NSBA Announces 2025 Horse of the Year Awards
National Snaffle Bit Association is pleased to announce the association’s 2025 Horse Of The Year honorees:
All photos by Cody Parmenter Photography, courtesy of NSBA.
All Around Performance Horse Of The Year
The Batchelor
Owned by AK Performance Horses of Drayton Valley, Alberta, Canada
Hunter/Jumper Horse Of The Year
DGS Legacy
Owned by Robin DeGraff of Reddick, Florida
Rail Horse Of The Year
R C Kola
Owned by Madeline M Bayless of Mountain Brook, Alabama
Ranch Performance Horse Of The Year
Xtra Wimpys Catalyst
Owned by Erika Collins Sterling of Mustang, Oklahoma
Each year NSBA presents Horse of the Year awards to the horses which are most deserving of these prestigious awards based on NSBA participation, show record and points earned in that year in the divisions of Rail, All Around Performance, Ranch Performance and Hunter/Jumper. NSBA has recently expanded its Horse of the Year awards to recognize more divisions to exemplify the diversity of the show horse.
Horse of the Year honorees will be recognized during the 2026 NSBA World Championship Show and Breeders Championship Futurity at the NSBA Honors Banquet on Sunday, August 16, as well as with arena presentations throughout the week.
All Around Performance Horse Of The Year: The Batchelor
The 2017 gelding by How Bout This Cowboy and out of Shes Blazing Cool (Blazing Hot) had a busy show year, competing in All Around events that included Showmanship, Horsemanship, Hunt Seat Equitation, Trail and Performance Halter Geldings with Ady Kallay as well as Open classes with Sara Simons. They saw large class wins at the Sun Circuit, Orange Blossom/A Sudden Impulse and the Premier. Ady and The Batchelor won NSBA world championships as well as AQHYA championship in Western Riding, Hunt Seat Equitation and Horsemanship. Sara Simons added a reserve championship and a $20,000 paycheck in the NSBA $100,000 Senior Trail class at the Championship Show as well as an AQHA reserve world championship in Senior Trail. Throughout 2025, The Batchelor earned 935 points and $31,492.65 in NSBA earnings.
Hunter/Jumper Horse Of The Year: DGS Legacy
A 2020 stallion by DGS Replicated and out of PR Real Quiet (Duplicated Deck), DGS Legacy was guided by Jessica Johnson to class wins in Junior Hunter Hack and Level 1 Working Hunter and the duo also won the Gulf Coast Hunter Derby during the 2025 show season. Highlights of their year include an NSBA world championship in Green Working Hunter as well as a reserve world championship in Junior Hunter Hack, a Quarter Horse Congress championship in Level 1 Working Hunter, and AQHA world titles in Junior Hunter Hack, Level 1 Hunter Hack, Level 1 Working Hunter and Progressive Working Hunter. DGS Legacy earned 252 points and $17,065.83 on his way to earning the Horse Of The Year: Hunter/Jumper title.
Rail Horse Of The Year: R C Kola
The 2022 gelding by Its A Southern Thing and out of Its Al Over (Allocate Your Assets) never placed below third from his debut at the Orange Blossom Classic to year-end at the Gulf Coast Circuit in December. He was shown by Joy Wheeler, Keith Miller and Madeline Bayless to wins that included the Orange Blossom Classic Maiden Three Year Old and Older Hunter Under Saddle futurity and the Premier Hunter Under Saddle Stakes, as well as NSBA world championships in Three Year Old Open, Non-Pro and Three Year Old Novice Horse Hunter Under Saddle and BCF championships in Three Year Old Open and Limited Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle. Their year also included multiple Quarter Horse Congress championships and an AQHA reserve world championship in Junior Hunter Under Saddle. On his way to the award, R C Kola won 310.5 NSBA points and $67,744.97 in NSBA earnings.
Ranch Performance Horse Of The Year: Xtra Wimpys Catalyst
The 2015 black stallion by Wimpys Little Step and out of Im Not Blonde (Catalyst Too) began his show year in Senior Ranch Riding and soon added Trail and Ranch Rail to his resume. He was shown by Matt and Beth Gouthro in Open events and owner Erika Collins Sterling in Non-Pro events around the country. Matt and Erika each earned NSBA reserve world championships in Senior Ranch Riding and Amateur Ranch Rail, while Matt and the black stallion won the Open Working Western Rail Stakes and the Open Ranch Trail Stakes at the Quarter Horse Congress. Beth Gouthro added an AQHA reserve world championship in Level 2 Senior Ranch Riding and Erika piloted the stallion to win an AQHA world championship in All Age Non-Pro Ranch Rail to cap off the year. Xtra Wimpys Catalyst won 688 points and $41,849.48 in NSBA earnings in 2025.
About the Horse of the Year Awards
Each year NSBA presents four Horse of the Year awards to the owners of the horses, (at time of most recent NSBA competition) which are most deserving of these prestigious awards based on NSBA participation, show record and points earned in that year in the divisions of Rail, All Around Performance, Ranch Performance and Hunter/Jumper.
