The U.S. Equestrian Federation and the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation are handing out honors with a look back to 2025.
It’s no surprise that Kent Farrington’s illustrious Greya received the USEF’s SmartPak/International Horse of the Year title. Kent, the world’s number one-ranked show jumper, owes that standing in large part to Greya, who had 15 top 12 international finishes last year. They ended the season with a victory in the Geneva, Switzerland, 5-star grand prix.
Kent Farrington and Greya.
“She has been fantastic all season. She’s a very special horse and I’m honored to receive this award,” Kent said.
A rescue horse was named SmartPak/National Horse of the Year by USEF, with the story of Athenian Lady an inspiring one about what can be achieved with loving care and determination.
The starving mare had been abandoned when she was discovered by rescue volunteer Amanda Delgado in 2015, who took on a horse that had been categorized as unadoptable.
By 2019, Athena was transformed into a western dressage world champion. In 2025, she earned three world championships and three reserve world champion titles at the Western Dressage Association of America World Show. She has earned three USEF Horse of the Year awards in western dressage and many WDAA high score awards during her career.
Athena is an ambassador for equine welfare causes worldwide, including the ASPCA’s Right Horse program and Brooke USA. In 2024, she was a Breyer model and the Breyerfest Celebration Horse for that year’s “Against All Odds” theme. She has shown the world what a rescue horse can do.
“When I first started working with Athena, I had this wild idea that she could be a World Champion. I was told I was crazy and it would never happen,” said her owner.
Athenian Lady
“I want to encourage [everyone] to have a look at rescue horses standing in a desolate pasture or in a kill pen. You might be looking at your next partner. You might be looking at a World Champion. You might be looking at the next USEF Horse of the Year. But most importantly, you may be looking at your best friend.”
To learn about the USEF’s Equestrians of the Year, click here.
The USET Foundation also honored a group of those who have made their mark in horse sports. Its Whitney Stone Cup went to Lillie Keenan, a regular on the country’s show jumping teams. She was selected as an ambassador for the sport and for exemplifying the foundation’s “highest ideals and traditions.”
In accepting the award, Lillie said, “I didn’t think I’d even be in contention with the caliber of the previous recipients — I was in awe to win.” The 29-year-old New Yorker’s name joins those of McLain Ward, Michael Matz, Debbie McDonald and so many other great U.S. stars of the sport engraved on the trophy.
“I hope I’m still quite early in my career with lots more to achieve for the U.S. team, so to already have recognition for my contribution is really surprising and motivating,” commented Lillie. She made her senior Nations Cup debut in 2014 at just 17 years old and went on to become a key member of the U.S. Jumping team.
Eventer Cassie Sanger was presented with the Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy for a junior or young rider in an Olympic discipline who exemplifies the U.S. Equestrian Team’s ideals of sportsmanship and horsemanship.
Riding Redfield Fyre, the 21-year-old competitor finished in the top 20 in both the Kentucky and Burghley 5-star events last year.
“I was really surprised when I found out I had won the Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy,” said the Delaware resident.
“I know it’s such an honor to join the list of talented athletes who have received it before me. It feels really special to be thought of in this way, especially because this is not just an eventing award; it covers all the Olympic disciplines. It’s really special to be in there with all these other riders.”
The USET Foundation’s R. Bruce Duchossois Distinguished Trustee Award went to Akiko Yamazaki, best known by the public as the owner of such top dressage horses as Ravel and Suppenkasper. But she also serves as co-chair of the foundation’s Pathway to the Podium campaign, with an eye toward the 2028 Olympics.
Akiko has been “a lead donor and steadfast advocate for the USET Foundation’s mission, with particular impact in the dressage and vaulting disciplines, where her support has helped advance athlete development and international excellence.”
The R. Bruce Duchossois Distinguished Trustee Award is awarded in memory of its first winner in 2015.
“It is a true honor to be recognized along with past recipients who have contributed so much to equestrian sport in the U.S.,” said Akiko, a dressage Grand Prix competitor herself, who is respected for her dedication to advancing U.S. equestrian sport at the highest level, particularly through her long-term collaboration with U.S. Olympic dressage athlete Steffen Peters.
“It is a nice way to recognize and celebrate the long journey my team had with Steffen as our rider with my horses, which included participation in the past five consecutive Olympic Games, all the World Equestrian Games and World Championships in between, and multiple World Cup Finals. The award really belongs to my team.
“Horses and horse sport are my lifelong passion,” she emphasized
“I was bitten by the bug when I was six years old, inspired by my mother, who was an equestrian. I was very fortunate to be able to support riders and teams who could participate at the highest level of the sport, which introduced me to a world beyond my own riding. Now, my daughters are high performance equestrians in dressage and vaulting,” noted Akiko, who also supports USEF clinics at her California stable.