The Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund is asking all equestrians to consider their charity via their new campaign ‘MDIRF Summer Of Love.'
 
Supported by high profile names including top riders Spencer Wilton, Nick Skelton and equestrian TV presenter Steven Wilde, the #mdirfsummeroflove campaign aims to raise awareness of the charity’s invaluable work and encourage riders to do what they can to help support them, as Charlotte Ennor from the charity explains:
 
“Our charity is unique in that we are the only charity which helps riders in their time of need. If you are injured, we can assist you in a huge variety of ways but we rely entirely on financial support from the equestrian community. This campaign is to highlight the fact that all riders can get involved from organising a cake sale at their yard through to a sponsored tack clean.”
 
For more great ideas on how you can help raise funds to support the charity along with video tips from the equestrian stars mentioned above, go to:
http://mdirf.co.uk/mdirf-summer-of-love/
 
You can also use the hashtag #mdirfsummeroflove across your social channels and share the love for your fundraising event with the charity.

Tickets for this year’s Olympia, The London International Horse Show, which takes place from 12 – 18 December 2017, are available to book online now!

The UK’s largest indoor equestrian event welcomed a near sell-out crowd in 2016, with over 90,000 spectators in attendance. This year fans should apply for tickets early to avoid missing out on the chance to see the world’s best riders compete at the week-long equine extravaganza. 

The seven-day spectacle will be returning to the iconic Kensington Olympia and will once again host the three FEI World Cup™ events in Driving, Dressage and Show Jumping, all of which will feature the top ranked athletes in the sport. The FEI World Cup™ Dressage Leg, a competition that has previously been won by Team GB riders, Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester, will kick off the FEI World Cup™ action on Tuesday 12 December, with the FEI World Cup™ Driving Leg presented by Dodson & Horrell taking place on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 December. The Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping leg, which last year saw former World No.1 British rider, Scott Brash, win following a nail biting jump-off from compatriot Ben Maher, is set to provide world-class entertainment on the afternoon of Sunday 17 December. 

In addition to the FEI World Cup™ classes, Olympia will feature an array of top class international Show Jumping competition, including crowd favourite The Cayenne Puissance on Thursday 15 December, the Christmas Masters on Saturday 16 December and culminating with the prestigious Olympia Grand Prix on the final day. 

In between the arena action, visitors will have the chance to shop in the Show’s extensive Shopping Village. With over 200 stalls, the Shopping Village will showcase an array of luxury products including equestrian goods, jewellery, home décor and clothing. 

Tickets on sale HERE

Organisers of Royal Windsor Horse Show have announced an outstanding list of national competitors for this year’s Show, which takes place in the private grounds of Windsor Castle from 10 – 14 May 2017. 

National Showing    
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The Showing line-up includes stars such as Allister Hood, competing aboard Our Cashel Blue in a bid to defend their title as Lightweight Cob. The duo have celebrated a phenomenal year after being crowned Supreme Champion at Horse of the Year Show in 2016. Jayne Ross will be back in action with 16 rides including Cob in Hood, with whom she will be seeking to reverse last year’s Lightweight Cob outcome, after narrowly missing out to Hood and Our Cashel Blue.  

Ross spoke in anticipation of the event, “there’s an aura about Windsor, from the moment you arrive. There’s just nothing like it, it’s so special.”
 
Royal Windsor Horse Show Director, Simon Brooks-Ward said: “Showing is of great importance to the event, it’s very good to see the level of entries growing year-on-year, with the standard of competition increasing with the Show’s popularity.”

National Show Jumping

Alongside the 5* International Jumping classes, the National Jumping line-up will have spectators glued to the action as many of the world’s top riders announce their attendance, including Olympic Team Gold Medallist Ben Maher (GBR), who will be joined by a field of fellow Brits in the National classes. The notoriously speedy Guy Williams is set to grip spectators as he will be attempting a one-two in the Olympic Star Spotters Competition for 6-Year-Old Horses. Adding to the list of contenders will be husband and wife, William and Pippa Funnell. Also, joining Pippa from the world of eventing will be, Bumble Thomas and Emily Llewellyn.

Britain’s leading-female Show Jumper, Laura Renwick, will be returning in hope of matching last year’s success. Renwick will be battling against seasoned competitor and former Olympian Tim Stockdale (GBR), who is set to return to the Show, along with rising star and son, Joseph, who will both be contending for top place in the Grades B & C Handicap Jumping Competition. 

Tickets to watch this year’s action can be purchased at www.rwhs.co.uk

This week Forelock Books' publisher Michelle Charman and TV actress Susan Jameson visited the team and a group of children from the wonderful charity Ride High, based in Milton Keynes.
 
The day was hosted by Ride High sponsor Sysmex in Milton Keynes and consisted of a reading by Sue Jameson, from her book 'Pony Tails' followed by a story-telling workshop, where the children were encouraged to invent their own stories and illustrate them. Very little encouragement was needed as the children were brimming over with ideas, including stories featuring unicorns, evil doughnuts, invisible children, a candy-potato land, a horse and a detective with a love of science!
 
Once the children had outlined their stories and adding some wonderful illustrations, Michelle Charman gave a fascinating presentation on how a story is made into a book and how it makes its way into the reader's hands.
 
“Ride High would like to give a HUGE thank you to Michelle and Sue for coming to spend the day with some of our Ride High children. They all had such a wonderful time and learnt such a lot. You both inspired them more than we could have imagined and we are all truly thankful,” said Rachel Medill MBE, Founder and CEO of Ride High.
 
“I had a wonderful day at Ride High, the children were amazing,” said Michelle Charman from Forelock Books. “I was astounded by some of the stories they came up with and I was able to see first hand how beneficial reading and story telling is, how it boosts the imagination, inspires individual creativity and how exciting it is to share thoughts and ideas.”
 
“It was wonderful spending time at Ride High and reading with the children who were all so enthusiastic,” said Sue Jameson. “I hope by sharing a little bit of insight into writing and publishing that some of them might be inspired to have a go themselves. Writing is something everyone can have a go at, especially if you have a great imagination!”
 
Ride High is looking forward to welcoming Forelock Books back in the summer, where they will be able to meet more of the Ride High children and some of the ponies. 
 
For more information about Forelock Books, see www.forelock-books.co.uk. For more information about Ride High, see www.ridehigh.org.