The best breeding countries in show jumping: analysis of the top nations

International horse breeding has developed into a highly competitive field in which some countries play a leading role. Their importance is reflected not only in the number of breeders and horses bred, but also in the prize money generated by show jumping. In this article, we take a look at the world's leading breeding countries and analyse which countries have the largest breeding communities, register the most horses and generate the highest profits.

The figures in this article are according to an update of the Hippomundo rankings on 18/11/2024 based on known data at Hippomundo.

The top 10 breeding countries with the most breeders:

The number of breeders in a country is an important indicator of the importance of show jumping there. At the top of this ranking is Germany with 3.769 breeders. These breeders generate the impressive sum of €€41.967.392, which corresponds to an average of €€11.135 per horse. France and Belgium, which also have a large number of breeders, follow in next place: France with 3.644 breeders and Belgium with 3.325. Particularly noteworthy is the performance of Belgium, which achieved a higher profit total of €36.633.824 with fewer breeders than France. This was followed by the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy & Great Britain, Sweden and Denmark. Poland came in 10th place.

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Go here to the full ranking of number of showjumper breeders by country.

The top 10 breeding countries with the largest number of bred horses:

Germany also tops the list in terms of the number of horses bred or registered, followed by Belgium and France. With 8.249 horses in Germany, 7.903 in Belgium and 7.369 in France, these countries are the main players in horse breeding in Europe. The high average profit per horse in Germany and Belgium is remarkable and indicates the quality and success of the breeding programmes. The next places are taken by the same countries that we have already seen in the number of breeders. Also in almost identical order.

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View here the full ranking based on number of jumpers bred by country.

The 10 countries with the highest number of horses bred per breeder:

An interesting aspect in this analysis is the average number of horses bred per breeder, which provides insight into the efficiency and effectiveness of breeding companies. Again, Germany and Belgium top the list, followed by the Netherlands and notable Poland. These countries have large, professional breeding companies that contribute significantly to the quality and diversity of show jumping in Europe and worldwide.

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The top 10 breeding countries by prizemoney total:

Finally, we look at prize money, another important indicator of the quality and success of breeding countries. Germany leads with a total of €41,967,392, followed by Belgium (€36,633,824) and the Netherlands (€27,884,288). These high amounts show that these countries breed top horses that can compete at the international level. In this ranking, we also see Brazil entering the top 10 with earnings of €991,345. Notable is Estonia, which with relatively few breeders still achieves high prizemoney figures per horse (€22,853).

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View here the full ranking based on earnings by Country.

The data shows that Germany and Belgium are leaders in horse breeding, both in terms of the quantity and quality of the horses bred. However, it should always be noted that these parameters influence each other. Countries such as Estonia and Brazil, which have fewer breeders but achieve high profits, show that success can also be achieved through quality and targeted breeding programs.