"Behind every great horse stands a skilled breeder, guiding excellence."
The Breeder Awards celebrate the best breeders in dressage, jumping, and eventing, based on a 12-month cycle that ends on September 30th. This prestigious award recognizes the extraordinary dedication and talent of those who breed world-class equine athletes.
Dressage Breeder Award: Silke Druckenmüller (GER) – TSF Dalera BB (TRAK)
For the fourth consecutive year, the Dressage Breeder Award has been posthumously awarded to Silke Druckenmüller for her exceptional work in breeding the Trakehner mare, TSF Dalera BB. This remarkable mare, who has been a dominant force in the dressage world, will retire from competitive sport following her double gold medal win at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with Jessica von Bredow-Werndl. Together, they earned both team and individual titles, leaving an indelible mark on the sport.
In her retirement announcement, von Bredow-Werndl expressed deep gratitude for Dalera’s contributions, recalling the pair’s victories across seven German championships, six European championships, and four Olympic titles. Dalera, now 17, will enjoy her retirement at the rider’s home in Aubenhausen, Germany, with a few farewell appearances planned in Neumünster and Basel. “Dalera has given me the journey of a lifetime,” said von Bredow-Werndl, emphasizing the lasting impact of this extraordinary mare.
Jumping Breeder Award: Romain Rotty (BEL) – Legacy (ZANG)
The Jumping Breeder Award of 2024 goes to Romain Rotty from Budingen, Belgium, for breeding the exceptional Zangersheide mare Legacy, also known as Chavantele Z. Partnered with Irish rider Daniel Coyle, Legacy has consistently demonstrated her excellence on the international jumping stage.
Legacy’s achievements this year include back-to-back victories at the World Cup events in Leipzig and Amsterdam, a feat that had not been accomplished since 2015. Coyle and Legacy also made a strong debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, contributing to Ireland’s performance with a stunning clear round. Describing Legacy’s Olympic performance, Coyle remarked, “She’s in the prime of her life. Everything she’s done for me already is incredible, but she keeps surprising us with her brilliance.”
Legacy's consistent success and Coyle's skilled riding have firmly established them as one of the most formidable pairs in the 2024 jumping scenery.
Eventing Breeder Award: Göttsche-Götze Volker (GER) – JL Dublin (HOLST)
This year’s Eventing Breeder Award has been bestowed upon Göttsche-Götze Volker from Gross Buchwald, Germany, for breeding JL Dublin, a Holsteiner gelding who has become a cornerstone in eventing. Ridden by Tom McEwen, JL Dublin has proven to be a reliable and versatile competitor, excelling in dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.
JL Dublin’s accomplishments over the past year include a gold medal in Team Eventing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as well as top finishes in major competitions such as the Defender Kentucky 5* and Luhmühlen 4*.
McEwen, who has been competing with JL Dublin since 2022, described the partnership as a dream, emphasizing the gelding’s exceptional talent and temperament. “He’s the perfect championship horse, riding him is a true privilege, and every competition feels like an opportunity to show what he’s capable of.”
Studbook Rankings – Winners 2024:
The Studbook leading the WBFSH rankings in dressage this year is the KWPN studbook, who maintains the winning spot, having kept this position since 2017, with 14 222 points gathered over the year.
- Imhotep (Everdale) – 2470 points
- Everdale (Lord Leatherdale) – 2469 points
- Fame (Bordeaux 28) – 2373
- Indian Rock (Apache) – 2342 points
- Jagerbomb (Dante Weltino OLD) – 2293
- Glamour dale (Lord Leatherdale) – 2275
The Winning Jumping Studbook is Selle Français, for the second year in a row, with 7 884 points.
- Dubai du Cedre (Baloubet du Rouet) – 1584 points
- Caracole de la Roque (Zandor) – 1384 points
- Dynamix de Belheme (Snaike de Blondel) – 1283 points
- Dallas Vegas Batilly (Cap Kennedy) – 1246 points
- Blood Diamond du Pont (Diamant de Semilly) – 1202
The Winning Eventing Studbook is the Holsteiner Verband, with 1 527 points. Though they have won the number one spot twice for jumping (2012 and 2016), this is the first time they take the number one position in eventing.
- JL Dublin (Diarado) – 432 points
- Nickel 21 (Numero Uno) – 299 points
- London 52 (Landes) – 264 points
- Diabolo (Diarado) – 189 points
- Catania (Cartani 4) – 172 points
- Denim (Dinken) – 171 points
As we look forward to another year of top-class performances, we honor the tireless work behind the scenes that makes such achievements possible.
