Spotlight on equestrian safety

Equestrian safety came to the fore at a ceremony at Saddlers Hall, in London, when the President of the British Horse Society, the Princess Royal, awarded three safety officers with the Sefton awards.

Named after Sefton, the cavalry horse injured in an IRA bomb attack, the awards, which are in their 10th-year, go to people who’ve made a “significant contribution to equestrian safety”.

This year, the winners were David Kerry from Wigton inCumbria, Adrienne Sherwood from Donnybrook, Dublin and Lesley Harper from Holberton, Plymouth.

David Kerry was selected for his work as a senior road safety officer at Cumbria County Council, as well as his role as a BHS riding and road safety trainer and examiner. The society says he “has given great publicity to the dangers of riding on the road and the preventive measures that should be taken”.

Adrienne Sherwood acted as regional safety representative in the Republic of Ireland, working witha small team of examiners to promote safer riding. The BHS says she has ” forged excellent relationships with the Irish Garda, which has led to their presence at each and every test that takes place”.

Lesley Harper was the BHS’s director of safety until 1999. While in office, she “focused her attention on educating motorists on the needs and problems of riders as vulnerable road users”. The BHS, in association with the Department of Transport, subsequently produced the Horse Sense for Motorists video and leaflet, and launched the BHS Safety Campaign to reduce horse related traffic accidents.

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