UK equestrian sponsorship round-up
Guards Polo Club
Land Rover has become official partner of Guards Polo Club as the club celebrates its Diamond Jubilee.
As well as the three-year corporate partnership, Land Rover will also become title sponsor of the Duke of Cornwall Trophy, the Club’s final high-goal tournament of the season, which is staged from the 1st – 23rd August 2015.
Neil Hobday, Guards Polo Club’s chief executive said: “Land Rover is rightly proud of its heritage and its continual pursuit of excellence on and off road. Such hallmarks make this automotive brand the ideal partner for Guards Polo Club, a sporting club which has continually set the standards for polo over the past six decades.
“Of course, maintaining our status as number one club in Europe is only possible thanks to strong support from our impressive cohort of sponsors and corporate partners. Therefore we are delighted to welcome Land Rover into this stable of valued partners as our Official Vehicle and look forward to working with them on our many events in this, our Diamond Jubilee Year.”
Horse of the Year Show
Britains Farm Toys will be the official sponsor of the lead rein pony of the year, first ridden pony of the year and the mini show pony of the year championship 2015.
Drew Gibson, of Britains Farm Toys, said: “We are thrilled to be sponsoring this year’s HOYS. We believe that our great British brand has enormous synergy with this British equestrian event and its ever-increasing young competitors.”
“Our extensive range of realistic equestrian and farm toys are loved and purchased by many horse lovers nationwide. We want to express our support to them and demonstrate our commitment to the equestrian industry at one of Britain’s favourite family equestrian events.”
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Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials
The Oxforshire event (17-20 September) has a new partnership with equine bedding specialists Caviera Bedding.
The Doncaster-based company will supply each horse competing at the prestigious three-star horse trials with three bales of its premium bedding product, Raviera Pro. This is 100% pure chopped oilseed rape straw, which has been dust-extracted and sterilised. Further bales will be available to buy on-site.
Nick Walker, director of Caviera Bedding, said: “Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials is a prestigious and exciting event and we’re looking forward to a thrilling few days, meeting competitors who will be bedding down their horses on our Raviera Pro horse bedding, and, of course, the visiting crowds.
Blair Castle
Watchmakers Longines has taken title sponsorship of the FEI European Eventing Championship 2015, to be held at Blair Castle in the Scottish Highlands from 10–13 September.
“To have attracted Longines as our title partner is extremely rewarding,” said Alec Lochore, Blair 2015 event director.
“Longines has consistently shown its passion for equestrianism. It has recognised the symbiosis between a sport that requires precision and skill and its own equally traditional, skilful and precision-dependent brand. I look forward to working closely with the company in the months ahead.”
Scott Brash
World number two showjumper Scott Brash has been sponsored by Connelly’s Red Mills.
“I am lucky to have some exceptional horses in my stables, and like all top athletes, they need expert care to keep them at top performance levels. Along with an excellent product range, Connolly’s Red Mills has a fantastic nutritional and veterinary team who assess my horses and make sure they have diets to suit,” said Scott.
Vikki Hayton
The Nottinghamshire dressage rider has joined the Snowflake Bedding sponsored rider team.
“I am thrilled with the sponsorship and can’t thank the company enough, it’s difficult trying to keep a horse running at this level and I wouldn’t be able to do it without the generosity of companies like Plevin,” said Vikki.
Ben Hobday
The event joins Equilibrium Products’ team of eventing champions including William Fox Pitt, Sam Griffiths and Jock Paget.
Ben uses Tri-Zone Boots as he believes in the science behind the boot range and recognises the importance of Equilibrium Products’ independent testing process.
Ben said: “Feeling good and looking good is what I am about and that’s the same for my horses. They look good in the boots but most importantly they feel good when I am riding”.
Laura Cutter of Equilibrium Products added: “Ben brings his energy and enthusiasm to our team and we are delighted to be able to support him and his horses for the 2015 season.”
A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.