Boyd Martin and Daniel Geitner are 2025 USEF Equestrians of the Year

Eventer Boyd Martin has been named the USEF International Equestrian of the year while Hunter professional Daniel Geitner has been named the USEF National Equestrian of the year.

US Equestrian officials announced the honorees during the USEF annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. Martin and Geitner were finalists who were selected by US Equestrian members voting in December.

Boyd Martin's 2025 accomplishments

A stalwart for the Defender U.S. Eventing Team, Boyd Martin concluded another strong and consistent campaign in 2025, earning top five finishes in 24 FEI events with a string of 13 different horses. Martin finished all three of his entries inside the top ten at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L, including a second-place finish aboard Commando 3, to earn the USEF CCI5*-L National Championship. The pair returned with the same form later in the year to notch a third-place finish in the MARS Maryland Five Star CCI5*-L. Martin then took his talents overseas to finish third in the Pau CCI5*-L, this time aboard Cooley Nutcracker, demonstrating incredible consistency and poise at the top international events in the world. Martin also topped the inaugural US Equestrian Eventing Open Final aboard Miks Master C, at Morven Park, marking his seventh international win of the season.  

In team competition representing the Defender U.S. Eventing Team, Martin and Commando 3 finished fifth overall and helped the team secure their third consecutive podium finish in the CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S.

Martin currently sits in second in the FEI Eventing World Rankings, having accumulated 537 points in 2025. He sat atop the world rankings in the month of May, marking the first time in more than two decades a U.S. eventing athlete was ranked number one in the world. 

Daniel Geitner's 2025 accomplishments

Daniel Geitner is celebrated for his lifelong dedication to horses, exceptional versatility, and distinguished presence in the hunter ring. His horsemanship reflects a lifetime in the saddle, beginning with foxhunting and evolving into a successful collegiate career at St. Andrews College. Over the years, Geitner honed his craft under the guidance of some of the sport’s most respected professionals, including Aaron Vale and Andrea King. 

In 2025, Geitner captured both first and second place in the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship Challenge Round aboard Aeronautic and Walk The Moon. His season featured numerous victories from green hunters to international derbies. 

Geitner operates DFG Stables in Aiken, S.C., alongside his wife, Cathy, and their two children, Wyatt and Lilly. The farm, home to nearly 70 horses, serves athletes and horses of all levels, from ponies and green hunters to elite derby contenders. 

Beyond ribbons and accolades, Geitner’s influence on equestrian sport is defined by his unwavering commitment to horsemanship. He sets the standard of integrity and skill that inspires everyone who shares the ring with him or watches from the sidelines. 

This is an edited press release.

Photo: Boyd Martin and Commando 3 at Defender Kentucky CCI5*-L

Photo credit: Amy Dragoo Photo via Defender Kentucky site