April 20, 2026, 3:19 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
It was an evening full of elegance, emotions, and impressive horse stories from the web. At the Equestrian Creator Awards 2026 in Ratingen, the most successful horse influencers from the German-speaking world came together, showcasing the diversity of the scene. One creator provided one of the many highlights of the evening by securing two of the coveted awards. PETBOOK was on site.
Germany’s Horse Community United on the Pink Carpet
Under the motto “Pretty in Pink,” the best equestrian creators were honored at Gut Cones in Ratingen near Düsseldorf on Saturday, April 18, 2026. A total of 350 invited guests attended the Equestrian Creator Night–including many familiar faces from the social media world.
The awards are considered the only recognition in the German-speaking world exclusively for creators focused on horses. The evening was hosted by moderator and audience favorite Patrick Thomalla–who later took the stage as a singer.
Five Categories–and a Jury with Extensive Expertise
The awards were presented in five categories:
- Micro Creator of the Year
- Professional Rider of the Year
- Purpose Award of the Year
- Creator of the Year
- Audience Award of the Year
A six-member expert jury from equestrian sports, media, and social media decided on four of the categories. The jury included judge and trainer Christoph Hess, CAVALLO editor-in-chief Linda Krüger, equestrian artist Michaela Stocker, Agria representative Thoms Lehmann, Daniel D’Amico from Kristallkraft Naturprodukte, and André Karkalis, CEO of the agency TONY. The audience award was determined by online voting from the community.
The focus of the evaluation was not on riding performance but on content: creativity, craftsmanship, and editorial depth of the content on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube–as well as the ability to convey relevant horse-related topics in an understandable and entertaining way.
Double Victory Provides Emotional Highlight of the Evening
The big winner of the evening: Beatrix. She was not only named “Creator of the Year” by the jury but also won the audience award, which the community voted on online.
With this, she makes history at the Equestrian Creator Awards: As the first creator ever, she secures both titles in one night–continuing her success from the previous year when she already won the audience award.
Her recipe for success: a mix of elaborately produced reels and honest everyday insights. Particularly impressive: She built her stable on her own and consistently shares this journey with her community. This mix of consistency, authenticity, and quality convinced the jury as well.
These Are the 2026 Winners of the Equestrian Creator Night
These creators were delighted to receive an award:
Creator of the Year & Audience Award:
@beatrice_mary_–impresses with authentic insights, high-quality videos, and strong community engagement
Micro Creator of the Year:
@goldknoepfe–lovingly and meticulously showcases life during trail riding
Professional Rider of the Year:
@momo.equestrian–combines sporting expertise with humor and approachability
Purpose Award of the Year:
@kernkompetenzpferd–educates as a veterinarian on health and prevention
Blind cats Liah and Luna are catfluencers of the year
Best German Animal Accounts of the Year Announced
“This Is One of the Most Vibrant Communities in the Country”
The Equestrian Creator Awards were launched in 2025 by André Karkalis, owner of the agency TONY the petfluencer agency. As the organizer of the unique award ceremony, he knows why the event is so successful: “The award ceremony is a great success–because passion is contagious. 150 creators, millions of reach, an evening full of emotions. This is one of the most vibrant communities in the country. And we’re celebrating it for the second time today.”
Even though the award is still young, André Karkalis sees a lot of potential in it: “My vision is that someday everyone in Germany will know: If you love horses and create content–then you want an Equestrian Creator Award.”
PETBOOK asked André Karkalis if he has a favorite award: “I am happy about every single award. My personal favorite? The audience award. Because it’s not the jury that decides, but the community. That moment when the name is announced–you can’t stage it. It’s simply authentic.”
More Than Just Riding: What’s Behind the Success
The awards show how large and diverse the horse community has become. Around 150 creators with millions of reach gathered in Ratingen, highlighting how prominent the topic of horses has become on social media. Whether entertaining videos, helpful tips, or honest insights into stable life–many creators reach a wide audience with their content and also take on responsibility for their animals and their community.