The 2025 awards went to Stephan Kurz for breeding the sensational mare Mount St John Freestyle (HANN) (Dressage category), to Susana Epaillard Garcia Cereceda  as leading jumping breeder for her gelding Donatello d'Auge (SF), and to the eventing breeder Ocke Riewerts and London 52 (HOLST). 

Each breeder was awarded an exquisite Longines timepiece by Longines Brand Manager Judith Mennen. WBFSH President Jan Pedersen presented the breeders with an inscribed, unique bronze Brigitte Boss trophy.

BREEDER AWARDS CEREMONY

STEPHAN KURZ Longines-WBFSH Dressage Breeder of the Year 2025

From Zöbingen Germany, breeder Stephan Kurz has been honoured as the 2025 Longines WBFSH Dressage Breeder of the Year, recognising his outstanding contribution to international dressage horse breeding and his creation of the exceptional mare Mount St John Freestyle.

Based in southern Germany, Stephan has spent 27 years developing a breeding programme renowned for producing horses with talent, temperament, and rideability, particularly within the Hanoverian lineage. His foundation damline, tracing back to Donnerhall, reflects his philosophy of prioritising performance over appearance. “I always say it is much more important what performance there is in the motherline. There I can judge much better if the horse will function later as a dressage horse,” he explained.

Freestyle, the 2009 mare by Fidermark out of Donna Gracia (Donnerhall – Atatürk – Freiherr), exemplifies Stephan’s breeding principles. Purchased as a foal by Emma Blundell for Mount St John Stud in the UK, she first rose to prominence under Charlotte Dujardin at the 2018 World Equestrian Games. In 2023, Freestyle began a new chapter with Danish rider Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, achieving top international scores—often above 90 percent in freestyle—and major victories in Herning, Stockholm, and Gothenburg. “Following what Freestyle does, her career achievements—it’s great!” Stephan said.

Stephan credits both riders and a measure of fortune for his success: “There are so many coincidences that happened to come full circle, where everything worked out perfectly. The horses have to stay healthy and end up in the right hands,” he reflected.

This award marks the first WBFSH world breeding title for Stephan Kurz, a testament to his dedication, precision, and the enduring impact of his breeding programme.

SUSANA EPAILLARD GARCIA CERECEDA Longines-WBFSH Jumping Breeder of the Year 2025 

For the second time Susana Epaillard García Cereceda has been named the Longines WBFSH Jumping Breeder of the Year, receiving this prestigious accolade for her breeding of the exceptional Selle Français gelding Donatello d’Auge. Present on her behalf was Studbook Selle Francais board member Armand Pette, as well as Julien Epaillard and Donatello himself.

The 13-year-old Donatello d’Auge, bred and raised at Haras de La Bosquetterie in Normandy, has dominated the WBFSH Breeder Rankings throughout 2025, topping the list for six consecutive months and finishing with the highest points tally of any jumping horse in the world. His performances—including a landmark victory at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2025 in Basel and other top results in 5* and 4* Grand Prix competitions—have been central to Susana’s success as a breeder. Donatello d’Auge contributed 1,911 points to the final 2025 WBFSH rankings, leading all horses worldwide and helping the Selle Français studbook secure its position as the number one jumping studbook for the third year running.

Susana reflects on Donatello’s enduring excellence: “Two years later he is still there, among the best… I’m really proud of the management.” She emphasises the importance of careful upbringing, allowing horses to enjoy paddock life and starting them late under saddle to support longevity in sport.

Susana’s collaboration with husband and rider Julien Epaillard has also been key to Donatello’s sustained performance, with Julien’s horse-centred approach ensuring peak condition season after season. In addition to Donatello, Susana continues to develop his younger full brother and a talented nine-year-old sister competing at 1.40 m, underscoring the depth of her breeding programme.

Susana attributes her success to patience and a holistic approach: “Patience is the big secret… let them grow, and once they are doing the sport, then patience not to ask them too much, too often.” Her second Longines WBFSH Breeder Award stands as a testament to this philosophy and to the enduring legacy of one of modern show jumping’s great athletes.

OCKE RIEWERTS The Longines-WBFSH Eventing Breeder of the Year 2025 

Based on the final WBFSH 2025 rankings, Ocke Riewerts tops the eventing breeder list with his outstanding Holsteiner gelding London 52 (by Landos out of Vernante by Quinar Z), a horse whose elegance, versatility and heart have captivated the global eventing community.

Breeding from his small operation on the North Sea island of Föhr in Northern Germany, Ocke’s work stands out for its depth of tradition and meticulous care. Working with damlines that have been in his family for generations, he combines deep knowledge of temperament and conformation with thoughtful breeding strategy to produce horses with genuine heart and athleticism — qualities epitomised by London 52.

Under British rider Laura Collett, London 52 has achieved extraordinary success, including team gold and individual bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, multiple CCI5* victories, and European Championship gold in 2025. His exceptional dressage ability, brave yet intelligent cross-country performance, and faultless show jumping rounds have established him as a benchmark for modern eventing.

Ocke’s philosophy emphasises the value of repeating proven crosses and breeding horses capable of excelling across all three eventing disciplines — dressage, show jumping and cross-country — as well as possessing the courage to tackle today’s demanding courses.

This marks the second time he has received this distinguished title — a testament to his long-standing dedication to producing sport horses of the highest calibre.

“I never expected that achieving this honour once would be possible — let alone twice,” Ocke said of winning the prestigious award again, reflecting both on London 52’s remarkable performance longevity and the sustained excellence of his breeding programme.

London 52’s story is a reminder that greatness can emerge from modest beginnings: a single foal, bred with care and conviction, who rose to the top of international sport and now carries his breeder’s name among the legends of equestrian sport.

Photocredits: Digishots.nl