The Swiss equestrian magazine PferdeWoche has awarded Germany's Sophie Hinners as the most successful Nations Cup rider of 2025, with fourteen clear rounds throughout the year. Just like last year, Great Britain’s Ben Maher finished second with twelve clear rounds, while Germany's Christian Kukuk ended third with nine clears.

Germany also topped PferdeWoche's country rankings with 83 clear rounds, ahead of Ireland with 74 and Belgium with 69. 

28-year-old Hinners jumped clear in eight Nations Cups this year, and rode three different horses during her 14 clear rounds. With the 10-year-old gelding Iron Dames Singclair (Singular LS La Silla x Cardento), she recorded a total of seven clear rounds, including three double clear rounds in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Ocala (USA) and Calgary (CAN). Hinners also recorded double clear rounds with the 11-year-old mare Iron Dames Combella (Cornet du Lys x Indoctro) in Mannheim (GER) and St. Gallen (SUI). With her top horse, the 13-year-old gelding Iron Dames My Prins (Zilverstar T x Winningmood), she had a clear round in Rotterdam (NED) and a double clear round at the European Championships in A Coruña (ESP).

"It's something incredibly wonderful. It's always special to ride in a Nations Cup, to represent your own country and to do so together with a team," Hinners said to PferdeWoche as she received the award at CHI Geneva. "I look forward to it every time. And yes, the fact that this season has gone so well is a great joy. Of course, I also have the great team behind the scenes to thank for that. First and foremost, my wonderful horses and also the owner, Deborah Meyer from Iron Dames, for giving me the opportunity to have such horses in my stable. We also have a team in the Global Champions League, but it was still very important to her that I also ride in Nations Cups."

Hinners competed in her first Nations Cup in 2021 at the EEF semi-final in Budapest. "It was incredibly wonderful, especially because I had never competed in a Nations Cup as a pony rider, junior or young rider. I always dreamed of being able to wear the red jacket one day," Hinners said. "It was all the more wonderful when it finally happened."

What makes the Nations Cup special, Hinners says, is "that you can achieve something together as a team and also represent your country. That's something to be proud of. It makes it special that we all pull together and support each other. This sense of togetherness is a wonderful feeling.”