To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Animal Health Trust Equestrian Awards this year, the Martin Collins Special Award was dedicated to the person who was judged to have made the greatest contribution over the past 20 years.

Readers of Horse and Hound magazine were asked to nominate individuals from which a shortlist of three was drawn up for the judging panel of Madeleine Lloyd Webber, Susan George, Major Malcolm Wallace, Christopher Bartle, Mike and Angie Rutherford, Sarah Pidgley, Stephen Hadley, Justin Llewellyn and a group of 12 representatives from the Animal Health Trust. The three finalists were Lucinda Green, paralympic dressage champion Lee Pearson and Yorkshire's Whitaker family.

Lucinda Green is the only rider to have won Badminton Horse Trials six times on six different horses and was World and European Champion as well as an Olympic silver medallist. Since retiring from international competition in 1987 she has worked as a commentator for television, reported on equestrian sport and passed on the benefit of her talent and experience to hundreds of aspiring event riders around the world through her training clinics. She is also a member of the board of directors and chairman of selectors for British Eventing.

The award was presented by the Princess Royal and Martin Collins. He said: "Lucinda is an icon for equestrian sport and is still providing inspiration to hundreds of riders through her very successful clinics and training videos. Throughout her career she has been a superb ambassador for eventing and continues to play a very important part in the development of the sport."

Lucinda said: "This is something that I really can't believe has happened, it is the most unexpected award to have come my way in many years."