8 Australian Horses to Follow in 2026

Australia has combinations producing numbers strong enough to contend anywhere in the world. But just as importantly, there is depth forming beneath them. Championship experience sits alongside emerging talent, and the next generation is knocking at the door.

Aachen may be the headline but this season is about more than just one championship. It’s about who is peaking now and which horses are being shaped to define the years ahead.

Here are eight horses worth following in 2026.

World Championship Contenders

Vassily de Lassos (Elo: 730) Rider: Andrew Hoy

Vassily de Lassos is not just the highest-rated Australian horse, with a current Elo of 730; he is also the 13th highest-rated horse of all time, thanks to his Elo peak of 846 in 2022. Andrew Hoy was on the bronze-medal team at the last World Championships held in Aachen back in 2006. Two decades on, he may have the chance to return to the venue with arguably the best horse of his career.

At 17, Vassily is in the final chapter of his career, which makes 2026 feel all the more significant. With an Olympic bronze (Tokyo 2021), fourth place at the World Games (Tryon 2018), and three top-five finishes at Aachen CCI4*-S to his name, if Australia wants to head to Aachen with ambition, this is a combination that has to be in the conversation.

Hollyander HG (Elo: 649) Rider: Olivia Barton

Third in the overall Australian Elo rankings, Hollyander HG is one of the most consistent performers in the country. She hasn’t finished outside first or second since 2023 which includes a runner-up finish at Adelaide 5* in 2024.

At 13, she is right in her championship prime, and although she didn’t contest a long format last year, Olivia Barton, still just 24, continues to produce major results with her. She may not grab headlines as loudly as some, but her data quietly demands attention.

Bold Venture (Elo: 635) Rider: Shenae Lowings

Bold Venture delivered the highest-rated top-level (4 and 5*) performance of any Australian horse in 2025. This Australian-based combination achieved a HPR of 97 in the CCI4*-S at Scone NSW in November, finishing first with a dressage of 26.9 and adding just 0.8 time penalties in the showjumping phase.

At 16, he is an experienced, proven performer, and Shenae Lowings has him in the form of his life. He sits fourth in the overall Australian Elo rankings and is still trending upward.

Faro Imp (Elo: 560) Rider: Kevin McNab

Kevin McNab's name appears more than any other across Australia's 2025 performance data, and Faro Imp is the horse at the heart of his 2025 story. A win at Millstreet CCI4*-S with a dressage of 28.8 and a seventh at Arville CCI4*-S earned him HPRs of 88 and 95 respectively. 

While he is still only 10, McNab is the kind of rider who knows exactly how to peak a horse for a championship. Worth watching closely as team selection approaches. 

Young Horses to Watch

Newmarket Amy (Elo: 489) Age: 8 | Rider: Kevin McNab 

The highest-rated eight-year-old in Australia, and trending sharply upward. A 10th-place finish at Le Lion d’Angers confirmed her credentials on the world stage, and she now sits as the eighth highest-rated eight-year-old worldwide.

Kevin McNab’s record for producing young horses is well established, and Newmarket Amy looks like the next major project in that pipeline. With an excellent record, a CCI4* debut might not be too far away. Watch this space.

WHF Frequency (Elo: 484) Age: 9 | Rider: Ruby Rae

At just 19, Ruby Rae is bringing WHF Frequency up the levels and their record is seriously impressive. In every completed run at three-star level, the combination has finished in the top five: second at Werribee CCI3*-L, second at Capel CCI3*-S, and a fourth at Brigadoon CCI3*-S.

An Elo of 484 makes ‘Neville’ the second-highest rated nine-year-old in Australia. The natural next step is a four-star debut, and if that goes to plan, Ruby Rae could find herself in the conversation for the U25 World Championships at Millstreet, Ireland.

Bloomfield Findon (Elo: 579) Age: 10 | Rider: Christine Bates 

The top-rated 10-year-old in Australia, Bloomfield Findon holds an Elo of 579 and his record makes it clear why. In 12 starts, he has never scored above 30 in dressage, has never incurred a cross-country penalty, and has finished on the podium nine times, including five wins.

Christine Bates has him trending exactly where you would want, and the step from promising 10-year-old to established CCI4* performer may come sooner than many expect.

One to Watch

Sandhills Briar (Elo: 584) Age: 11 | Rider: Oliver Barrett 

While several of Oliver’s horses could be highlighted, it is Sandhills Briar who has contributed four of the six counting results that have Oliver sitting second in the FEI U25 World Rankings.

At just 21, Oliver has produced Sandhills Briar from his first CCI2* all the way through to a breakthrough CCI4*-L win in Sydney last November. They added just 1.2 time penalties in the final showjumping phase to deliver a HPR of 90. 

Oliver Barrett is not only eligible for the inaugural FEI Eventing World Championship for U25s at Millstreet, he would head there as a genuine contender. Whether his focus remains domestic or shifts to the international stage, this is a rider and a team of horses that are moving up the ranks.

From Aachen hopefuls to the horses being built for LA28 and even the home Oly[mics in Brisbane in 2032, Australian eventing has plenty of reasons for optimism.

Did you know?

At EquiRatings, we rate every single horse and every single performance in international eventing. Whether you’re seeking a young prospect with championship potential or a proven performer ready for the next step, data-driven insights help reveal future stars long before the rest of the world catches on.

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