During the KWPN Stallion Show in Den Bosch, the 'Horse of the Year 2023' will be announced, and you can make sure that your favorite wins this title! A dressage horse and a show jumping horse will be elected as the 'Horse of the Year 2023.' Read more below about the nominated horses!

Three dressage horses (Imhotep, Glamourdale, and Blue Hors Zack) have been nominated for the title Horse of the Year 2023. Voting is open until January 2, and the winner will be announced thereafter. Last year, Kjento was honored as the Horse of the Year Dressage at the KWPN Stallion Show. Who is your favorite for this year?

Imhotep (Everdale x Vivaldi) 
Bred by T. Huizing from Donderen 
The British team has been incredibly successful with their KWPN horses throughout the year. Just last week, they secured victory in the World Cup freestyle in London. In that gold-winning team was the ten-year-old Everdale son, Imhotep, ridden by Charlotte Dujardin, who received many 9s and even a 10 on the score sheet, clinching individual victory. Imhotep contributed to the British team's gold at the European Championships in Riesenbeck this summer, enchanting everyone with his flawless movements and incredible enthusiasm. Scoring over 90% in the freestyle, this piaffe and passage powerhouse earned an individual bronze. Two-time Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin is highly enthusiastic about the willing chestnut and confidently looks forward to the Paris Games. "I have a true partnership with Pete (Imhotep’s stable name, ed.) that I absolutely love. He has so much energy and never stops – he just keeps going, and that's what I love. 

Blue Horse Zack (Rousseau x Jazz) 
Bred by B. Wiltschut from Bosschenhoofd 
Blue Hors Zack, champion of the KWPN Stallion Show in 2007, excelled in sport under various riders. Under Nanna Skodborg Merrald, the stallion finished fourth with the Danish team at the Tokyo Olympics and eleventh individually in the freestyle. At the World Championship in Herning last year, they won the gold team medal. His breeding performances are also noteworthy: with numerous approved sons and offspring on the international stage, Blue Hors Zack has proven to possess the right qualities. One of his well-known descendants is the late KWPN-recognized stallion GLOCK’s Zonik N.O.P., successful in Grand Prix under Edward Gal. His Oldenburg-registered son Blue Hors Zepter, ridden by Nanna, won silver in the Special at the European Dressage Championship in Riesenbeck this year and finished fourth in the freestyle. His son Sezuan won the World Championship for Young Dressage Horses three years in a row. At KWPN, he had three approved sons alongside Zonik: WC participant Jameson RS2, I’m Perfect STH, and the passed-away stallion Golden Gate. His grandson Mauro Turfhorst reached the Young Dressage Horse World Championship final for the second consecutive year and won the bronze medal in the Pavo Cup a week later. 

Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro) 
Bred by J.W. Rodenburg from Ouderkerk aan den IJssel 
KWPN stallion Glamourdale has been gathering successes throughout his entire career. The champion of the Stallion Show won the World Championship for seven-year-olds, the CHIO in Aachen, and last year, he became a double world champion. This year, the black pearl was highly successful again under his rider Charlotte Fry. At the European Championship in Riesenbeck, Glamourdale showcased his brilliance, earning a gold medal for the British team and an individual silver medal in the freestyle with a personal record score of 92.38%.

Glamourdale is the highest-ranked KWPN horse in the individual WBFSH ranking, making a significant contribution to the leading position of Dutch dressage breeders. This positions Glamourdale, previously awarded KWPN Horse of the Year in 2020, as a strong contender for this year's nomination. Recently, he also won the Horse of the Year title from the British magazine Horse & Hound; perhaps that is a precursor to this KWPN election? 

Vote now!
Vote and let us know which of the nominated horses you are voting for. If you have voted, you have the chance to win two tickets for the KWPN Stallion Show. Please note: you can only vote once; double votes will be filtered out. Voting is open until January 2, 2024.

Link to voting form

Source: KWPN
Photo of Kjento Horse of the Year Dressage 2022: Dirk Caremans