Oliver Barrett tops the FEI Eventing Young Rider World Rankings

When the latest FEI Eventing Young Rider World Rankings were released, Oliver Barrett found his name at the very top. It is a moment that marks a full year of consistency and commitment, and one that he admits took him pleasantly by surprise.

Oliver says the rankings offer picture of how well a rider and their team perform across the year. When he realised he had moved into the number one position, he described it simply as “a really pleasant surprise” and “a really nice reward for a great year.”

That year has been shaped by a team of four horses who have travelled the season with him. Each has contributed to the final result that now places him as the world’s leading Young Rider.

Looking back, Oliver says the momentum began early. “Going back to April at Adelaide and the CCI3*L was a great way to start the year with 'Briar'.” From there, the rhythm continued culminating with the win in the CCI4* at the Sydney International 3DE. Throughout every event, he felt fortunate to have horses who showed up ready to deliver. “I’ve just been really fortunate that my horses are just been really consistent at every competition. Those points add up and then obviously a week or so ago now at Sydney was a great way to end the year.”

While the rankings recognise the rider, Oliver makes it clear this achievement belongs to many more people than just himself. “I’m just really proud of all my horses and I’m just so grateful. It’s a privilege to have the string of horses that I do at the moment. This is obviously not just me, this is a whole team effort to be able to keep these horses happy and healthy throughout the year. This is a great reward for everybody at home who contributes to this as well.”

Oliver’s current team of horses has been central to his results. “I have Sandhills Briar, Sandhills Gem, they both competed in the Four Star just the other week. And then I have Tempranado who was competing at Three Star. And also Felldale Short Black who was owned by my aunt Felicity, who I campaigned at Three Star throughout the year. He’s been extremely consistent as well, not been out of the placings.”

Together, these four have carried him through one of the most successful periods of his young career.

With the year drawing to a close, Oliver says the horses will now enjoy a well earned break before preparations begin again. The short term goal is simple: reset, rebuild and continue the rhythm that has served him so well.

Longer term, there is one major target in his sights. “There’s obviously a World Championships next year at Aachen and I’d be lying if I said I don’t have my eyes set on that.”

Still, he believes the best approach mirrors the mindset that helped him reach this recent top spot in the FEI Eventing Young Rider Rankings. “With team selection, it’s very similar to the rankings. If I can just focus on my preparation and my day to day riding and results, just like the rankings, the team selection looks after itself.”

When asked about the biggest dream of all, Oliver answers with the clarity of someone who knows why he gets up every morning. “In the future to win an Olympic gold medal would be pretty cool. That’s what drives me.”

But medals and rankings are only part of the picture. At the heart of everything is a genuine love for the horses and the work required to bring them along. “I do love the day to day work with the horses. This is what I want to do. I love horses. I love working with them right through from the young horses to the top horses and I just love the day to day life which drives me as well.”

For young riders watching Oliver’s rise and hoping to follow a similar path, his advice is grounded in the same values that underpin his own success. "What I just mentioned about loving the day to day life with horses, I think that’s a really big part of it. Competition is a little bit extra but you’ve got to love the day to day routine and get up in the morning and want to work with the horses. If you can do that, I think you’re already half the way there.”

Oliver’s time at the top of the FEI Young Rider World Rankings is a moment worth celebrating. It reflects the qualities that define him right now as a young athlete coming of age in the sport: consistency, humility, and a genuine connection to the horses that make it all possible.

Now as he begins to shift his focus toward the year ahead, there is a sense that this milestone is only the start of a much bigger journey.