2025 Thoroughbred Makeover: Sibelius Finishes in Top 10

Sibelius finishes in the top 10 in dressage and freestyle at the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover.

Sibelius yawned widely in his stall—and several times—as he was getting treats and being groomed. The 7-year-old chestnut gelding with the big white blaze had just finished his dressage test and was having a short break before heading to his freestyle performance at the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. By the end of the busy day, he and dressage and event rider Alison O’Dwyer had earned third in the dressage championships and an eighth in the freestyle.

“Especially with a special horse like Sibelius, it was just wonderful,” said O’Dwyer after the competition, held Oct. 8-11 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. “It was a lot of work all year and a lot of anticipation. It’s almost a little sad that it’s over, but he was so good. And I was confident he would handle the atmosphere well, but he still continued to surprise me.”

The Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover is a national retraining competition that offers 10 equestrian disciplines showcasing the versatility and athleticism of the Thoroughbred breed. This year, over 240 horses competed over two days in the preliminary competitions, October 8-9. Then the 10 highest-placed horses in each discipline returned on Saturday, Oct. 11, for the championships, competing on blank slate scores for $139,000 in prize money.

‘A Big Ask’

Sibelius came into the makeover following an illustrious career as a racehorse, winning more than $1.8 million during his four-year career. He had nine wins from 27 starts, with six of those in stakes company. His most prestigious win was the $2 Million Grade 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in 2023. After he sustained a bowed tendon injury during routine exercise in 2024, his co-owners—president and owner of Kentucky Performance Products Delia Nash and bloodstock agent Jun Park, along with trainer and Alison’s husband, Jerry O’Dwyer, decided to retire him from racing. Sibelius recovered from his bowed tendon, and by January 2025, Alison had started retraining him as a sport horse with an eye toward the makeover.

“It’s a big ask for him to transition from being a Grade 1 sprinter to come here and do dressage and freestyle,” said Nash as the makeover came to an end. “And he did it like the true champ that we know he is. We’re also proud of Alison for doing all the retraining and a stellar job here this week. So we’re just proud as punch.”

An Ambassador for the Breed

“Everybody falls in love with him when they meet him,” said O’Dwyer in between packing up gear to head home from the makeover. “He’s so super friendly and personable, and he’s just a great ambassador for the breed. He’s obviously an extremely talented athlete, but yet he is so kind and I think that’s rare. It’s great for the Thoroughbred breed to have a horse like him that is equally talented as he is friendly.”

On Saturday, Sibelius’ first rode in the dressage division championships, where he and O’Dwyer performed a test that included shoulder-in, leg-yields, stretchy circles and canter. For the freestyle, she compiled a soundtrack that featured announcers calling Sibelius’ winning races and the interviews and hoopla afterward. She and Sibelius’s performance included trot and canter work and jumping two blue barrels. “I really felt like we both did the best we can, and that’s all you can really ask for,” said O’Dwyer, who wore the owner’s racing silks of fuschia and lime green for the performance. “And I’m just very proud of him.”

During the preliminary dressage competition earlier in the week, Sibelius and O’Dwyer placed second out of 84 horses who received a score. And in the preliminary freestyle competition, they finished sixth among 28 horses.

A True Champ

As for what’s next for the Thoroughbred after some well-deserved rest? “He’s given us just a very special journey overall, and we’re just privileged to be in his life and looking forward to what he does next,” Nash said. “What that is, who knows? But I’m pretty confident that he’s got some tricks left in him yet.”

For complete results from the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover, click here.

Photo 1: Sibelius and Alison O’Dwyer pose for photos after the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover with from left Delia Nash, Jerry O’Dwyer, Jun Park, and other family members who came to cheer on the retired racehorse.

Photo 2: Sibelius and Nash at the end of the competition.