The Top Ten 10-Year-Old Eventers Ahead of the 2025 Season: A Glimpse into the Future
As the off-season draws to a close and we prepare to launch into the 2025 eventing season, we take a look at an elite group of ten-year-old horses.
Ten years is a pivotal horse age marking the transition from promising prospects to established contenders. Performances in this age bracket often foreshadow future success at the sport’s highest levels.
We’ve compiled a list of the top ten ten-year-old horses heading into the new season, based on their EquiRatings Elo rankings. These horses, paired with top riders and owners, represent the brightest hopes for the future.
Blake's Big Year: The Leading Contender
1. HSH Blake | Caroline Pamukcu (USA) Owners: Sherrie Martin, Molly Hoff, Caroline Pamukcu
"Blake is absolutely a unicorn — hence why I named our daughter after him too!”
HSH Blake has already achieved remarkable milestones in his career. An individual gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games led to an Olympic call-up last year, making him the only horse on this list to have already represented his country at a major championship. He holds the record as the highest-rated U.S. nine-year-old on the EquiRatings database, having reached an Elo high of 704 last season. Despite dropping some points in Paris, he remains the highest-rated ten-year-old in the world coming into this season.
The record for the highest-rated ten-year-old from the U.S. (Elo 706) belongs to Phillip Dutton’s Z, but with a full season ahead, HSH Blake is poised to challenge that mark and further cement his place in history.
Caroline Pamukcu commented:
“He obviously had a big year last year, and in 2023 with the Pan American Games, so my goal this year is to have a quiet spring and really target Aachen, with a view to getting our feet wet ahead of the World Championships there in 2026. We’ll then focus on making sure we’ve got all the qualifications we need later in the season. There are some really good horses out there, but Blake is absolutely a unicorn—hence why I named our daughter after him too!”
Caroline Pamukcu & HSH Blake. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
British Strength: The Rising Stars
2. SBH Big Wall | Izzy Taylor (GBR) Owner: Jane Timmis
Izzy Taylor’s SBH Big Wall is the highest-rated British horse on the list with an Elo of 646. Already a winner at the CCI4*S level (Lisgarven 2024), he is one of only three horses in the world (alongside HSH Blake and Keep It Cooley) to have finished in the sub-30 category at 4* level in their nine-year-old year.
3. Brookfield Future News | Piggy March (GBR) Owners: Alison Swinburn, John & Chloe Perry
Brookfield Future News was lightly campaigned in 2024 with Piggy March, but his runner-up position to last year’s Badminton winners, Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier, at Blair Castle in the CCI4*S was certainly a highlight.
4. Dassett Arthalent | Piggy March (GBR) Owner: Olivia Davidson
Piggy also has Dassett Arthalent on the list, a horse that only had two international runs in 2024 but finished 4th in the CCI4*S 8-9 year-old class at Blenheim.
Piggy March. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The Cooley Empire: A Dominant Force
The Cooley Farm team of Richard and Georgina Sheane will be delighted to see three Cooley horses on this prestigious list:
5. Shanroe Cooley | Liz Halliday (USA) Owners: Ocala Horse Properties LLC
6. Keep It Cooley | Wills Oakden (GBR) Owners: Geoff & Elspeth Adam
7. It's Cooley Time | Bubby Upton (GBR) Owners: Bubby Upton, Five Time Syndicate
Shanroe Cooley (Liz Halliday), Keep It Cooley (Wills Oakden), and It’s Cooley Time (Bubby Upton) have all delivered strong four-star performances in 2024 and continue to improve.
It’s Cooley Time and Bubby Upton successfully stepped up to CCI4*S, securing a top-10 finish at Bramham before placing second at Hartpury to round out the season.
Notably, Keep It Cooley is the only other horse in this top ten, besides HSH Blake, to have already secured a CCI4*-L victory (Blair Castle 2024). He also holds the best finishing score from a nine-year-old at 4* level in 2024 (26.9, Burgham CCI4*S). With momentum on his side, he is definitely one to watch closely in 2025.
Wills Oakden & Keep It Cooley winning the 2024 Blair Castle CCI4*-L. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The Rising Contenders
8. Perseverance Madame d'Engelbourg Z | Louise Romeike (SWE) Owners: Madeleine Brugman, Perseverance Estate B.V., Louise Romeike
The only horse inside the top ten listed here that has not yet completed a 4* is Louise Romeike’s Perseverance Madame d'Engelbourg Z. The mare has had exceptional form at the 3* level, including wins at Baborowko and Kristianstad with sub-30 finishing scores. One to watch as she makes the step up to 4* in 2025.
9. Denim | Phillip Dutton (USA) Owner: Caroline Moran
Denim is the ultimate professional with Phillip Dutton, finishing inside the top eight in all five international starts and jumping double clear on each occasion.
10. Figaro Fonroy | Benjamin Massie (FRA) Owner: Véronique Real
Flying the flag for France, Benjamin Massie’s Figaro Fonroy rounds out the top ten. The duo recorded five of the six best finishing scores from French nine-year-olds at the 4* level in 2024.
The Significance of Being in the Top Ten
History has shown that maintaining a place in the top ten at this age is a strong predictor of future success. A quick scan of horses who have achieved peak Elo ratings as ten-year-olds reveals a list of eventing superstars.
From multiple five-star wins to European, World, and Olympic medals — not to mention record finishing scores at the CCI5* level — the correlation between early Elo rankings and long-term success is undeniable.
Being in the top ten is about more than just raw talent. It reflects well-planned training, expert management, and the ability to perform under pressure. For owners and fans, these horses represent the future stars of the sport.
USA vs. GBR: A Power Shift?
With eight of the top ten on this list flying the American or British flag, the future looks bright for both nations. With a home Olympics fast approaching, Team USA will be particularly pleased with their representation.
But where is Germany? Historically dominant in eventing, Germany boasts six of the ten top-rated ten-year-olds of all time, yet they don’t feature at all in 2025. In fact, they only have one horse inside the top 25 this year. It’s an indicator of how eventing’s landscape is evolving—and a question of whether a new golden era is on the horizon.
What to Watch for in 2025
This year’s top ten ten-year-olds will not only shape the 2025 season but could also define the next decade of equestrian sport (and perhaps even LA 2028 — click here to see who from this list could be on the next Olympic podium and why).
From rising stars to established partnerships, this season is their opportunity to shine — and for us to witness the beginning of their legacies.
With a full season ahead, who will step up, grow their Elo, and cement themselves in eventing history? Watch this space.
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