Two U.S Paralympic Riders and Horses Nominated for 2024 USEF HOY and EOY Title

U.S.A.

US Equestrian announced the 2024 Horse of the Year and Equestrian of the Year nominees. Two para dressage riders and two para dressage horses have been nominated. No athletes nor horses from able-bodied dressage are on the list.

This is the second, consecutive year that only para sport athletes have been included in the nominees.

Two Celebrations

The International and National Horses of the Year will be announced at the 2024 USEF Horse of the Year Awards Dinner on Saturday 25 January 2025. The International and National Equestrians of the Year will be announced during the 2024 Pegasus Awards Dinner on Thursday 23 January 2025 at the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky.

Horses of Honor and Equestrians of Honor are nominated by their USEF affiliate organization or USEF breed or discipline committee, and the finalists are selected by the USEF Awards Committee. The final Horses of the Year and Equestrians of the Year are determined by member voting.

International Horses of Honour

Paralympic team gold medal winning horses Diamond Dunes (Fiona Howard) and Floratina (Rebecca Hart) have been nominated alongside jumper Carcole de la Roque and venter Diabolo.

Diamond Dunes
2013 Hanoverian gelding (De L’Or x Wibella, Wolkentanz)
Owner: Dressage Family LLC, Sharon Day, Fiona Howard, Julian Howard, and Hof Kasselmann
Breeder: Klaus-Dieter Mansholt

While new to the U.S. competition world, Dressage Family LLC & Hof Kasselmann’s Diamond Dunes has been one of the top horses to watch in 2024. Diamond Dunes, aka Dunes, made his U.S. CPEDI debut with Fiona Howard early this year in March at the CPEDI3*, Ocala, FL. After a clean sweep at the World Equestrian Center in the FEI Para Dressage Grand Prix A, B, and Freestyle classes, the combination travelled to Germany in the spring where they would earn their spot for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Dunes and Howard showed off their incredible partnership at both CPEDI3* Mannheim (GER) and Hagen a. T. W., (GER) earning top placings at both. The true testament to their partnership came at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in September where they came home with not one, but three gold medals. Most notably, they received top honors in the Grade II FEI Grand Prix Freestyle with a personal best score of 81.994%, with music from the ’Avatar’ film earning them a gold medal.

Floratina
2008 Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz x Rubina, Rubin Royal OLD)
Owner: Rowan O'Riley
Breeder: Dr. Susanne Rauth

Floratina, known as Flora at home, started her career with Canadian dressage rider Lindsay Kellock. They represented Canada at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, finishing third individually in Small Tour competition. Rebecca Hart took over the ride in 2023 and earned major victories both in the U.S. and abroad, starting the Paralympic journey to Paris. She has been exceptionally consistent in Grade III events this year. Leading up to the Paralympics, Hart and Floratina won all three competitions in Mannheim (GER) in May, and produced a series of strong showings and podium finishes at Hagen (GER) CPEDI3*. Floratina achieved some of the most consistent scores in Grade III competition during the 2024 season and secured individual gold in their first test of the Paris Paralympic Games and a remarkable gold in the Team Final, as well as gold in the Grand Prix Freestyle. Floratina is owned by Rowan O’Riley, a dressage rider herself who is a sponsor of Hart. O’Riley is also a sponsor for Para Dressage and able-bodied dressage competitions during the winter season. Flora is cared for by her groom, Mackenzie Young.

International Equestrians of Honour

The riders of both horses, Fiona Howard and Rebecca Hart, are nominated in this category.

Fiona Howard
Boston, Mass.
Para Dressage

The Becky Grand Hart Trophy is presented to international-level non-Olympic athletes.

After her debut as a para-equestrian athlete in 2023, Fiona Howard’s successes only grew in 2024. Howard started the year off strong with a clean sweep at the CPEDI3* in Qatar riding her own horse, Jagger (Johnson X Sigur Ros) accomplishing high scores in the Para Grand Prix A, B, and Freestyle.

She started her new partnership with Diamond Dunes (De L’Or X Wibella) in early 2024, making their official debut with a score of 72.356% in the Grade II Para Grand Prix A, 74.111% in the Para Grand Prix B, and 79.923% in the Para Grand Prix Freestyle granting her first place in all three classes.

Howard made her Paralympic debut at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games this summer where she rode Diamond Dunes. The pair brought home three gold medals and high scores in the following: 80.000% in the Grade II Para Grand Prix Test B and 81.994% in the Grade II Para Grand Prix Test Freestyle. She currently stands as 1st for FEI Para Dressage World Individual Ranking – Grade II and 3rd for FEI Para Dressage World Individual Ranking across all Grades.

Rebecca Hart
Wellington, Fla.
Para Dressage

The Becky Grand Hart Trophy is presented to international-level non-Olympic athletes.

A familiar presence on the Paralympic stage over the past decade, Rebecca Hart continued her success in 2024. A member of the U.S. Para Dressage Team at the 2008, 2012, 2012, 2020 and 2024 Paralympic Games, Hart has shown extreme dedication and passion for the sport over the years. This has allowed her to become the No. 1 ranked Grade III rider in the world and 2nd ranked out of all grades on the FEI Para Dressage World Individual Ranking list.

Recent success for Hart and Paralympic mount Floratina include winning rides in the FEI Para Grand Prix Test A and Freestyle at the CPEDI3* in Hagen, the Grand Prix test B and Freestyle at the CPEDI3* in Mannheim and the Grand Prix test A, B and Freestyle at the CPEDI3* in Ocala. She also won the Fontainebleau CPEDI3* test event where she received the highest score at the competition.

Hart proved herself as one of the top pairs contending at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, winning three gold medals with Floratina. She won the Grade III Individual Event with a score of 77.900% to bring home their first gold medal as a pair, which was followed by another gold medal ride in the Grade III Individual Freestyle where she received an 83.534%. She became a triple gold medalist by finishing on top of the podium in the team event.

National Honour

In the "National Horses of Honour and "Equestrians of Honour" there are no dressage horses or persons nominated.