Equestrians who demonstrate exceptional horsemanship, empathy and a horse-first approach will be recognised with special awards at shows this summer.
The Welfare Stewarding Group, an organisation of volunteers promoting good equine welfare at shows across the country, is launching the Animalweb Good Horsemanship Award.
The first awards were due to be presented at the Royal Cornwall Show this wekeend (4-6 June); a spokesperson for the scheme said: “At each event, welfare stewards will identify and reward exhibitors who demonstrate exceptional horsemanship, outstanding horse handling, empathy, partnership and a clear commitment to putting their horse first.”
Rosettes will be given to people who stand out, not necessarily for winning their classes but for their attitude to and care for their horses. Each winner will also be given a £10 feed voucher sponsored by Dengie.
Welfare Stewarding Group founder Amanda Stoddart-West said: “Good horsemanship is about far more than results or placings. It’s about the relationship between horse and rider, the way horses are handled and cared for, and the respect shown to them at every stage of competition and preparation.
“Rewarding the positive has to be the best way to promote best practice and to encourage excellent horse welfare, and these awards are designed to shine a light on the people quietly doing things the right way, those who consistently put welfare, patience and partnership first.
“Sometimes it’s simply the people who stand out because you can clearly see they are thinking about the horse first above everything else. It’s not about the most polished horse or the biggest name, it’s about genuine horsemanship. We are incredibly grateful to Animalweb for supporting this initiative and helping us celebrate the positive examples that deserve recognition across our industry.”
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David Marlin, president of the Welfare Stewarding Group and founder of sponsor Animalweb, added that the awards are a huge opportunity to recognise those who put their horses first at all times.
“We hope they encourage conversations around what great horsemanship truly looks like and help inspire others across the industry to lead by example,” he said.
The group has already been asked to attend 15 shows across the country this year. Anyone who would like to book stewards for an event is invited to get in touch.
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
