A new leading rider award at the Eventing Spring Carnival at Thoresby Park will debut this year, sponsored by Animalintex.
The fixture is home to the CCI4*-S Grantham Cup, one of the major international spring one-day contests, as well as short format two- and three-star classes and national sections.
The Animalintex leading rider award will run over the three days (1 to 3 April), with points awarded for the top six placings in all classes. The top three riders will receive cash prizes and the winner will also be presented with the leading rider trophy.
“Without doubt the Animalintex leading rider award is a fantastic new idea for us and is a concept that has been very popular in the world of racing at the major festivals for many years,” said Stuart Buntine, of organisers BEDE Events.
Lindsay Hall, product manager at Robinson Animal Healthcare, which owns the Animalintex brand, added: “We were very pleased with the sponsorship when we supported the Pony Club mounted games at Osberton International in the autumn, which was also run by the BEDE Events.
“We are really excited about sponsoring the Animalintex leading rider award and hope it adds even more prestige to this high-profile horse trials.”
Malcolm Group title sponsor of returning fixture
Floors Castle International Horse Trials returns to the eventing calendar in May following a three-year hiatus, and with a new title sponsor.
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Malcolm Group, a family-run logistics, construction and maintenance services company that celebrates its centenary this year, has signed as title sponsor.
There were fears the fixture would be lost, after the previous organisers announced that the 2019 event would be the last.
But Jamie Innes, who previously organised both Floors Castle and Thirlestone, worked with organisers the Edward family to revive the event.
“Floors has always been one of our favourite events. As a family all six, all of us have competed there from BE90 through to intermediate. We are delighted to have the opportunity to organise this prestigious Scottish event,” said organiser Bruce Edward, whose family business Kick On Events also runs Hopetoun and Forgandenny.
“The Malcolm Group is a long-standing supporter of Scottish eventing, They are friendly and approachable people whom we are delighted to have on board.”
The 2022 event, by kind permission of the Duke of Roxburghe, will run from 13 to 15 May, with classes from BE80 to CCI3*-S.
The move expands on a multi-year partnership between Boodles and the Cheltenham Festival. The brand sponsored the leading jockey award at the Festival for four years, before taking on sponsorship of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle from 2018.
Last year’s flagship Grade One ran without a sponsor, after a deal with Magners – originally signed for three years – came to an early end. The cider brand was title sponsor of the race and presenting partner of the Festival in 2019 and 2020, but it was revealed in December 2020 that it would not be continuing.
Boodles has also donated a piece from its “Radiance” collection to auction in support of WellChild.
“It is wonderful to enjoy this association with Boodles, such an iconic British brand, at Cheltenham and we are very proud to see this partnership expand to take on the most prestigious jump race in the world,” said Ian Renton, managing director of Cheltenham racecourse and the Jockey Club’s west region.
Boodles chairman Nicholas Wainwright added that the company is “thrilled to have the opportunity”.
“We have had a long association with horseracing at Aintree over many years – having been established in Liverpool in 1798 – and of course in recent years at the home of jump racing, Cheltenham,” he said.
“Our involvement and sponsorship of the Cheltenham Gold Cup is a perfect fit for us and we are going to enjoy the journey.”
The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup runs on the fourth day of the Festival (Friday, 18 March).
Bates Saddles secures official partner status
The brand is the new official saddle partner to British Equestrian in its third major signing in a year.
The news follows Bates Saddles’ joining both British Eventing and the German Equestrian Federation as official partner in 2021. It is also the official saddle of the United States Eventing Association.
“As an organisation, they share the same fundamental values in respect of equine welfare and comfort and we look forward to sharing their knowledge and expertise with our own audience,” said British Equestrian chief executive Jim Eyre.
“The team at Bates Saddles have a strong desire to ensure all riders, no matter what saddle brand they ride in, have informative material readily available to them when it comes to saddle fitting to ensure every horse can be ridden as comfortably as possible. This is naturally a core objective for ourselves and we look forward to working alongside them in this exciting new partnership.”
Bates Saddles managing director, Ron Bates, added: “The guiding principle behind each of our saddlery innovations is to put horses first.
“As a national governing body, British Equestrian provides exemplary leadership to equestrians throughout the country, bringing awareness to horse welfare and wellbeing. We are extremely proud to contribute to this undertaking and look forward to the opportunities this partnership will bring.”
Haygain: ‘loyal sponsor’ to official partner
The hay steamer brand has joined British Dressage as official partner, following recent deals with British Showjumping, British Eventing and British Equestrian.
The new three-year agreement means Haygain is now BD’s official hay-steaming supplier.
“It’s a great start to 2022 to be able to welcome Haygain as our latest official partner,” said BD chief executive Jason Brautigam.
“They’ve been a loyal sponsor for many years in British Dressage, but this elevation to partner status demonstrates their continued commitment to both our sport and the welfare of all horses taking part.
“We’re looking forward to working with the Haygain team to promote the benefits of their products that support the well-being of our equine athletes and help to ensure that they remain happy and healthy.”
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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.
