The Equestrian Sports Gala in Brussels, Belgium where various athletes and teams will be honored for their achievements in the sport, is drawing to a close tonight. That also means that the winners of the awards are officially known! The award for Best Horse of the Year went to the Olympic stallion Quel Homme de Hus. The Belgian jumping team who won team bronze at the Olympic Games in Tokyo went home with the Performance of the Year award.
The winners of the EQUI Gala are:
Best Horse of the Year
- Quel Homme de Hus: 15-year-old stallion ridden by Jérôme Guéry. Won bronze with the Belgian jumping team at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Earlier Quel Homme de Hus and Guéry also won the 5* GP of Knokke Hippique.
Performance of the Year
- The Belgian jumping team that won team bronze at the Olympic Games in Tokyo: Pieter Devos, Gregory Wathelet, Jérôme Guéry, Niels Bruynseels. Chef d'équipe: Peter Weinberg
Rookie of the Year (exceptionally three teams win the trophy)
- The Belgian Children jumping team that won gold at the European Championships: Estee Bomere, Yari van den Branden, Nikita van der Meerschen, Seppe Wouters and Brent De Schrijver. Chef d'équipe: Jean-Jacques Matthijs.
- The Belgian Juniors jumping team that won gold at the European Championships: Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele, Anthony Philippaerts, Evelyne Putters, Aurelia and Tristan Guisson. Chef d'équipe: Rik Deraedt.
- The Belgian Young Riders jumping team that won gold at the European Championships: Emilie Conter, Thibeau Spits, Thibault Philippaerts, Maartje Verberckmoes, Alexander Housen. Chef d'équipe: Rik Deraedt.
The Jury's Trophy
- Manon Claeys: The 36-year old paradise dressage rider from Maldegem won two bronze medals in Class 4 at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Team of the Year
- The Belgian four-in-hand team in horse riding, bronze medal at the European Championships in Budapest. Glenn Geerts, Dries Degrieck, Sam Gees, Tim Stockmans. Chef d'équipe: Mark Wentein.
Athlete of the Year
- Michèle George: Empress of Paralympic dressage. The 48-year-old rider won gold twice in Class 5 at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. In total, she has now won Paralympic gold five times.
Equigala is an initiative of equestrian icon, Ludo Philippaerts, famous entrepreneur Wim Maenhaut and President of the Belgian Equestrian Federation, Stephan Detry in collaboration with the Belgian Equestrian Federation and its Circle of Honour and Ambassadors Club.
Source: Equnews