The international horse charity, World Horse Welfare, will be the Charity of the Year at the 2016 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials which takes place from 4 – 8th May 2016.
Making the announcement at the charity’s annual conference in London today, World Horse Welfare Chief Executive Roly Owers said:
“We are honoured and deeply grateful to have been chosen as Charity of the Year at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2016 which is widely known as the world’s premier 3 Day Event, attracting competitors and spectators from all over the world.
“Not only does this provide a fantastic platform to showcase the breadth of our work to a huge audience, it also gives further scope to engage with supporters and offers a valuable fundraising opportunity. As independent welfare advisers to the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), we support the responsible use of horses in sport and there is nowhere better than Badminton if you want to see horses and riders at the very top of their game.
“The horses competing at events of this calibre are well and truly in the spotlight and receive the best care available but as part of our partnership with the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2016 we want to highlight the millions of horses and ponies across the world who are not so fortunate and who will often go unnoticed but are never more in need of our help.”
Hugh Thomas, Badminton Horse Trials Event Director said:
“Badminton is very happy to welcome World Horse Welfare again as our designated charity in 2016. They do fantastic work for equines in both the UK and developing countries, but also take a very positive view of responsible equestrian sport.”
Since its start in 1927, the approach of World Horse Welfare has been practical, based on scientific evidence and our extensive experience, and focused on delivering lasting change across the full spectrum of the horse world.
In the UK their dedicated network of Field Officers investigate and resolve welfare problems, and they run four Rescue and Rehoming Centres where horses in need can receive specialist care, undergo rehabilitation and find loving new homes through the re-homing scheme – the largest of its kind in the UK.
Outside of the UK, the organisation’s international programmes alleviate the suffering of thousands of working horses by providing essential knowledge for horse owning communities in the developing world. They also work to change legislation and attitudes to horse welfare through campaigns and education, including our founding campaign to end the suffering endured by the tens of thousands of horses transported long-distance across Europe to slaughter each year.
