At the KWPN Stallion Show (02/02) powered by Massey Ferguson, Mr. Wassenaar, Chairman of the Horse of the Year committee, announced the winner of the 2012 KWPN Horse of the Year election: “Readers of In de Strengen magazine and visitors to the KWPN website were able to choose from fantastic horses nominated in all the disciplines.
In the end, there can only be one winner, a horse whose performance last year was amazing, with amazing results at the Olympic Games. The 2012 Horse of the Year is..: Big Star! A true ambassador for the KWPN.”
Bred by Cees Klaver, the Quick Star son developed into an exceptionally talented show jumper under Nick Skelton, who has said on multiple occasions that Big Star is the best horse he has ever ridden. After a very successful tour in Wellington, where the combination swept two grands prix, they went on to win the Grand Prix of Antwerp and the Global Champions Tour competition of Hamburg. In Aachen, they confirmed their outstanding form by capturing the Preis von Europa. In the first two days of the London Olympics, Big Star jumped phenomenally and finished in first place with Verdi and Tamino. With Vindicat and other team horses, Big Star won the gold for the UK. Unfortunately, he downed his first Olympic rail in the final, resulting in a fifth place finish.
Nick Skelton expressed his appreciation in a video: “I want to thank everyone who voted for Big Star. It's a great honor that he's the KWPN Horse of the Year, and we're very happy. I'm honored to be able to ride a horse like him.”
Next, Big Star's breeder Cees Klaver received the Nimmerdor Trophy from the Beijer-de Klein family, the breeders of the 2011 KWPN Horse of the Year, Parzival. Klaver: “If anyone is happy, it's me. Big Star did most of the work. The road is long, but it's a fantastic road. I'm very fortunate; what more could a man want?”