Children aged six to 18 in the UK are being given a chance to get creative, while helping raise awareness of the funds needed to get the British equestrian teams to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Kentucky in 2010.
The national “Alltech Paint the Horse competition”, in association with Stamford Endowed Schools and the British Equestrian Federation (BEF), is encouraging children to paint their own unique design on a template of a horse.
The competition is split into four categories: junior school, senior school, junior individual (six-11 years) and senior individual (12-18 years). The four category winners will receive a print of their winning horse design, framed and signed by a member of Team GBR of their choice.
They will also have the chance to paint their design on a scaled model horse during the Alltech FEI European Jumping and Dressage Championships (25-30 August 2009). These models will be shown at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (3-6 September).
The national winner will see their design painted by a professional onto a life-size model horse at Olympia 2009 (15-21 December), while all the winners will receive hospitality tickets for Olympia on 21 December.
The competition is aimed at highlighting awareness of equestrian sport to the younger generations.
“We have a very real challenge to fundraise in order to send eight teams to the WEG in 2010,” said BEF chief executive Andrew Finding. “We welcome Alltech’s support in assisting with promoting some of the very exciting fundraising events.”
The British teams at WEG will include a para dressage squad, the first time this discipline has been part of WEG, so the Riding for the Disabled Association is also part of this competition.
Stephen Roberts, principal of the Stamford Endowed Schools which are supporting the competition, said, “As a school that prides itself on inclusiveness, it is very inspirational for our students that the event is open to disabled riders. We are proud to be a part of Alltech’s Paint the Horse Competition.”
Closing date for entries is Friday, 3 July.
