Servicemen and celebrities last week invited riders to sign up for a ride to help raise over £1million for the charity Help for Heroes.
Run by Ascot Racecourse and Hpower Group (organisers of Olympia and Royal Windsor Horse Shows) the “Horses for Heroes” ride, on Saturday, 10 July, hopes to attract 2,010 riders who must first raise at least £500 each.
Riding at walk and trot, their 7.5km route will begin and end on Ascot racecourse, via a foray into Windsor Great Park, and should take around an hour and a quarter.
“Horses have always supported our servicemen and women, so it is wonderful that the equestrian world is going to jump into the saddle to raise money for ‘our blokes’,” said Bryn Parry, founder of the charity that has earned more than £13million in two years to help injured servicemen.
Figures such as racing writer Brough Scott, actor Martin Clunes, TV presenter Anthea Turner and footballer’s wife turned dressage enthusiast Toni Terry, will be taking part.
Listen to interview with Toni Terry
Overnight stabling will be available on Ascot Heath, at an estimated cost of £45.
All participants will be given goodies including a rosette, certificate and three passes to go racing at Ascot later in the day.
“Riders will travel in packs of around 150,” said HPower’s Simon Brooks-Ward, “so it won’t be like the Charge of the Light Brigade.”
Riders must pay a £100 non-refundable deposit to register, via www.horses4heroes.co.uk, and must sign up by Friday, 18 December.
