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Charlotte Dujardin has become the first patron of the British Grooms Association (BGA) as the organisation celebrates its 10th anniversary.
The multiple Olympic dressage medallist said she is “very proud” to be a BGA patron and has used the moment to call on the industry to recognise hard-working grooms.
“I started my career with horses as a groom and I think that the dedication, work ethic and skills required in order to be successful in the role mean that grooms should continue to be recognised as the skilled professionals they are,” she said.
“I hope my patronage of the BGA will raise the awareness of the necessities of good employment in the equestrian workplace and encourage employers to engage with the organisation that exists to support them.
She added she encourages all grooms to join the BGA, the professional association for people who work with horses, which provides advice, support and education to both employers and employees.
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Its milestones over the past decade include the introduction of personal accident insurance, online learning, employment contracts and an “employers’ zone”.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“We are honoured to have Charlotte become our patron,” said BGA founder and chief executive Lucy Katan.
“Charlotte is an inspiring example of someone who began her career as a groom and has worked her way to the top.
“Her working relationship with Alan [Davies, Charlotte and Carl’s international travelling groom] is an example of true professionalism and one we encourage employees and employers all over the world to emulate.
“We hope that Charlotte joining our association will enable us to raise the profile of the BGA and inspire all grooms, and employers, of all levels and across all disciplines to join their association.”
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.