More to Earn at the Top: The Evolution of Rider Prize Money in International Equestrian Sport Since 2015
International equestrian sport has evolved significantly over the past decade — not only in terms of athletic performance, but also financially. Hippomundo analyzed rider earnings in the disciplines of show jumping, dressage, and eventing between 2015 and 2024.
Over the last nine years, prize money in international show jumping has increased substantially. A comparison of the top 10 riders in 2015 and 2024 shows that the sport has not only become more professional, but also more financially rewarding than ever before.
Prize Money Increases by More Than 50%
While top earners in 2015 made an average of €1.15 million, that figure has risen to over €1.75 million in 2024 — an impressive increase of 53%. Total earnings for the top 10 riders have grown from €11.5 million to more than €17.5 million. Additionally, only six riders earned over one million euros in 2015; in 2024, every rider in the top 10 comfortably surpasses that mark.
De top 10 in 2024
| Plaats | Ruiter | Inkomsten | # Paarden |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Kühner | €2.090.205 | 14 |
| 2 | Martin Fuchs | €2.078.104 | 14 |
| 3 | Ben Maher | €1.907.707 | 13 |
| 4 | Daniel Deusser | €1.868.123 | 14 |
| 5 | Henrik von Eckermann | €1.821.015 | 12 |
| 6 | Julien Epaillard | €1.813.066 | 17 |
| 7 | Christian Kukuk | €1.570.065 | 13 |
| 8 | Nicola Philippaerts | €1.540.931 | 13 |
| 9 | Steve Guerdat | €1.496.966 | 19 |
| 10 | Conor Swail | €1.454.762 | 9 |
Certified by Hippomundo © 2025
De top 10 in 2015
| Plaats | Ruiter | Inkomsten | # Paarden |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott Brash | €1.840.008 | 9 |
| 2 | Kent Farrington | €1.452.505 | 10 |
| 3 | Simon Delestre | €1.277.724 | 11 |
| 4 | Steve Guerdat | €1.154.789 | 11 |
| 5 | Elizabeth Madden | €1.104.596 | 6 |
| 6 | Bertram Allen | €948.138 | 18 |
| 7 | McLain Ward | €944.246 | 13 |
| 8 | Grégory Wathelet | €938.859 | 34 |
| 9 | Luciana Diniz | €924.510 | 8 |
| 10 | Daniel Deusser | €894.700 | 18 |
Certified by Hippomundo © 2025
Efficiency vs. Volume
Interestingly, the average number of horses per rider has remained exactly the same across both years: 13.8. However, the earnings per horse have shifted. In 2015, Scott Brash was the most efficient rider with €204,000 per horse, while in 2024, Conor Swail leads with an average of €161,000 per horse. This could indicate growing competition and a wider spread of earnings across more combinations.
Not Just the Elite: The Subtop Also Rises
Notably, the increase in prize money isn’t limited to the elite. Riders lower down the rankings are also benefiting. In 2015, the 100th-ranked rider, Richard Fellers, earned €200,975. In 2024, that position — held by Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty — brings in €352,324, a jump of over 75%. This shows that financial growth in the sport is more broadly distributed, benefiting not only the top-tier riders but also the subtop.
What About Dressage and Eventing?
While show jumping has experienced a clear financial boom, the same cannot be said — at least not to the same extent — for disciplines like dressage and eventing. In dressage, prize money has increased only slightly, and the same familiar names continue to dominate. Isabell Werth, for example, holds the top spot on the world ranking in both 2015 and 2024 — a sign of limited turnover at the top. In eventing, there is growth as well, though again not at the level seen in jumping. These differences partly reflect the varied commercial dynamics of the disciplines, but they also highlight untapped potential for development in both dressage and eventing.
A Promising Future for Equestrian Sport
International equestrian sport is undergoing strong development, most notably in the growth of prize money within show jumping. Not only the top riders, but also those in the subtop are seeing their earnings increase. Dressage and eventing still show room for further growth, highlighting that the sport as a whole is evolving and heading toward a promising future.
