Dear ,

Please find attached our Press Release covering the news that two Yorkshire based horses have won Awards for having the Healthiest Body Condition in their Classes recently at the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead, West Sussex.

It would be really wonderful for this important Programme if you could feature it in your media output. 

Please feel free to contact me if you would like further information.

Best regards, Jennifer 

Press Release
 

11^hAugust 2022

#TheWeighToWin
The Royal International Horse Show from Hickstead was "Weight Aware"
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The Horse Trust is ramping up their Healthy Body Condition Awards with many Showing Shows signing up to be  ‘Weight-Aware'.  This recently included The RIHS at Hickstead on the last week of July. These coveted awards recognise and reward horses and ponies in the best condition as well as providing support and advice.  The British Equine Veterinary Association considers equine obesity to be one of the most serious risks to equines today.

The Awards were given in over 20 Classes and over 400 horses were body conditioned scored by our qualified experts: Tamzin Furtado PhD, Alison Talbot MRCVS and Dee Pollard from the British Horse Society.

We had winners from across the country; Devon to Orkney and everywhere in-between.

Focussing on Yorkshire: Aredis Russel, 18'2 owned and exhibited by Holly Gaunt won the Horse Trust's award for having the healthiest body condition in Class 174 The Middleweight Hunter Championship Thursday 28^th July.  Russel is 6 years old and a gorgeous iron grey.  They've travelled down from Harrogate, North Yorkshire. He's hacked out a lot and has a dressage lesson once a month.  Holly and her connections had first heard of the Awards at the Malton Show because they won it there too!  Good to see that they're keeping Russel healthy by continuing his effective exercise regime.  (Photographs provided featuring Alison Talbot MRCVS awarding the rosette.)

There was 20 miles less to travel for the connections of Basingwerk Dream Works who lives in Bradford and was awarded the coveted green and gold rosette from The Horse Trust in Class 200 The Small Riding Horse Championship.   ‘Jonty' is a 5 year old owned by Nicola Worthington-French and ridden by Isabella Worthington.  "He has been competing Burghley young event horse and Novice Intermediate workers", explained Isabella.  "I am at uni, so mum and I share.  She has qualified him in eventing for the Briganti cup at Frickley, with the finals in September at 80-90.  I am hoping he will step up to 100 and go novice next year.  It is nice to qualify and come to RIHS.  He lives out, has a nice varied life, he does whatever is easiest, hacks, jumping, lessons at riding club with mum.  He has a very easy life, he loves learning and loves life, he is my best friend he is so sweet.  My ambition is for him to become my intermediate working hunter and/or my eventer."

"I have previously won this award on my other horse Dolphins Lawyer as a 5 year old at the Great Yorkshire Show, again in the Riding Horse Class." Isabella added in enthusiastic support of the Programme! (Photograph provided.)

The RIHS has supported the programme since 2019, and is pleased to raise the profile for the awards at this year's event.  David Ingle, Director of Showing at the Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead and former Chairman of The Showing Council, said, "Showing is keen to become more educational and we are in an era of great improvement in equine welfare, with increasing scrutiny under social license.  This initiative shines a light on this important aspect of showing.  We will be making this award in more classes and highlighting the importance of correct weight to competitors at the RIHS this year", said David.  

What is The Weigh To Win Initiative?

The Horse Trust's programme is an important initiative to reward healthy equine body condition and raise awareness of healthy body condition in show horses.  Showing in particular is often seen to promote horses that are overweight and the aim is to challenge and educate on what is an ideal body condition.

The Healthy Equine Body Condition Awards are presented at events throughout the showing season providing friendly, supportive advice and guidance to owners, riders and producers, both at the events and during online training sessions and webinars.

Jan Rogers, Head of Research and Policy at The Horse Trust, says, "We get very upset by seeing photos of underweight horses in the media, but in reality, far more horses are obese than are underweight. This is worrying for vets who are finding that they have to treat these horses with serious health conditions like Equine Metabolic Syndrome and Laminitis. Peoples' perceptions of what is a healthy weight have shifted towards the higher body condition scores. We would like to help to reset this balance."

For further information about the Programme:Research funding | Innovative research into horse health (horsetrust.org.uk)and for details of how to get involved in the 2022programme, contact via emailjennifer@holdsworthpr.co.ukor telephone on 01903 892060.
 

ENDS

For more media information and photographs seehttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DspCZH6zGRdi5NFTRc0m1dNOFB_vqGZu?usp=sharing

or contact Jennifer Cranford atjennifer@holdsworthpr.co.uk01903 892060.