the FEI Awards Gala presented by Longines in Abu Dhabi (UAE) on 13 November to receive their prizes.
To take part in the fan vote, simply click here!
In summary, the shortlisted nominees for the FEI Awards 2024 are:
Longines FEI Rising Star – for the athlete aged 14 to 21 who demonstrates outstanding sporting talent and commitment:
- Jessica Dertell (AUS) – Dressage
- Chiara Zenati (FRA) – Para Dressage
- Mathies Rüder (GER) – Eventing and Jumping
- Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi (UAE) – Jumping
Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete – paying tribute to the athlete who over the past year has demonstrated exceptional skill and taken the sport to a new level:
- Théo Gardies (FRA) – Vaulting
- Laura Collett (GBR) – Eventing
- Bram Chardon (NED) – Driving
- Christian Kukuk (GER) – Jumping
Cavalor FEI Best Groom – for the behind-the-scenes hero who ensures the horses they look after are given the best possible care:
- Lisa Fundis (GER) – Jumping Groom to Philipp Weishaupt (GER)
- Mette Klose Nielsen (DEN) – Para Dressage Groom to Jens Lasse Dokkan (NOR)
- Bettina Cardinael (FRA) – Eventing Groom to Lara De Liederkerke-Meier (BEL)
- Pille Riin Roosileht (EST) – Driving Groom to Zsolt Rimarcsik (HUN)
FEI Inspire – for an individual or organisation that has pursued their equestrian ambition in an inspiring way and serves as a role model to show that everything is possible, and that even when faced with challenges, you should never stop believing in your dreams:
- Georgina Urwin (GBR) – Summerfield Stables – Horses in the Community
- The Namibian Equestrian Federation programme “Enabling Through the Horse”
- Dr Salom Nghinamito (NAM) – FEI Permitted Treating Veterinarian since June 2024
- Lucinda Green for the Lucinda Green Academy (GBR)
The winners will be decided through a system in which 50% of the public’s vote via FEI.org and on the Chinese social media platform WeChat and 50% of the judges’ vote will be combined to give the result. The seven expert judges are:
Ingmar De Vos – FEI President & Chair of the Judges Panel
Bernardo Tribolet – Vice President Marketing Longines
Martin Atock – Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete Award Title Sponsor
Peter Bollen – Cavalor FEI Best Groom Award Title Sponsor
HRH Princess Nanda-Dévi Norodom (CAM) – Secretary General of the Cambodian Equestrian Federation
Mark Samuel (CAN) – FEI Vice President and Chair of Regional Group IV
Catrin Norinder (SWE) – FEI Eventing & Olympic Director
Biographies for all the Judges can be found here.