In horse racing, the Champion Trainer award is given to the trainer who has earned the most prize money across a one year period. As with the Champion Jockey awards, there is a Champion Jumps Trainer and a Champion Flat Trainer for each year.
Prize money won from races in Britain, organised by the British Horse Racing Authority, contributes to the British Champion Trainer Awards whilst races in Ireland, run by Horse Racing Ireland, contribute to the Irish versions of the awards. Whereas it is unlikely a jockey can with both the British and Irish Championships, it is possible for a trainer to win both if competing regularly on both sides of the Irish sea.
British & Irish Champion Flat Trainers
The Champion Flat Trainer is the trainer who has earned the most prize money from racing in a calendar year, January 1st to December 31st. Prior to 2016, the cut-off was the official end of the flat season in November.
In Britain, the Champion Flat Trainer can be tracked back to 1896, when it was won by Palace House based Alfred Hayhoe. The most successful British Champion Trainer is Alec Taylor Jr, who won the title on twelve occasions between 1907 and 1925.
The Irish Champion Trainer race was first recorded in 1950, won by P J ‘Paddy’ Prendergast. By far the most successful Irish Champion Flat trainer is Ballydoyle’s Aidan O’Brien who has taken the title on 24 consecutive occasions between 1999 and 2022. O’Brien has also won the British title on six occasions. In addition, Aidan O’Brien was the Champion Jumps Trainer in Ireland for five seasons between 1993/94 and 1997/98.
| Season | British | Irish |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Charlie Appleby | A P O’Brien |
| 2021 | Charlie Appleby | A P O’Brien |
| 2020 | John Gosden | A P O’Brien |
| 2019 | John Gosden | A P O’Brien |
| 2018 | John Gosden | A P O’Brien |
| 2017 | Aidan O’Brien | A P O’Brien |
| 2016 | Aidan O’Brien | A P O’Brien |
| 2015 | John Gosden | A P O’Brien |
| 2014 | Richard Hannon Jr. | A P O’Brien |
| 2013 | Richard Hannon Sr. | A P O’Brien |
| 2012 | John Gosden | A P O’Brien |
| 2011 | Richard Hannon Sr. | A P O’Brien |
| 2010 | Richard Hannon Sr. | A P O’Brien |
| 2009 | Sir Michael Stoute | A P O’Brien |
| 2008 | Aidan O’Brien | A P O’Brien |
| 2007 | Aidan O’Brien | A P O’Brien |
| 2006 | Sir Michael Stoute | A P O’Brien |
| 2005 | Sir Michael Stoute | A P O’Brien |
| 2004 | Saeed bin Suroor | A P O’Brien |
| 2003 | Sir Michael Stoute | A P O’Brien |
| 2002 | Aidan O’Brien | A P O’Brien |
| 2001 | Aidan O’Brien | A P O’Brien |
| 2000 | Sir Michael Stoute | A P O’Brien |
| 1999 | Saeed bin Suroor | A P O’Brien |
| 1998 | Saeed bin Suroor | D K Weld |
| 1997 | Michael Stoute | A P O’Brien |
| 1996 | Saeed bin Suroor | D K Weld |
| 1995 | John Dunlop | J M Oxx |
| 1994 | Michael Stoute | D K Weld |
| 1993 | Henry Cecil | D K Weld |
| 1992 | Richard Hannon Sr. | J S Bolger |
| 1991 | Paul Cole | J S Bolger |
| 1990 | Henry Cecil | D K Weld |
| 1989 | Michael Stoute | D K Weld |
| 1988 | Henry Cecil | M V O’Brien |
| 1987 | Henry Cecil | M V O’Brien |
| 1986 | Michael Stoute | Sir M Stoute |
| 1985 | Henry Cecil | D K Weld |
| 1984 | Henry Cecil | M V O’Brien |
| 1983 | Dick Hern | D K Weld |
| 1982 | Henry Cecil | M V O’Brien |
| 1981 | Michael Stoute | M V O’Brien |
| 1980 | Dick Hern | M V O’Brien |
| 1979 | Henry Cecil | M V O’Brien |
| 1978 | Henry Cecil | M V O’Brien |
| 1977 | Vincent O’Brien | M V O’Brien |
| 1976 | Henry Cecil | F Boutin |
| 1975 | Peter Walwyn | P Walwyn |
| 1974 | Peter Walwyn | P Walwyn |
| 1973 | Noel Murless | S McGrath |
| 1972 | Dick Hern | M V O’Brien |
| 1971 | Ian Balding | P Lallie |
| 1970 | Noel Murless | M V O’Brien |
| 1969 | Arthur Budgett | M V O’Brien |
| 1968 | Noel Murless | R F Johnson- Houghton |
| 1967 | Noel Murless | R F Johnson-Houghton |
| 1966 | Vincent O’Brien | G Todd |
| 1965 | Paddy Prendergast | P J Prendergast |
| 1964 | Paddy Prendergast | J M Rogers |
| 1963 | Paddy Prendergast | P J Prendergast |
| 1962 | Dick Hern | E Pollet |
| 1961 | Noel Murless | S McGrath |
| 1960 | Noel Murless | A S O’Brien |
| 1959 | Noel Murless | M V O’Brien |
| 1958 | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | J Oxx |
| 1957 | Noel Murless | S McGrath |
| 1956 | Charles Elsey | H Wragg |
| 1955 | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | S McGrath |
| 1954 | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | M Hurley |
| 1953 | Jack Jarvis | P J Prendergast |
| 1952 | Marcus Marsh | P J Prendergast |
| 1951 | Jack Jarvis | P J Prendergast |
| 1950 | Charles Semblat | P J Prendergast |
| 1949 | Frank Butters | |
| 1948 | Noel Murless | |
| 1947 | Fred Darling | |
| 1946 | Frank Butters | |
| 1945 | Walter Earl | |
| 1944 | Frank Butters | |
| 1943 | Walter Nightingall | |
| 1942 | Fred Darling | |
| 1941 | Fred Darling | |
| 1940 | Fred Darling | |
| 1939 | Jack Jarvis | |
| 1938 | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | |
| 1937 | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | |
| 1936 | Joseph Lawson | |
| 1935 | Frank Butters | |
| 1934 | Frank Butters | |
| 1933 | Fred Darling | |
| 1932 | Frank Butters | |
| 1931 | Joseph Lawson | |
| 1930 | Atty Persse | |
| 1929 | Dick Dawson | |
| 1928 | Frank Butters | |
| 1927 | Frank Butters | |
| 1926 | Fred Darling | |
| 1925 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1924 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1923 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1922 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1921 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1920 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1919 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1918 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1917 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1916 | Dick Dawson | |
| 1915 | Charles Peck | |
| 1914 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1913 | Richard Wootton | |
| 1912 | George Lambton | |
| 1911 | George Lambton | |
| 1910 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1909 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1908 | Charles Morton | |
| 1907 | Alec Taylor Jr. | |
| 1906 | George Lambton | |
| 1905 | Jack Robinson | |
| 1904 | Peter Gilpin | |
| 1903 | George Blackwell | |
| 1902 | Bob Sievier | |
| 1901 | John Huggins | |
| 1900 | Richard Marsh | |
| 1899 | John Porter | |
| 1898 | Richard Marsh | |
| 1897 | Richard Marsh | |
| 1896 | Alfred Hayhoe |
British & Irish Champion Jumps Trainers
Unlike with flat trainers, the Champion Jumps Trainer is calculated from prize money won between the season ending Jumps Finale meetings at Sandown in Britain, and the Punchestown Festivals in Ireland. This is to avoid crowing the champion trainers at the mid-point of the season.
In Britain this title dates back to the 1945/46 season when it was won by Tommy Rayson following his Grand National triumph with Lovely Cottage. Martin Pipe is Britain most successful Champion Jumps Trainer, with fifteen titles, ten in a row between 1995/96 and 2004/05.
In Ireland, Willie Mullins has been dominant with a record sixteen titles. Fifteen of these have been in an unbroken run between 2007/08 and 2021/22.
| Season | British | Irish |
|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2020–21 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2019–20 | Nicky Henderson | Willie Mullins |
| 2018–19 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2017–18 | Nicky Henderson | Willie Mullins |
| 2016–17 | Nicky Henderson | Willie Mullins |
| 2015–16 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2014–15 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2013–14 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2012–13 | Nicky Henderson | Willie Mullins |
| 2011–12 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2010–11 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2009–10 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2008–09 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2007–08 | Paul Nicholls | Willie Mullins |
| 2006–07 | Paul Nicholls | Noel Meade |
| 2005–06 | Paul Nicholls | Noel Meade |
| 2004–05 | Martin Pipe | Noel Meade |
| 2003–04 | Martin Pipe | Noel Meade |
| 2002–03 | Martin Pipe | Noel Meade |
| 2001–02 | Martin Pipe | Noel Meade |
| 2000–01 | Martin Pipe | Willie Mullins |
| 1999–00 | Martin Pipe | Noel Meade |
| 1998–99 | Martin Pipe | Noel Meade |
| 1997–98 | Martin Pipe | Aidan O’Brien |
| 1996–97 | Martin Pipe | Aidan O’Brien |
| 1995–96 | Martin Pipe | Aidan O’Brien |
| 1994–95 | David Nicholson | Aidan O’Brien |
| 1993–94 | David Nicholson | Aidan O’Brien |
| 1992–93 | Martin Pipe | Anne-Marie O’Brien |
| 1991–92 | Martin Pipe | Arthur Moore |
| 1990–91 | Martin Pipe | Paddy Mullins |
| 1989–90 | Martin Pipe | |
| 1988–89 | Martin Pipe | Paddy Mullins |
| 1987–88 | David Elsworth | |
| 1986–87 | Nicky Henderson | Paddy Mullins |
| 1985–86 | Nicky Henderson | Paddy Mullins |
| 1984–85 | Fred Winter | |
| 1983–84 | Michael Dickinson | Dessie Hughes |
| 1982–83 | Michael Dickinson | Paddy Mullins |
| 1981–82 | Michael Dickinson | Paddy Mullins |
| 1980–81 | Peter Easterby | Edward O’Grady |
| 1979–80 | Peter Easterby | Edward O’Grady |
| 1978–79 | Peter Easterby | Edward O’Grady |
| 1977–78 | Fred Winter | Edward O’Grady |
| 1976–77 | Fred Winter | Jim Dreaper |
| 1975–76 | Fred Rimell | Jim Dreaper |
| 1974–75 | Fred Winter | Jim Dreaper |
| 1973–74 | Fred Winter | Jim Dreaper |
| 1972–73 | Fred Winter | Jim Dreaper |
| 1971–72 | Fred Winter | Tom Dreaper |
| 1970–71 | Fred Winter | Francis Flood |
| 1969–70 | Fred Rimell | Tom Dreaper |
| 1968–69 | Fred Rimell | Tom Dreaper |
| 1967–68 | Denys Smith | Tom Dreaper |
| 1966–67 | Ryan Price | Tom Dreaper |
| 1965–66 | Ryan Price | Tom Dreaper |
| 1964–65 | Peter Cazalet | Tom Dreaper |
| 1963–64 | Fulke Walwyn | Tom Dreaper |
| 1962–63 | Keith Piggott | Tom Dreaper |
| 1961–62 | Ryan Price | Tom Dreaper |
| 1960–61 | Fred Rimell | Paddy Sleator |
| 1959–60 | Peter Cazalet | Paddy Sleator |
| 1958–59 | Ryan Price | Paddy Sleator |
| 1957–58 | Fulke Walwyn | Paddy Sleator |
| 1956–57 | Neville Crump | C ‘Noel’ Sleator |
| 1955–56 | William Hall | Paddy Sleator |
| 1954–55 | Ryan Price | Paddy Sleator |
| 1953–54 | Vincent O’Brien | Tom Dreaper |
| 1952–53 | Vincent O’Brien | Tom Dreaper |
| 1951–52 | Neville Crump | Vincent O’Brien |
| 1950–51 | Fred Rimell | Vincent O’Brien |
| 1949–50 | Peter Cazalet | |
| 1948–49 | Fulke Walwyn | |
| 1947–48 | Fulke Walwyn | |
| 1946–47 | Fulke Walwyn | |
| 1945–46 | Tommy Rayson |