After a week filled with racing in the heat of Tennessee brought highs, lows, and everything in between at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, the coveted Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award was handed out to the top up-and-coming rider. Ahead of the 2017 event, the award was re-named to honor Nicky Hayden after his passing earlier that summer.

Landon Gibson was the 2026 Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award winner as he adds his name to the elite group of award recipients. Gibson finished second overall in both Open Pro Sport (8-1-1) and 250 Pro Sport (3-3-1) to recap a strong week aboard his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna.

Gibson breaks up Kawasaki's two-year streak of the award following Drew Adams (2024 winner) and Enzo Temmerman (2025 winner). The Georgia native becomes the first Husqvarna rider to receive the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award since Stilez Robertson (2020) and Jalek Swoll (2019) won the award in back-to-back years.

It was a big week for Gibson, whose Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team is shutting down its SuperMotocross racing program at the end of this year. So, with his team going away, Gibson is looking to earn a full-time spot on a team next year.

Here are the 31 winners since the inception of the award in 1997.

Note: In 2008 there were two winners, as both Darryn Durham (Suzuki) and PJ Larsen (Kawasaki) received the award.

Images by Align Media