Equestrian Sports New Zealand Hall Of Fame Awards Winners Announced For 2025

27 June

Equestrian Sports New Zealand’s 75th Anniversary Dinner played host to the sports organisation’s Hall of Fame Awards held in the Banquet Hall at Parliament Buildings tonight. Approximately 260 guests celebrated 75 years of equestrian sports in New Zealand since the organisation’s inception as the Horse Society of New Zealand on 14 July, 1950.   This year’s awards were presented along with the latest Hall of Fame inductees, and others who have made an outstanding contribution to ESNZ and the sport during the past years, were announced.

Special guests included founder of the Catwalk Trust Dame Catriona Williams and husband Sam, ESNZ Patron Jennifer Millar, former ESNZ CEOs Justine Kidd, Vicki Glynn and Dana Kirkpatrick now National MP (Gisborne), Sport NZ Relationship Manager Karin Adlinger-Smith and Group General Manager Strategy, Policy and Investment Julie Morrison, NZ Pony Club CEO Lizzie Turnbull and Riding for the Disabled CEO Donna Kennedy. 

Riders from throughout the ages, including Olympians Blyth Tait and Tinks Pottinger, took part in a series of “fireside chats” to reflect on the past 75 years of equestrian sports.

Here are the award winners:

2025 ESNZ RIDER OF THE YEAR:  

Melissa Galloway (Dressage). Marlborough rider Melissa represented NZL at the Olympic Games 2024, on the only Southern Hemisphere and New Zealand bred horse in the field of 60 competitors.

2025 ESNZ HORSE OF THE YEAR – INTERNATIONAL:  

Showcase BC (owners Frankie Webb & Louise Duncan).   Showcase BC is a 15-year-old warmblood bred by Beachcroft Equestrian of Waitoki, Auckland. In just two years this horse developed all the skills of a “para-equestrian pony” learning to work with Levin para-equestrian rider Louise Duncan (see Against All Odds Award).  They went on to compete in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, and were placed 13th in the Grand Prix.   

2025 ESNZ HORSE OF THE YEAR – NATIONAL:

LT Holst Freda (owners Julie Davey & Andrew Ormond).  Ridden by Hastings rider Julie Davey, LT Holst Freda is the winner of the Olympic Cup Horse of the Year 2025 and the New Zealand World Cup series for 2024-25 over 4 rounds.  Freda is the daughter of the mare LT Holst Andrea and together they have established a NZ record as the first mother and daughter horse duo to achieve both these titles.

2025 ESNZ TEAM OF THE YEAR:  

2024 FEI Dressage World Challenge

Helen Hughes-Keen (Chef d’Equipe), Katy Payne (Dragonbach Master Reilly), Paige Fitzgerald (Greenmoor Euphoria), Amanda Macpherson (Friden Star) and Samantha Belsham (Dolcetto II). This national team of members were placed 1st, 5th,11th and 16th in the world, where there were up to 107 starters.  Their training and focus demonstrated excellent work as individuals, leading up to the event, as  they were named just one day before the competition, in line with the competition rules.

2025 ESNZ AGAINST ALL ODDS:

Louise Duncan (Para-Equestrian).  At age 17, Levin rider Louise contracted the potentially-fatal disease of meningitis, suffered a stroke and was left partially paralysed. She was told she would never ride again but her determination led her to overcome that fate against all odds. Louise fought back and went on to become an FEI grade IV para-equestrian (profile 26a) which recognises severe impairment or deficiencies of both limbs or moderate impairment in all four limbs. Louise and her horse Showcase BC represented NZ at the 2024 Paris Paralympics and finished 13thin the Individual Grand Prix.  They also won Champion & Reserve National Para Dressage Champion at the Webb Equestrian Para Dressage Nationals.

Special Recognition was given to Jesse Campbell (Eventing).  Jesse Campbell faced the loss of his wife in a tragic accident just over a year ago at an Event in the UK.  With time, Jesse was able to use the memory of his wife as a motivator to pursue his eventing dreams, returning to competition just 3 months later to compete four horses in the CCI3* & CCI4* at Alnwick.  He also debuted at Burghley Horse Trials and finished a very credible 21st place, crossing through the finish flags as he blew a kiss to the sky in recognition of his late wife Georgie.   

Special Recognition was also given to Clarke Johnstone (Eventing).  Clarke tragically lost his partner Cody in an accident on New Year's Eve 2023/2024 while on holiday.  Clarke displayed resilience when he returned to their home in the UK and continued the pursuit of his dream alone.  Clarke’s sheer determination and talent saw him succeed throughout the Northern Hemisphere season and become selected for the NZ Olympic team, where he produced a spectacular 25.7 dressage score, adding only 4.8 time faults in the cross country and just 1 rail down in each of the two SJ rounds.

2025 ESNZ GROOM OF THE YEAR:  

Madison (Madi) Schollum (Dressage).    Based in West Auckland, Madi has devoted four years of her career to Team Williamson, a facility co-owned by Grand Prix Dressage Rider Wendi Williamson and husband Jon. There are 30 horses, with 15 in active training. Madi is herself a successful international rider, and understands well the physical demands of caring for horses in high-level training. 

THE PILMER PLATE  – ESNZ LIFETIMEVOLUNTEER/OFFICIALS AWARD:

Wendy Farnell (Endurance). Waitaki equestrian Wendy is a 3* judge, technical delegate and steward, and has been instrumental in bringing the sport of Endurance and Competitive Trail Riding together. Wendy is the go-to person for entries throughout the country, the vet gate at all lower South Island rides, as well as all three Championships and two non-championship FEI rides throughout the country. 

ESNZ YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARDS FOR 2025

Dressage Young Person of the Year is Paige Fitzgerald.   From Canterbury, Paige and Greenmoor Euphoria are winners of the 2025 Dressage Pony of the Year and National Title Trophy at Horse of the Year, and the FEI Dressage Pony Challenge at the Bates National Championships.  Paige has also set the standard for the Youth section of the FEI Dressage World Challenge Youth World Rankings where she was ranked 2nd in 2022 and 2023, and 1st in 2024.  Paige will represent the Dressage Youth Council at the 2025 Dressage Conference this weekend.

Eventing Young Person of the Year is Charlotte Penny.  From Karaka in South Auckland, Charlotte has excelled from competing at 95cm to being one of NZ’s most successful riders nationally.  Charlotte and Festival are winner of the 2025 Horse of the Year CCI4*.  Together they were able to produce the fastest cross country time getting closest to the optimum time around a course, which is notoriously difficult to achieve.   The duo placed 4that the 2024 Sydney CCI3* and 2nd at the Taupo CCI4*.

Jumping Young Person of the Year is Johanna Wylaars. At just 18 yrs old, Christchurch’s Johanna has represented NZ five times in the Trans-Tasman Young Rider teams. She was the joint winner of the 2024 Horse of the Year Young Rider of the Year and has produced a number of horses herself, including those winning the National Six & Seven year old series this year. Johanna has been awarded a Sports Scholarship for Equestrian while studying at Lincoln University.

2025 ESNZ HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

David Goodin (Waerenga)

Harvey & Ann Wilson (Waverley)

Joe Yorke & Big Red (Wanganui)

Penny Pearce (Hawke’s Bay)

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS FOR 2025  (Bio’s available on request)

Sue Hobson (Dressage) Pahiatua

Gill Usher (Dressage) Canterbury

Helen Christie (Eventing) Southland

Dr Margaret Evans (Eventing) Canterbury

Rowan Armer (Eventing) Bay of Plenty

Roger Laplanche (Jumping) Timaru

Marilyn Vincent (Jumping) Waikato

Adrian White (Jumping) Hastings

Tony Parsons (Jumping) Taupo

Wendy Farnell (Endurance) Waitaki

For more see: https://www.nzequestrian.org.nz/esnz/about-esnz/75-years-anniversary/

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