2017 Horse Nation Readers’ Choice Award Winners
Our first-ever Readers’ Choice Awards saw nine hotly-contested categories with the best stories of the year vying for honors. We’re pleased to announce the winners here!
Fat to Fit to First Level: The 2017 Year In Review
Gratitude, growing pains, and giant steps.
Standing Ovation by Ovation Riding
A year in review.
Lighthoof Video of the Year
When it comes to viral videos, Horse Nation marks a perfect 10 — if we do say so ourselves. Out of our biggest video hits in 2017, which one deserves to be honored as Video of the Year?
SmartPak 2017 Story of the Year
It’s time for the heaviest hitters of them all: of our five most-read stories of 2017, which one deserves to be called the best of the year?
Tredstep Best Staff Column of 2017
Which one is YOUR favorite?
Thursday Video: A Winter Wonderland
This gorgeous parade of horses cantering through the snow is basically exactly how we imagine a winter wonderland.
Cavalor Best Mini-Series of 2017
These pieces packed a punch over several installments, and now we get to review them again to pick the best mini-series of 2017, presented by Cavalor!
SpectraVET Performance of the Week: The La Brea
The Grade I La Brea Stakes was part of Santa Anita Racetrack’s great opening day on Tuesday, December 26 — and racing fans were treated to a real showdown between Paradise Woods and Unique Bella.
Standlee Best Contributor Column of 2017
Vote for your favorite column here!
Ovation Riding 2017 Essay of the Year
The 2017 Horse Nation Readers’ Choice Awards continue! Today voting opens for the best essay of the year — which of these pieces inspired you, provoked thought or evoked emotion in 2017?
World Equestrian Brands Snowscape Drone Cam
Whether you have plenty of snow of your own or you’re enjoying a warm end to your December, you can’t deny that three horses enjoying a postcard-perfect snowscape are a beautiful sight!
SpectraVET 2017 Performance of the Year
Welcome to the 2017 Horse Nation Readers’ Choice Awards! Vote for your favorite performance of the year, presented by SpectraVET Therapeutic Lasers.
Kentucky Performance Products Best Photo Challenge Gallery of 2017
Time for YOU to choose the best of the year!
World Equestrian Brands 2017 Helmet/Drone Cam of the Year
Welcome to the 2017 Horse Nation Readers’ Choice Awards! Vote for your favorite helmet or drone cam video of the year, presented by World Equestrian Brands.
Tuesday Video: Keep the Christmas Spirit Going
NOW your Christmas is truly complete.
SmartPak Christmas Morning Feed
Merry Christmas from all of us at Horse Nation, and our good friends at SmartPak! Have yourself a merry little Christmas laugh with this classic “Stuff Riders Say… On Christmas.”
KY Performance Products: Rethinking the Bran Mash
That once-a-week bran mash is likely doing more harm than good for your horse: Kentucky Performance Products debunks this old feeding tradition.
Fat to Fit to First Level: Consistency, Part IV
On the approach.
Dear John: The HN Staff 2017 Holiday Wish List
In a growing Horse Nation tradition, we as a staff got together this year and put together an itty-bitty list for our long-suffering publisher John. Really, John, it’s just ONE thing we’re after.
Best of JN: Mare Crush Alert
Oh honey child, Auntie needs her smelling salts! Alberto Zorzi and his stunning 13-year-old Oldenburg mare Contanga looked fresh and fast to win the final Olympia Grand Prix Monday evening and steal the hearts of every fan in the stands.
An impressive 11 horses made the jump-off, and fast and clear were the only way to come out on top. Contanga was absolutely game for every stride and every distance to edge their next closest competitor – Harrie Smolders and Zinnius – by less than 0.2 seconds.
If you didn't manage to catch the Turkish Airlines Olympia Grand Prix, here are the highlights. #OlympiaHorse
Posted by Olympia, The London International Horse Show on Tuesday, December 19, 2017
“I think she is the best horse in the world, very scopey, very special,” said Alberto of Contanga. “The feeling over a fence is amazing. This is an amazing indoor show. I love the Christmas atmosphere and am so happy to be here.”
Alberto took over the ride on Contanga in July from Athina Onassis of Greece, who is still the mare’s owner. Since then the two have had 16 FEI starts and have been in the top ten seven times. They’ve only had one FEI class with eight faults or more, meaning that Alberto’s proclamation of her talent may not be hyperbole.
They’ve had two World Cup qualifiying finishes, so if they can manage to peak at a few more events between now and March, they’re good candidates to qualify for the World Cup Final.
Keep it locked on JN for more highlights from Olympia and beyond! Go Jumping.