Consistent Excellence: Who has the best OBP6 this year?

While winning headlines grab attention, consistent excellence is what separates the truly elite performers in eventing.

By Ali Barrett /

July 10, 2025

In their last six runs, Tom McEwen and JL Dublin have beaten 95% of their competitors

In a sport where misjudging a distance or even a shadow can end your chances, the horses that consistently outperform their competition have something special. The Opposition Beaten Percentage (OBP) reveals reliable horses—but this isn't just about consistency, it's about consistent excellence.

The OBP is a metric designed by EquiRatings to highlight the horses which are performing with the most consistency every season. The OBP is a single number that represents how many combinations you have competed against in a season, and what percentage of them you finished ahead of.

The horses on this list haven't just been reliable; they've been consistently amazing, with all of them achieving podiums or top 10 finishes across their last six international events.

G Rf Nn Horses That Currently Have the Highest Obp Nbsp (1)

The Top Three

1. Its Cooley Time and Bubby Upton lead with an impressive 96% OBP6, having beaten 464 of 482 competitors across their last six starts. This partnership has just been named on Team GB's nominated entries list for the European Championships—a well-deserved recognition for a horse that's delivered six podiums in just 13 career starts.

At only 10 years old, Its Cooley Time won his first CCI4*-L at Bramham by finishing on his dressage score of 24.2. To be at the top of this list takes consistency across all three phases: all six recent international dressage scores have been sub-30, and they've jumped double clear in five of six outings (the exception being a single pole in the CCI3*-S at Kronenberg in 2024, which they still won).

2. JL Dublin and Tom McEwen—two names that need no introduction—sit at 95% OBP6, having beaten 351 of 370 competitors. This partnership also have a chance of heading to the European Championships for Great Britain. What makes their consistency so remarkable is the competitions that are included in it: Badminton 5*, the Paris Olympics, and Kentucky 5*. Despite this incredible consistency, the EquiRatings team still argue that Dublin is the best horse currently in the sport yet to win a five-star.

3. Cooley All Over and Niki Rose complete the top three, competing all the way in Australia with a 94% OBP6 (135 of 143 competitors beaten). This 7-year-old gelding has won three of his four international starts, marking him as a serious name to watch for the future. For seasoned rider Niki Rose, this young horse represents something special— out of her 84 international runs, Cooley All Over has delivered her 1st and 3rd best rated performances (by HPR) of her career.

Jaguars Duende - A Name You Need to Know

Sitting tenth on the list with a 93% OBP6 is Sharon White’s rising star, Jaguars Duende. Highlighted by EquiRatings last year as one to watch for the future, this mare’s OBP6 only scratches the surface of her story. At just 9 years old, she’s already earned 11 international podiums, which includes five wins from only 14 starts. Her recent win at Tryon CCI4*-S — where she posted the fastest cross-country time — secured back-to-back podiums in her first two runs at the level. Jaguars Duende is a name you need to know.

The German Factor

The data reveals another interesting pattern: German partnerships are the most featured in the top 10 list with Nickel 21, Cadorico, and Luxury From Second Life Z. We have already flagged these three horses as this years best dressage performers and how Brandon Schäfer-Gehrau's young horses could be the stars of the future. While we already know they excel in the first phase, their high OBP6 ratings prove they're delivering in all three phases.

What Consistent Excellence Means

In eventing, these OBP6 leaders represent more than just statistics—they're the horses and riders delivering elite performances event after event. From championship-bound veterans like JL Dublin to rising stars like Cooley All Over and Jaguars Duende, these aren't just reliable horses; they're consistently amazing ones.