British Eventing (BE) has launched a new campaign that aims to encourage more riders of all levels into the sport.
The Here to Help scheme aims to assist in “breaking down barriers” and ensure anyone who wants to event at any level or ability is aware they can do so within the “encouraging, supportive, and progressive environment offered by the national governing body”.
“Coming new to any sport at any age can be daunting, but as myself and our members are aware, eventing is actually a very welcoming and inclusive discipline where there is space and events for all,” said BE chief executive Rosie Williams.
“So therefore, it is always a surprise to hear that people see BE as unattainable, and mistakenly think that they aren’t good enough to join us.”
Ms Williams added that “it is important for us to break down these misconceptions by highlighting how welcoming our sport really is”.
“The campaign is designed to encourage new members to try eventing, while also ensuring that our current members understand how much we value them and are aware of the support on offer. To achieve this, we will have BE ambassadors on the ground at events who are knowledgeable in what it takes to event and can work directly with members to help them get the most out of their competition days,” she said.
“That help might come in the shape of walking the course with them to show them the right decisions to make, helping them with competition guidelines and being a general motivator to ensure everyone has the best experiences possible.
“Whether someone is new to eventing or a long-standing member, BE is passionate about helping members get the most out of everything our brilliant sport has to offer.”
The campaign was launched on 24 February at BE’s annual stakeholder day, an event that gives those involved in the sport a “platform to express their thoughts and help shape the future of the sport. There were discussions about BE’s role, the geographical spread of events, venue variability and cost, entry fees, social licence, and the work being done by the BE Support Trust. The outcomes will be published in the coming weeks.
“It was fitting to launch Here to Help during the stakeholder day as both are focused on moving the sport forward and coming up with solutions to the challenges faced, and this forms the start of looking at setting the strategic direction for the sport,” said Ms Williams.
“I would like to thank Sport England whose funding has allowed for the roll out and launch of the campaign.”
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