This award is to celebrate the organisations that bring riders together and best supports them in achieving their goals – changing riders’ experiences for the better
The shortlist has been chosen and voting for this award is open for one week only, until 11.59pm on 5 November, in accordance with these terms and conditions.
The Equi-Fun Club (South-East)
Founded: 2002
Number of members: 250
Members’ best moments of 2020: “This year has been strange for everyone, but the club’s highlight has to be all the members coming together online to help support each other through our virtual events, training and fun, while raising money for the NHS and other local charities.”
“There’s a huge variety of activities for all ages. During lockdown, the club organised virtual dressage, photo shows, and even virtual hobby horse dressage and showjumping!
“Since lockdown eased, the club’s programme of regular shows and clinics has recommenced with appropriate Covid-19 measures in place.
“The organisers are always encouraging and supportive to everyone, whether they are junior members or pensioners, such as me.”
Equestrian Training South-West (north Somerset)
Founded: 2012
Number of members: 246
Members’ best moments of 2020: “The ETSW committee has done its absolute best to provide what we can for our members during all the uncertainty.
“When we came out of lockdown in July, we put on a whole weekend’s worth of club training activities, heavily subsidised with more than £600 of club funds, to allow our members to enjoy a socially distanced day out with their horses and to train with some of our amazing trainers.
“It was so lovely to see people out in the sunshine, smiling and enjoying themselves again. Having days and weekends like that makes all the efforts that are put in behind the scenes worth it. It really sums up what being a riding club is all about, enabling people simply to enjoy their horses and riding.”
Atherstone & District Riding Club (Warks)
Founded: 1960
Number of members: 169
Members’ best moments of 2020: “This was due to be a big year for the club, celebrating our 60th anniversary. However, Covid-19 altered our plans. We have not had the year we planned, but we have been able run training and shows under the new regulations. We are proud to be able to offer our members activities so they have been able to get out and about and enjoy their horses and forget their troubles in these difficult times.
“We’ve also had a team finish third in the British Riding Clubs 70cm arena eventing championships, had two junior members competing at the dressage to music championships, and have qualified for the 2021 dressage championships.”
Essex Hunt (North) branch of the Pony Club (north and west Essex)
Date founded: 1956
Number of members: 180
Members’ best moments of 2020: “The huge highlight was the overwhelming sense of togetherness we all felt as a club during lockdown. When Covid was doing its best to keep us all apart, our members and their families were busy taking part in a range of fun activities that brought us all together in a way none of us could have expected. The energy and enthusiasm of everyone was incredible.”
“One of our favourite moments was the Zoom meeting to kick off three days of fun for virtual junior camp, when the children saw each other for the first time since before lockdown. Their smiles and delight at seeing their friends and meeting each others’ hobby horses were enchanting. Other highlights include taking part in hobby-horse dressage and cross-country in their gardens, and the 1,500-mile Strava challenge, in which our members, families and friends smashed the target, walking, cycling and running over 2,000 miles in a week, raising more than £2,000 for our local children’s hospice.”
Previous winners of this award include:
- 2019: Royal Artillery Equestrian Centre Thorney Island
- 2018: Aberdeen Riding Club
- 2017: Willow Farm
- 2016: Crown
About the Horse & Hound Awards 2020
The H&H Awards, in partnership with NAF, are back – this year’s ceremony will be virtual, an exciting multi-media online bonanza. This innovation means equestrian fans around the world can be part of the celebration. We look forward to sharing the evening with you all.
This year’s awards will celebrate the heroes of the past decade (2011–2020) in elite equestrian sport, while honouring the unsung stars who have helped our industry, our horses and our spirits during this unusual year.
As previously, the H&H Award winners will be nominated and voted for by you. Anyone is welcome to nominate the person, group or horse they feel deserves recognition from Thursday 3 September.
Following the close of nominations at 5pm on 4 October, the H&H judging panel will decide on a shortlist of contenders. The panel will be influenced by the number of nominations and strength of the story of the nominee’s dedication and achievement.
On 29 October, we will announce the shortlisted candidates in the magazine and online, sharing their stories and inviting you to vote for your winners online, with voting closing on 5 November.
The winners will be revealed in our sparkling online virtual ceremony on 10 December, with guests joining us from around the world.
