Pogo Pandemonium for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation
Former event rider Claire Lomas has raised more than £7,200 at her latest fundraiser — Pogo Pandemonium (see video, above).
The event, held at Newbury racecourse on 31 January, saw event riders go up against jockeys in a series of pogo races.
Riders including Lucy Jackson and Laura Collett took part — but ultimately the jockeys had a better bounce, with Gold Cup winning-rider Sam Thomas being crowned pogo racing champion.
Claire, who was paralysed in a fall at Osberton in 2007, is raising money for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation.
“We had some amazing feedback from the evening, and I couldn’t have done it without all the support,” Claire told H&H, which was a sponsor on the night.
“I’m heading towards my goal of half a million pounds raised to help cure paralysis.”
For more information or to donate visit www.claireschallenge.co.uk
British Heart Foundation chosen charity for European Eventing Championships
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has been chosen as the official charity for the FEI European Eventing Championships 2015 at Blair Castle (10-13 September).
Founded in 1961, the BHF is the largest independent funder of cardiovascular research.
The charity’s local staff and volunteers will be collecting donations throughout the four days of competition, and running a shop and drop service in the shopping village.
The BHF will be promoting its valuable work to fight coronary heart disease on its trade stand.
Funds will also be raised from a whisky tasting run by Bruadar and from cross country course walks.
“The BHF works tirelessly to fund research, support heart patients, campaign and help prevent heart disease in this country. We are proud to be associated with the charity and hope that we can help to raise awareness and funds for this excellent cause,” said Alec Lochore, event director.
Barbara Osborne, head of volunteer fundraising at BHF Scotland said: “One in four of our loved ones is lost to heart and circulatory disease and here in Scotland alone, 650,000 people are living with it. This event is a great opportunity to raise awareness, not just here in Britain, but also across Europe.”
On 6 February the BHF is asking people to support its “Wear it. Beat it” campaign by wearing red and hosting a sponsored event to fund its research.
The FEI European Eventing Championships 2015 is hoping to join in.
For more information visit www.blair2015.com
Fundraising carriage drive to help improve life of teenage cancer sufferer
Essex farrier and formed MFH Alan Coe is organising a 100 mile carriage drive to raise funds to help raise £80k-£100k to buy a prosthetic limb for a 16 year-old cancer sufferer.
On Bank Holiday Monday 4 May, Mr Coe is driving his pairs of horses from The Hare and Hounds pub in Layer Breton near Colchester to Fakenham racecourse in Norfolk.
The non-stop race is named after Olivia Coughlan from Black Notley who was diagnosed with chondroblastic oesteosarcoma, a severe form of bone cancer last February.
After 30 weeks of chemotherapy the tumour had not shrunk and on 3 November 2014 Olivia had an 8.5-hour operation in which her left leg, pelvis and sacrum were amputated.
Mr Coe has shod the Coughlan’s horses for over twelve years and has become a family friend.
Bob Champion who won the 1981 Grand National after winning his own battle against cancer will start the fundraising carriage drive.
It finishes 24 hours later at the winning post of Fakenham racecourse just before the start of that days’ racing. There will be a race at Fakenham named after Olivia that day, and it is hoped she will be there to present the winner’s prizes.
The previous Saturday (2 May) a fundraising shoeing demonstration takes place at the Hare and Hounds pub. The six horses taking part in the drive will be shod by 24 farriers, with each shoeing one foot.
A total of 30 farriers from Exmoor, Peterborough and Sussex are raising funds to help improve Livvy’s life.
Local shoots have also donated to the cause.
For more information visit www.facebook.com/pages/Livvys-Race-Day-100-Mile-Carriage-Drive-Fundraiser/498274220314535
Injured Jockey’s Fund’s second respite centre at Malton to open this spring
The Injured Jockey Fund’s second respite centre is set to open this spring at Malton in Yorkshire.
The project to build Jack Berry House has cost £3.1m with the money raised from a fundraising campaign and supporters.
The single story state-of-the-art building will have a hydro pool, a gym, four treatment rooms and four en suite respite rooms.
The structural works are now complete and work on interior decorations and external landscaping well advanced.
A resident manager, Jo Russell has been appointed and she will be joined by a gym manager and physio once the construction is completed.
Childs Farm sponsors RDA awards
Children toiletries brand Childs Farm is sponsoring the “most improved participant” category at the RDA’s gala awards on 30 September.
The company is already a loyal RDA supporter giving 10% of its profits to the charity.
“RDA has always been part of our lives as individuals and as a firm. We are delighted to be sponsoring the award,” said Childs Farm founder Joanna Jensen.
“The most improved participant award is always a very special part of the evening, where we recognise the extraordinary achievements of our riders and drivers, who have overcome often extreme challenges to reach their goals,” said RDA chief executive Ed Bracher.
The RDA gala awards take place at Lord’s Cricket Ground and are hosted by Clare Balding.
For tickets email Sal Atkinson at satkinson@rda.org.uk
World Horse Welfare announces Year of the Horse competition winners
Horses of every type, breed and colour were captured in poems and paintings for World Horse Welfare’s 2014 Year of the Horse competition.
Eventer Ian Stark judged the adult poetry section giving the prize to Christina Ayres’ entry titled “My Husband Said.”
“It has lots of humour and reality. Some inevitable sadness, but it also shows that horses can be not only a disease, but our saviours too.”
Kiki Ratty, a 10 year-old from Kent won both the children’s poetry and children’s colouring classes.
Ella Staveley, aged nine from Bristol was the winner of the children’s painting and drawing category, and Geneve Gurr of Cambridge was the adult winner.
The competition attracted hundreds of entries from across the UK and abroad.
“People young and old put their creative talents to excellent use to demonstrate the powerful ways in which horses have touched their lives,” said a spokesman for World Horse Welfare.
Charity ride in Australia raises funds for Help for Heroes
A former Kings Troop solider is riding from Cooktown in Queensland Australia to Healesville near Melbourne to raise £100,000 for Help for Heroes.
Garry Parker, 58, is the first British rider to attempt the 5,330km Bicentennial National Trial, set up by the saddler RM Williams in the Seventies. The patron of the ride is Brough Scott.
Parker begins the unsupported ride on 2 April and expects it to take 9-10 months.
He is using three Guy Fawkes Heritage horses, the only wild native Australian horse.
“The first 200 miles are going to be really tough, afterwards water will be more plentiful,” Parker told H&H.
“I am doing the ride to promote the Guy Fawkes Heritage horse and raise money for Help for Heroes,” he added.
For more information visit www.ridingforheroes.org
