As part of Horse & Hound's 130th birthday celebrations, we will be supporting and promoting good causes via regular online round-ups of events being run by the equestrian community
Hunt supporters fundraise for Wiltshire Air Ambulance
The Beaufort Hunt Supporters Club presented the Wiltshire Air Ambulance with a cheque for £1,000 on 22 November.
The funds were raised from the proceeds of the Beaufort Hunt Horse Show held on 13 August at Badminton.
Earlier in November the Beaufort Hunt gave the Air Ambulances of Wales, Great Western and Wiltshire a shared donation of £5,000 from the Badminton Ride.
This year’s sponsored ride took place on 21 September around the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort’s Badminton estate.
“The Air Ambulance is close to the heart of not only horse riders but all those who take part in active sports or who are involved in accidents or sudden life threatening conditions,” said a spokesman for the Beaufort Hunt.
Tattersalls organiser runs half marathon in aid of medical research for children
Tattersalls sales organiser Hetty Keyes ran the Norwich half marathon on 23 November to raise funds for a children’s medical charity.
Hetty, 31, is raising money for Action Medical Research for Children in memory of Ralph, the young son of point-to-point trainer Lauren Braithwaite who passed away earlier this year.
She completed her first half marathon in 2 hours 15 minutes in the pouring rain and has already raised £5,000.
“I’ve never done anything like this before but just wanted to do something for all the Braithwaites at this very difficult time,” Hetty told H&H.
“Despite enormous progress in medicine, there are still hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled children who need our help. Children like little Ralph Braithwaite.”
To donate visit www.action.org.uk/sponsor/hettykeyes
Charitable lunch raises £20,000 for World Horse Welfare
World Horse Welfare was one of six charities to benefit from the £200,000 raised in an auction at the annual Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust award lunch on 27 November.
The 2014 award presented in recognition of a lifetime’s contribution to racing was presented to the Head family, with jockey and later trainer Alec collecting the award.
Sir Peter, 96 and a vice president of World Horse Welfare was unable to attend due to ill heath but had narrated a film to honour the Head family’s many racing successes.
The highest bid in the auction was placed by Fred Done of Betfred who paid £48,000 for a painting entitled ‘They’re Off and Running’ by Mao Wen Biao.
The picture was chosen to feature on this year’s Charitable Trust Christmas card.
For more information visit www.worldhorsewelfare.org
Christmas walks to promote the Dartmoor pony
The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust is running free guided walks on Exmoor to promote the traditional native Dartmoor pony.
The free walks are for a minimum of six people and are aimed at families, school groups, special interest groups, local history, conservation and community groups.
The DPHT runs a herd of 26 Dartmoor ponies on 82ha of moorland leased from the Forestry Commission at Bellever. The area is home to some of the best heather moorland on Dartmoor and has several scheduled monuments.
Walkers start at Bellever, near Postbridge and will learn more about Dartmoor, its ponies, archaeology, flora and fauna.
“The walks include discussion of the vital role of the traditional native Dartmoor ponies as part of the gazing ‘mix’ with sheep and cattle. Together they have established the Moorland scenery as we know it,” said a spokesman for the charity.
There are now just 300 traditional Dartmoor brood mares on the moor and the charity fears the decline in numbers will affect the ecology of the moor.
To book a walk contact the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust tel 01626 833234 or email admin@dpht.co.uk
