Blair calls time
The international Blair Castle Horse Trials will not run after this year. Organisers said today that the land on which the event is held is “increasing its involvement in regenerative agriculture” so will need to be “managed all year round in a way that is in accordance with its environmental aims”. The event will run as a final celebration in 2024, its 35th anniversary. Blair event director Alec Lochore said: “Of course, it is the end of an era for everyone involved – sponsors, competitors, volunteers, spectators and many more – and we are determined to sign off with a tremendous celebration at this year’s event in August.”
Uniting for the horse
The British horse world is uniting to pledge to the best possible standards for equine welfare. British Equestrian (BEF), its member bodies and other key figures have signed the new Charter for the Horse, pledging to “endorse the highest standards of equine welfare, wellbeing and ethics”. BEF CEO Jim Eyre said: “In our privileged position to live and work with horses, we must champion the very best standards and excellence levels for their welfare – it’s non-negotiable, and the support for bringing this overarching Charter for the Horse to fruition has been outstanding.”
All hands on deck
There has been praise for Tweseldown, as it has stepped up at the last minute to run replacement classes to those lost at Cirencester (1). The latter had to abandon its event due to run this weekend owing to ground conditions, so Tweseldown offered to run a replacement fixture. Organiser Rachel Faulkner said: “It’s all hands on deck, and I just want to say a huge thank you to everybody who has stepped up after our millions of phone calls to see if they can help.”
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