Louisville, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that Greya, Kent Farrington, LLC’s 2014 Oldenburg mare, was voted 2025 International Horse of the Year, and Athenian Lady, Amanda Delgado’s 2009 Quarter Horse mare, was voted the 2025 National Horse of the Year by the USEF membership. Greya and Athenian Lady were honored during the SmartPak/USEF Horse of the Year Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 17, 2026.
2025 International Horse of the Year: Greya
With her incredible technique and trademark tenacity, Greya (Colestus x Contender) has solidified herself as one of the most consistent and accomplished mares, not just in Kent Farrington’s string, but in the entire world. Greya played a monumental role in Farrington’s journey to world number one this year and displayed her winning mentality and unrelenting athleticism in the ring.
Together, the pair were nearly unstoppable in top international competition, securing seven FEI Grand Prix CSI5* wins just in 2025 alone. The pair finished inside the top 12 on more than 15 different occasions in FEI competition in 2025 and look to be far from peaking in their partnership, with Greya just turning eleven this year. The pair made their mark with with wins in some of the world’s most prestigious events, including the American Gold Gup CSI5*, Kentucky Invitational CSI5*, and Geneva CSI5* to conclude their season.
Greya continues to set the standard for top international 5* jumping horses and has solidified herself as one of the top horses in history with her record-breaking performances in 2025.
"I’m very proud to receive [International] Horse of the Year honors with Greya,” said Farrington, who shared his gratitude alongside Greya in a video message from their homebase in Wellington, Fla. “She has been fantastic all season. She’s a very special horse and I’m honored to receive this award.”
Lizzy Chesson, Managing Director of Jumping at US Equestrian, accepted the International Horse of the Year Award in Greya and Farrington’s honor. “Greya’s record truly speaks for itself,” she shared. “What she and Kent have achieved together is a testament to her abilities, as well as Kent’s ability to identify, train, and produce horses to the very top of the sport.”
As the winner of the International Horse of the Year, Greya received a commemorative trophy, a leather lead line and custom halter from SmartEquine, as well as a premium gift basket from Ethel M. Chocolates.
2025 National Horse of the Year: Athenian Lady
No one expects to find a future world champion in a pasture littered with horse skeletons, but that’s what happened to horse rescue volunteer Amanda Delgado in 2015. Abandoned, starved, and distrustful of humans, the mare who would come to be known as Athenian Lady showed a resilience and spirit that could not be broken, despite all she had been through. Initially deemed aggressive and unadoptable, Delgado wasn’t ready to give up on her. Their partnership began with a long, patient journey of building trust and love.
By 2019, “Athena” had fully transformed from an abandoned rescue case into a champion in the western dressage arena. She earned her first world champion titles that year at the Pinto World Championship Show and has continued to be a success and inspiration ever since. In 2025, she earned three world championships and three reserve world champion titles at the WDAA World Show. In her career, she has earned three USEF Horse of the Year awards in western dressage and has garnered numerous WDAA high score awards.
Athena is an ambassador for equine welfare causes worldwide, including the ASPCA’s Right Horse program and Brooke USA. In 2024, she was immortalized as a Breyer model and the Breyerfest Celebration Horse for that year’s “Against All Odds” theme. She has built a massive fanbase and shown the world what a rescue horse can do.
"When I first started working with Athena, I had this wild idea that she could be a World Champion. I was told I was crazy and it would never happen,” said Delgado. “I want to encourage [everyone] to have a look at rescue horses standing in a desolate pasture or in a kill pen. You might be looking at your next partner. You might be looking at a World Champion. You might be looking at the next USEF Horse of the Year. But most importantly, you may be looking at your best friend.”
As the winner of the National Horse of the Year, Athenian Lady received a commemorative trophy, a leather lead line and custom halter from SmartEquine, as well as a premium gift basket from Ethel M. Chocolates.
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