Jockey Club supports former racehorse championship and the latest partnership news
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club has been announced as the new title sponsor of the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) national championships 2021 in a three-year deal.
The championships will be held at Aintree Equestrian Centre on 26-29 August and feature classes for showing, dressage, and showjumping, culminating with the crowning of the Jockey Club supreme champion during Saturday’s evening performance. Entries are open until 1 August for the 77 classes at the championships, which in 2019 attracted 940 entries from 326 retrained racehorses.
RoR chief executive Di Arbuthnot said the organisation is delighted that RoR’s relationship with the Jockey Club will enter a new phase.
“After the cancellation of last year’s event due to the pandemic it will be wonderful to be back at Aintree in August,” she said.
“Furthermore, in the aftermath of the Jockey Club staging the Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs, the country’s most prestigious Flat race that identifies the cream of the crop from each generation of thoroughbreds, it is apt to be announcing the Jockey Club’s sponsorship of an event that celebrates the alternative career paths taken by horses not of the calibre of Derby or Oaks winners.”
Sulekha Varma, North West head of racing for Jockey Club racecourses, said: “The RoR national championships are always a fantastic event, and we are delighted to be welcoming them back to Aintree racecourse equestrian centre this year, particularly as the new event partner.
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“Everyone at the Jockey Club is proud to stage championships and the event is evidence of the course’s year round commitment to promoting horse welfare. We are really looking forward to the four days in August, and hopefully we will see a few familiar equine stars in attendance!”
A spokesman for RoR added the national championships play an important role in promoting the versatility of retired racehorses.
“In 2019 seven-year-old gelding Mumford was crowned supreme champion just 13 months months after leaving training. The remarkable transformation was made possible due to retraining from rider Collette McGoldrick and Mumford’s own adaptability. In winning the title, Mumford followed the footsteps of previous supreme champions Jack The Giant, Beware Chalk Pit, Wild West and What of It,” said the spokesman.
Hambro Sport Horses
JC and Lexi Hambro’s Hambro Sport Horses has been announced as title sponsors of Burgham International Horse Trials (28 July – 1 August) and of the event’s principal CCI4*-S class.
The Northumberland event also has international classes at CCI2*-S and CCI3*-S and is home to the 2021 British National Eventing Championship classes at open, intermediate, novice and restricted novice level.
Hambro Sport Horses aims to pair British riders with the next generation of British horses, and this year launched the Hambro Scholarship, to assist young riders in the eventing world. The business also owns eventers with riders including Tom Jackson, Alicia Hawker and Becky Heappey.
“We’re thrilled to be both the title sponsor and the sponsor of the CCI-S 4* at Burgham International Horse Trials 2021,” said JC and Lexi.
“Burgham has a very special place in our hearts as Lexi was born in Northumberland and we continue to visit the area often.
“We are excited to work with the talented team that has made Burgham what it is today and look forward to sharing the magic of Northumberland and such a special event.”
Burgham’s event director Martyn Johnson added: “We are really looking forward to working with Hambro Sport Horses, and are very grateful for their support. Burgham is highly popular with the country’s top riders, and our partnership with Hambro Sport Horses will help us reward them and the owners of their horses with boosted prize money and better hospitality facilities.
“In 2020 Burgham had to take place behind closed doors, in accordance with government policies surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we are thrilled to be able to welcome spectators back this year to enjoy the top-class sport and a great variety of tradestands, bars and delicious, locally produced food.”
Howden
The insurance broker, which specialises in equestrian and racing needs, has become an official partner of Ascot racecourse.
The partnership will run from 2021 to 2025 and will offer Howden extensive branding across the racecourse on all Ascot racedays, including the five days of Royal Ascot (15-19 June), with an elevated presence on the final day this year.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership with Howden and very excited to work together across our global network and on all our racedays throughout the year, including Royal Ascot,” said Ascot racecourse commercial director Felicity Barnard.
“We would like to extend our thanks to the team at Howden for their long-term commitment to the racecourse and look forward to the wider benefits this will bring to British racing as a whole. I’m confident this will be a long and happy partnership.”
Howden founder David Howden, who is also founder and president of Cornbury House Horse Trials, added: “We are thrilled to partner such a well-regarded global sporting brand that, like us, has a strong and proud British heritage coupled with an extensive international reach.
“Ascot presents a unique opportunity to invest in a sport we love, in an industry with which Howden has a rich history of working. This partnership will embed us further in the equine and wider sport and entertainment community enabling us to better understand and respond to the risk challenges it faces.
“We’re lining up a fantastic calendar of opportunities to engage our people, our clients and our partners – from formal race meetings to relaxed family days. We can’t wait to kick off the partnership with Royal Ascot next week.”
JSW 4 Jumps
Showjump manufacturer JSW 4 Jumps has partnered with training smartphone app Equipole — The Polework App.
Coach Leanne Cunningham developed the app during the first Covid-19 national lockdown as restrictions halted her busy teaching schedule.
“I had been wanting to develop a polework-specific app for a couple of years to provide unique polework layouts and exercises as well as a library of helpful tips and coach notes to help both horse and rider get the best out of their polework session,” she said. “I think it’s easy to see that polework is my passion! I think that it is the most versatile tool that can be introduced no matter what the discipline or level someone rides at. Having run polework clinics/lessons for numerous years, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have the right tools for the job.”
She added: “I am absolutely delighted to be working with the amazing team at JSW 4 Jumps – their products are not only fun and user friendly but reliable and safe – what more could you ask for?!”
Emma Watkinson, managing director at JSW 4 Jumps said: “ Leanne is so driven and passionate about all things polework – the fact that the Equipole app shot to number one in the download charts on both Google and Apple is testament to this – we are the perfect partnership.”
TopSpec
The equestrian feed specialists is continuing its support of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS, 6-10 October) as the showing arena sponsor.
TopSpec has supported the show for more than 16 years and took over sponsorship of the arena in 2016.
The week of showing in the TopSpec arena culminates in the preliminary judging for the supreme horse and pony of the year championships, with the supreme champions announced during the Sunday evening performance.
“I join many of our customers in feeling excited about the return of HOYS in October 2021,” said TopSpec nutrition director Nicola Tyler.
“They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, well, TopSpec’s heart was fond of HOYS already so we cannot wait to return. Showing at HOYS is the annual pinnacle every exhibitor wishes to be part of. Whether you show, watch fabulous horses and ponies, socialise with like-minded friends, shop, eat or just have a whale of a time the ‘end of term party’ atmosphere is there for everyone to soak up. We are delighted to once again sponsor the TopSpec arena where most of the showing takes place and we also enjoy having a trade stand nearby where we can guide clients towards the best choices for their horses and ponies.”
Continued below…
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BETTALIFE
The nutrition specialist has partnered with British Eventing and EquiRatings to provide statistics on the support.
Company director Ryan Millar said: “We’re very proud to be partnering with
British Eventing and EquiRatings in delivering the key data from some of the best events in the UK.
“Our passion for equestrian sport really has been one of the core company values from conception, it’s great to be able to support all levels of eventing and celebrate the hard work of the incredible British Eventing talent.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.