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IRISH native Lee McKeever scooped the FEI Best Groom award at the prestigious FEI Awards 2018 presented by Longines in Manama, Bahrain, last night.
Groom to four-time Olympian McLain Ward, McKeever hails from Portmarnock in CO Dublin and has worked with Ward for 30 years, where he is still as dedicated about his work as when he started, going above and beyond to ensure the best possible care for his horses, and always willing to help others in the sport working tirelessly behind the scenes.
Ward and McKeever’s shared victories include the recent FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 team gold medal with Clinta, the 2017 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup title with HH Azur in Omaha (USA), individual gold medal with Rothchild at the 2015 Pan-American Games in Toronto (CAN), and team gold medals at the Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games with Sapphire.
BEST ATHLETE
Germany’s golden girl Simone Blum (29) has undoubtedly had the best year of her career to date, and last night she added another accolade to the list, taking home the Fosun Best Athlete Award.
Crowned individual world champion and winner of a team bronze medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games in September, she became the first woman in the 28-year history of the Games and only the second female athlete in 65 years of the World Jumping championship to win individual gold.
“I am very proud to be the Fosun best athlete, I think it’s a dream of every rider,” Blum said. “A lot of really good riders got it before and to the people I want to say thank you a lot, it was a pleasure for me and I have the best fans and supporters. Thank you.”
Hosts for the gala evening were five time Paralympic gold medallist and multi world and European title holder, Britain’s Natasha Baker, with Spain’s rising star, Juan Matute Guimon, FEI Dressage European Junior champion in 2015 and at 20, one of the youngest Dressage athletes at the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018.
These awards celebrate outstanding achievements within the equestrian community, tapping into the sporting excellence and celebrating the champions, the unsung heroes and the incredible individuals and organisations backstage making it all happen.
French Eventing athlete Victor Levecque was presented with the Longines Rising Star Award by Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing, Juan-Carlos Capelli.
This award highlights the achievements of athletes between the ages of 14 and 21 who demonstrate outstanding equestrian sporting talent and was won by Wexford show jumper Harry Allen in 2017.
At the age of 20, Victor is already multiple winner, with 10 European medals, including two gold medals and five French national champion titles to his name.
“For a second consecutive year the online public vote has become very popular and a peer to peer recognition is one of the most powerful”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “The influence of one's peers and the recognition of talent and hard work is a testament to the strengths and development of the growth of the sport.”
SOLIDARITY AWARD
Alex Hua Tian and Philip Wong of China accepted the FEI Solidarity award for the Horsemanship charity programme in China. Ten years ago Alex won the Rising Star Award and tonight he was here as part of the team working to communicate the core value of “Equestrianism as Horsemanship” to the world’s fastest growing equestrian market.
Leila Malki from Palestine was presented with the Against All Odds award. Her dedication to equestrian sport and her passion have made her a role model for young women in Palestine through her encouragement of girls and women to become involved in equestrian sport in her country.
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