In international show jumping, success is often visible on the scoreboard, but perhaps even more so in the bank account. Over the past decade, a select group of riders earned millions in prize money, supported by exceptional horses that defined their careers. Hippomundo delved into the data to reveal which riders collected the most prize money over the last ten years, and which horses proved to be their indispensable partners.
A select group of 12 riders managed to surpass the €10 million mark in prize money. Below is the top of the ranking featuring the biggest earners of the past decade:
| Rank | Rider | Prize money since 2015 | Most successful horse |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Deusser (GER) | € 14.937.746 | Killer Queen VDM |
| 2 | Kent Farrington (USA) | € 13.277.217 | Gazelle |
| 3 | Martin Fuchs (SUI) | € 12.681.725 | Leone Jei |
| 4 | McLain Ward (USA) | € 12.549.522 | HH Azur |
| 5 | Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) | € 11.838.764 | King Edward |
| 6 | Harrie Smolders (NED) | € 11.477.573 | Monaco N.O.P. |
| 7 | Steve Guerdat (SUI) | € 11.124.046 | Venard De Cerisy |
| 8 | Ben Maher (GBR) | € 11.114.453 | Explosion W |
| 9 | Simon Delestre (FRA) | € 10.850.364 | Hermes Ryan |
| 10 | Scott Brash (GBR) | € 10.477.905 | Hello Jefferson |
| 11 | Julien Epaillard | € 10.299.580 | Donatello D'auge |
| 12 | Marcus Ehning | € 10.133.568 | Comme il faut |
(Hippomundo certified 31-08-2025)
A stable full of big earners brings Daniel Deusser close to €15 million in prize money
With total earnings of €14.937.746, Daniel Deusser is the rider who collected the most prize money over the past decade. Remarkably, this success did not rely on a single horse: several top mounts contributed to his impressive tally.
©Rolex GP Spruce Meadows, Calgary (CAN)
- Killer Queen VDM (v. Eldorado van de Zeshoek x For Pleasure) – €4.041.505 This 15-year-old BWP mare was bred in Belgium by the Bruggeman family and is still active with Daniel Deusser in international sport. Her biggest victory came in Calgary (CAN), where she won the Rolex Grand Prix of Spruce Meadows in 2022, earning €742,500. A year later, she added another €300,514 with a 3rd place finish in this prestigious competition. Click here to see Killer Queen VDM's achievements.
- Tobago Z (v. Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Mr. Blue) – €2.910.921 The top stallion Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, bred in Belgium by Jonas Bellemans, was of immeasurable value in Deusser’s success story. A true career highlight came with his victory in the GCT Super Grand Prix in Prague 2018, worth €302,115. Now 17 years old, Tobago recently retired from the sport at the Brussels Stephex Masters, on his familiar home ground. Click here to see Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z's achievements
- Jasmien vd Bisschop (v. Larino x Chin Chin) – €1.597.132 This BWP mare, bred by Stal den Bisschop, also deserves mention in the building of Daniel Deusser’s immense prize pot. With her, he was particularly successful in the Global Champions League, and winning the Super Cup Final added €914,345 to his earnings. Click here to see Jasmien vd Bisschop's achievements
Over the years, Daniel Deusser could also rely on top horses such as Cornet d’Amour (€871,374), Equita van ’t Zorgvliet (€622,368), Calisto Blue (€522,464), and First Class van Eeckelghem (€488,998), with whom he made it to the very top.
With his current top horses Bingo Ste Hermelle (€741,404), Otello de Guldenboom (€443,472), and Gangster v/h Noddevelt (€407,145), the €15 million milestone will soon be surpassed!
On Daniel Deusser’s statistics page, we see that at the highest level (+1.55m) he boasts a placement rate of 45%, which helps explain his impressive prize money total!
Belgian horses fuel success for American show jumpers
In the United States, top riders greatly benefit from the quality of Belgian breeding. Kent Farrington owes a large share of his impressive prize money to the BWP mare Gazelle, bred by Werner Heuninckx-Van Hoornyck, who alone contributed €3,420,602. His current Zangersheide mare Toulayna (€1,258,094) is also continuing to prove her worth.
Not only Farrington, but also his compatriot McLain Ward could count on a Belgian ace. With the sBs mare HH Azur, he amassed more than €4 million in prize money, making “Annie” one of the most lucrative sport horses of her generation.
Sweden and Great Britain also saw their biggest earners come from Belgium. Just think of the BWP gelding King Edward, who delivered countless victories and a hefty sum of €4,261,405 to Henrik von Eckermann (SWE). Likewise, BWP’s Hello Jefferson (€1,821,242) has so far been the top earner for Scott Brash (GBR).
View here the ranking of best earning horses since 2015.
Behind every million-euro partnership lies years of training, traveling, sacrifices, and perfecting the connection between rider and horse. That hard work pays off: thanks to their discipline and dedication, some riders have managed to surpass the €10 million mark in prize money.
Success, however, is never the work of a single individual. It is the result of a close bond between rider and horse, supported by breeders, owners, and an entire team working behind the scenes. This ranking is therefore more than just a list of numbers: it is proof that hard work, talent, and the right horses together form the key to lasting success at the very highest level.
