MARLBOROUGH-BASED Rebecca Howard and her horse Riddle Master have been crowned Canadian Equestrian of the Year and Canadian Bred Horse of the Year respectively at the Equine Canada Annual Awards Gala, held in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Rebecca and Riddle Master had their best finish when third in the hotly-contested CIC*** at her local Barbury International Horse Trials in July.

Additionally, they finished 12th at both Badminton and Burghley. Riddle Master ended the season at 13th place in the 2013 FEI World Horse Rankings.

After the 2012 London Olympics, where Rebecca and Riddle Master represented Team Canada, they relocated to Tim and Jonelle Price's yard, near Marlborough.

On receiving the Dr George Jacobsen Trophy for the Canadian Equestrian of the Year award, Rebecca said: "I am honoured to receive this award and would like to thank Equine Canada for this fabulous evening and for the recognition. I am also delighted for Caroline Blazely, who owns Rupert (Riddle Master) and has collected his Canadian Horse of the Year Award tonight.

"Caroline has been such an incredible support to me and believed in us from the outset. Furthermore, she is providing a further exciting opportunity for me, Rupert and Canada in 2014.

"In the Chinese Year of the horse, deemed to be' fortunate and magical', what better time to deliver something really exceptional, which I hope will be at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy this August."