Top riders dress up as their favourite sweets to raise over a million pounds for charity

Jennifer Donald's avatar
By
Published In Features
Great Charity Challenge fancy dress at WEF, Florida
(Image credit: Lois Spatz)

The annual Great Charity Challenge at WEF (Winter Equestrian Festival) not only raises millions of pounds for charity, it’s a great opportunity to spot some of the world’s leading riders dressed in an assortment of crazy fancy dress costumes.

This year Wellington International was transformed into candy world as riders and horses represented their favourite sweets and we saw everything from a rainbow-coated team of Skittles to the sparkling Milky Way riders and the pink hues of the Cotton Candy crew, which featured British Olympic showjumper Jessica Mendoza – winners of the best costume contest. The effort that has gone into these fancy dress costumes is simply astounding.

Jennifer Donald
Jennifer Donald
Showjumping and racing editor

Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.