- Online equestrian marketplace HorseRadar.co.uk is to sponsor the 128cm Championship, a national show jumping final, due to take place at Horse of the Year Show on Saturday 6 October.The class will take place at Birmingham’s NEC in the Andrews Bowen International Arena and feature the showjumpers aged under 12 – the youngest at HOYS – tackling the 1.15m course.Last year’s youngest show jumping champion at HOYS was Harry Charles, son of London Olympic showjumping team gold medallist Peter Charles, riding Murka’s Headmore Little Lightning.
Harry’s younger sister Scarlett has already secured two tickets for this year’s championship, riding Murka’s Mathew’s Girl and Murka’s Flinor Songbird, so the Charleses could take the title again.
- Silverfeet, the makers of the antibacterial hoof treatment of the same name, is to sponsor the England Farrier and Apprentice Farrier Teams for 2012/2013 as they compete in farriery competitions across the world.”As a company dedicated to the care and health of horse hooves, we fully appreciate the value of well trained, knowledgeable farriers who know their craft and help horses to fulfil their potential,” said John Stanley of Silverfeet, who is an associate of the Worshipful Company of Farriers.
- Irish eventer Steven Smith and his horse Fernando are the recipients of one year’s sponsorship from Connolly’s Red Mills and a three-day showjumping clinic with Billy Twomey.They won the Connolly’s Red Mills SuperLeague, whose final leg was hosted at Scarvagh House on Saturday 8 September, courtesy of the Buller family.Steven and Fernando were dominant from the start of the SuperLeague being placed in the top two on four occasions, securing his SuperLeague victory before the off at Scarvagh.
- Sirona Therapeutic Horsemanship, based in Seale Hayne outside Newton Abbot, Devon, has received a £10,000 grant which will allow it to expand.The Tudor Trust, which supports community-led groups that work for positive change in people’s lives, has awarded the grant and business support to Sirona.Sirona provides young people and adults with the opportunity to participate in educational and therapeutic activities with horses in a natural environment.
The grant means that Sirona can move towards offering therapeutic and educational horsemanship sessions five days a week.
Sirona Director Hannah Burgon said the grant would be used to pay salaries over the year.
- British Horse Feeds will be the title sponsor of the Red Dragon Festival of Endurance for the second year running.Red Dragon Festival of Endurance (5-7 October) will be held at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells.Will I’Anson of British Horse Feeds said: “We are delighted to continue with title sponsorship at Red Dragon this year and look forward to a successful event.”
- Cheltenham racecourse is seeking a new sponsor for the handicap hurdle on The Open Sunday (November 18) after 11 years of sponsorship by Greatwood, the retired racehorse welfare charity, has ended.The Greatwood Handicap Hurdle had been sponsored on behalf of the charity by Nigel Bunter, owner of the Barbury Castle Estate, which is home to the Barbury Castle Horse Trials and to the stables of leading Jumps trainer Alan King.Mr Bunter said: “I am extremely proud to have had the chance to support the Greatwood Hurdle for the past 11 years.
“During that time, the race has become a leading trial for the Champion Hurdle at The Festival with many famous winners including Rooster Booster in 2002, Detroit City in 2006, Sizing Europe in 2007 and Menorah in 2010.
“But above all I have been delighted to support Greatwood, which does such wonderful work with retired racehorses and disadvantaged children.”
The Greatwood Charity Race, previously held on the same day as the Greatwood Hurdle, will now take place on Saturday, October 20, at Cheltenham’s Showcase Meeting.
- Dressage rider Charlie Hutton has joined the Equetech rider team.Charlie has an exciting string of horses that he is training with senior team selection in mind at his home base at Talland.Charlie will also be competing at the National Dressage Championships at Stoneleigh where the clothing brand Equetech will be exhibiting and supporting all the Team Equetech dressage riders.
Charlie said: “I am pleased to be working with Equetech and to have my jackets made to measure gives me a really good feeling when I ride into the arenas.”
- More than €1,000 in training bursaries were on offer in the final of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ Allianz sponsored Masters on 16 September.The series drew to a close at Mullingar Equestrian Centre, in Co Westmeath with three classes per division – a welcome stakes, a table c speed and a grand prix.
- Connolly’s Red Mills is to support 13 National Hunt bumper races run at The Jockey Club tracks and award the champion trainer at the Challenge finale with the equivalent of £2,000 in Connolly’s Red Mills products.In addition to the award for the champion trainer, Connolly’s Red Mills will supplement the prize money on offer for the final race of the Challenge at Aintree on Friday 17th May 2013.These particular races have been brought together for the first time under the partnership to focus on the foundation levels of British racing.
The new initiative starts on Saturday 29th September at Market Rasen and all the bumper races will be identified as the ‘Connolly’s Red Mills Bumper Challenge’ as the race title.
Paul Fisher of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “This partnership provides another boost to the grassroots of our sport and I’m confident the new initiative will prove a success with owners and trainers.”
- Footwear and clothing brand Chatham has agreed a sponsorship deal with eventer Emma Hyslop.Leicestershire-based Emma competes a string of 10 horses from four-year-olds to three-star level.Chatham’s managing director, Philip Marsh said: “We are proud to have such a successful young rider representing our brand. As a future Olympic hopeful, everyone here is rooting for Emma as she sets her sights firmly on Rio for 2016.”
Sponsorship news in the UK and Irish horse industries
