PLOT TWIST! After Phillip Dutton and Z were defeated in Round 1 of voting for 2018 EquiRatings Horse of the Year, we thought America’s chances of repeating a victory were over. But Diarm Byrne, co-founder of EquiRatings and a loose cannon, decided to mix things up and introduce a wildcard in the semi-final round.
U.S. National CCI3* Champions Frankie Thieriot-Stutes and Chatwin will now take on World Champions Ros Canter and Allstar B in the next round of voting. As for how Chatwin got the nod as wildcard, the 10-year-old Oldenburg owned by The Chatwin Group was the only horse in the world to win two CCI events at the CCI3* or CCI4* level in 2018.
To put that into perspective, out of 1,208 results recorded at the CCI3* and CCI4* levels around the world in 2018, we saw 42 winners. Frankie and Chatwin were the only pair to win twice, tasting victory at both the Rebecca Farm CCI3* and the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI3*. This was also Frankie’s first season competing back at the CCI3* level since 2010.
Frankie is an adult amateur rider who only competes one horse. She runs two businesses in Athletux, a sports marking company, and Frankie Cameron, a handbag and diaper company. She is also the mom of two boys under the age of 3.
If you believe in #GIRLPOWER …
If you believe amateurs have a place in the sport …
If you want to support one of the hardest-working and most dedicated riders in U.S. eventing …
VOTE FRANKIE AND CHATWIN!
To cast your vote, simply click on their photo in the poll below.
Voting closes at 1:15 p.m. PST/4:15 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Dec. 26.
Go Amateurs! Go Eventing.