Scott Brash was the highest earner in international equestrian sport in 2025. This emerges from a recent analysis that examined the earnings of the thirty best-paid riders in show jumping, dressage and eventing. The results not only reflect sporting performance, but also highlight how differently the economic balance is distributed across the disciplines.
Show jumping confirms its position as the financial powerhouse of equestrian sport. The combined earnings of the thirty top-earning show jumpers are significantly higher than those of their counterparts in dressage and eventing. That gap can largely be explained by the international competition volume and the frequent participation in major shows with substantial prize money.
The riders at the top of the ranking almost all operate from large-scale, professionally run stables. Their income is not solely the result of isolated top performances, but of a consistent presence at the highest international level across an entire season.
A striking point in the analysis is that the average return per horse in show jumping is lower than in dressage. However, that disadvantage is more than offset by the number of starts and the overall competition volume. The show jumping circuit clearly functions according to a model in which scale and frequency are central.
The highest earnings in 2025 were achieved by Scott Brash. The Brit competed with eight different horses and amassed a total of €3,516,868. Second place went to world number one Kent Farrington, who competed with nine horses and reached annual earnings of €2,473,232.
