Swiss show jumper and reigning European champion Steve Guerdat has been nominated for the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete Award 2023, while Emma Uusi-Simola, his long-time groom, has been nominated for the Cavalor FEI Best Groom Award 2023.
The nominees in the "Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete" category include, in addition to Steve Guerdat, German dressage rider Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl, who has already won a series of gold medals, including a double gold at the FEI Dressage Championships 2023 in Riesenbeck (GER). Added to this is Rosalind (Ros) Canter from Great Britain, currently in second place and boasting an impressive list of victories in 2023. The list is completed by the Netherlands' Marijke Hammink, who tops the FEI Driving World Ranking Pony Four-in-Hand, and who has had an exceptional year with 11 consecutive wins over the whole season.
In the "Cavalor FEI Best Groom Category" are Emma Uusi-Simola (FIN), Steve Guerat's long-time groom, and Sarah Charnley (GBR), who works for Ros Canter. Also in the running for this prize are Danny Ingratta, a dedicated groom working at Millar Brooke Farm (CAN), and Sofia Flodin (SWE), responsible for the welfare of the horses of dressage star Mathias Rath (GER).
Other prizes will be awarded in the "Rising Star" and "Inspire" categories.
You can help the Swiss-Finnish Dream Team Steve Guerdat and Emma Uusi-Simola to win the relevant prize categories by taking part in the vote.
Click here to enter the vote, which runs from October 11 to 22, 2023!
The winners will be decided by a voting system in which 50% of the votes will be awarded by the public and 50% by a panel of judges whose names are as follows:
Ingmar De Vos - FEI president and chairman of the panel of judges
Bernardo Tribolet - Longines Vice President Marketing
Martin Atock - title sponsor of the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete Award
Peter Bollen - title sponsor Cavalor FEI Best Groom Award
Daniela Garcia Nigaglioni - Secretary General of the Pan American Equestrian Confederation
Jessica Kürten - Chair of the Athletes' Committee and FEI Committee member
Diane Smith - winner of the FEI Solidarity Award 2022
