John French Named 2023 USEF Equestrians of the Year

US Equestrian congratulates 2023 International Equestrian of the Year McLain Ward and 2023 National Equestrian of the Year John French. Ward and French were nominated as Equestrians of Honor and selected by US Equestrian member voting in December. Both Equestrians of the Year were honored at the 2023 Pegasus Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 14.

For over two decades as a competitor, John French (Wellington, Fla.) has established himself as one of the most accomplished hunter riders in the sport. The winner of the 2012 WCHR Lifetime Achievement Award and a four-time World Champion Hunter Rider, French is a member of the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame and is also a highly regarded clinician and coach.

In 2023, French won three major events on three different horses, all of whose hunter careers he started himself. He added to his list of career successes by besting a field of 83 competitors to win the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Rolex Stadium with Paradigm, Meredith Lipke’s 2012 Warmblood gelding.

French also took home top honors in the $100,000 WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular on Kent Farrington, LLC’s Milagro and the $25,000 WCHR Professional Challenge on Marnell Sport Horses’s Babylon—his third consecutive WCHR Pro Challenge win. On top of his success in the ring as a rider, French received the inaugural Jeff Wirthman Memorial Trophy as the Winter Equestrian Festival’s Leading Hunter Trainer by money won in 2023.

“This year I was lucky enough to have three great horses and win three really big events in the hunter world,” said French. “Since I started these horses, it’s like having children and they made it to Princeton.

“I would like to really thank Kent Farrington because four years ago, I pretty much thought I was going to wind down,” continued French. “I don’t think I would’ve had the success without the team that I have. I couldn’t do this on my own and I don’t see myself doing it on my own. These last few years with having a team and having someone like Kent, hopefully now maybe I can go on for several more years. I really hope so.”

French is the 2023 winner of the Emerson Burr Trophy, which is presented to an equestrian competing with any horse or pony breed shown in over-fences hunter classes. As the National Equestrian of the Year, French was a recipient of the Robert P. Strub Trophy and a premium gift pack of critically acclaimed wines from Horsepower Vineyards.