This article was updated in December 2020
The Windy Acres Trophy has been awarded 59 times to the USEA/USCTA Rider of the Year but only to 16 different people in the history of the Association. The Trophy is synonymous with repeat winners and the base is filled with the same names inscribed multiple times. Bruce Davidson is the record holder for most wins – having earned the Rider of the Year title a whopping 14 times. However, Phillip Dutton isn’t too far behind with 13 titles to his name, and as an active rider he could still surpass the record. J. Michael Plumb has his name down 10 times in the history book as Rider of the Year.
The Windy Acres Trophy. USEA/Leslie Mintz Photo.
Presented by Mr. and Mrs. Philip B. Hofmann, the Windy Acres Farm Trophy was named for the Hofmann farm in North Branch, New Jersey. Philip Hoffman was the first president of the USEA (then USCTA) serving from 1959 to 1965. He and his family were involved in many aspects of the equestrian world, hunting with the Essex Foxhounds, eventing at GMHA and four-in-hand driving.
The Windy Acres Farm Trophy was originally given to a rider and horse pair with Denis Glaccum winning the inaugural year of 1960 aboard Kilkerry. He repeated the feat the following year aboard Camouflage. From 1963 to 1966, the winning pair won both the Windy Acres Farm Trophy and The Chronicle of the Horse Trophy for Horse of the Year, but then the awards were split off with the Rider and Horse winning separate awards based on individual performance.
Denis Glaccum featured in Sports Illustrated in 1961.
Only five women have won the Rider of the Year title, and they all did it in the first 21 years of the Trophy. The last woman to take the honor was Karen Stives in 1981. In 1977, the Lady Rider of the Year Trophy was started with Mary Ann Tauskey winning the inaugural award, however the following year she won both the Lady Rider and Rider of the Year. This was repeated by Torrance Watkins in 1980 and Karen Stives in 1981.
Curious how a rider earns the points towards winning the Windy Acres Farm Trophy? Check out the point system and follow along with the leaderboard to see who will be getting their name inscribed on the Windy Acres Farm Trophy in the future.
Past Winners of the Rider of the Year
2019 – Boyd Martin
2018 – Boyd Martin
2017 – Boyd Martin
2016 – Boyd Martin
2015 – Buck Davidson
2014 – Buck Davidson
2013 – Buck Davidson
2012 – Phillip Dutton
2011 – Buck Davidson
2010 – Phillip Dutton
2009 – Phillip Dutton
2008 – Phillip Dutton
2007 – Phillip Dutton
2006 – Phillip Dutton
2005 – Phillip Dutton
2004 – Phillip Dutton
2003 – Phillip Dutton
2002 – Phillip Dutton
2001 – Phillip Dutton
2000 – Phillip Dutton
1999 – David O’Connor
1998 – Phillip Dutton
1997 – David O’Connor
1996 – David O’Connor
1995 – Bruce Davidson
1994 – Bruce Davidson
1993 – Bruce Davidson
1992 – Bruce Davidson
1991 – Bruce Davidson
1990 – Bruce Davidson
1989 – Bruce Davidson
1987 – Bruce Davidson
1986 – Bruce Davidson
1985 – Bruce Davidson
1984 – Bruce Davidson
1983 – Bruce Davidson
1982 – Bruce Davidson
1981 – Karen Stives
1980 – Torrance Watkins
1979 – J. Michael Plumb
1978 – Mary Ann Tauskey
1977 – J. Michael Plumb
1976 – J. Michael Plumb
1975 – Bruce Davidson
1974 – J. Michael Plumb
1973 – J. Michael Plumb
1972 – Denny Emerson
1971 – J. Michael Plumb
1970 – J. Michael Plumb
1969 – M. Lockie Richards
1968 – Mason Phelps Jr.
1967 – J. Michael Plumb
1966 – J. Michael Plumb
1965 – J. Michael Plumb
1964 – Miss Lee Troup
1963 – J. Gibson Semmes
1962 – Suzanne Cove
1961 – Denis Glaccum
1960 – Denis Glaccum
Temecula, Calif.—March 30— "World class." That's what Galway Downs Spring International dressage judges Helen Brettell and Robyn Fisher said in unison of the two rides that put Tamie Smith in the one and two spots in the CCI4*-S after dressage.
Myakka City, Fla.—March 30—In the third year of hosting FEI three-day events and recognized horse trials, TerraNova Equestrian Center welcomes an eventing date to their busy spring competition schedule. Riders from all walks of life, Olympians to young eventers, flocked to TerraNova to experience the previous two fall three-day events. The addition of the spring date gives riders an opportunity to run an FEI event and horse trials before heading home after the winter season.
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is delighted to announce the renewed partnership with SmartPak as the “Official Feeding Supplement of the USEA” for 2023. SmartPak will also continue their support of various USEA programs as a “Gold Sponsor of the USEA American Eventing Championships,” “Contributing Sponsor of the Adult Team Championships at the AEC,” “Bronze Sponsor of the Classic Series” and “Contributing Sponsor of the Young Event Horse Series.” The “SmartPak USEA Stallion of the Year” and “SmartPak USEA Pony of the Year” leaderboards will also allow the company to assist in recognizing the top placing stallion and pony of the Association at the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in St. Louis, Missouri this December 6-10. SmartPak will provide ample prizes and awards for the programs and championships that they support.
From horse trials in her home state of California where she prepared herself and her horses to take on the best in the nation and around the world to five-star events overseas where she represented the United States on some of eventing’s biggest stages, Tamie Smith had a remarkable season and finished 2022 as the Bates USEA Lady Rider of the Year for the second year in a row.