Becky is an experienced sports PR professional who has been involved in eventing forever. She has worked on 4 Olympic Games on the media side, and at Badminton, Burghley, Gatcombe, Windsor and Olympia. Becky has joined the board to head up the PR side.
Two board members attended the BEAO Networking Day at Somerford Park yesterday – it was great to catch up with some many organisers and plan ways to work together in the future.
We cannot wait for the season to start now.
We have been asked by owners recently for clarification on various points relating to syndicates.
The British Eventing website has a great section on the rules etc. Click here for more info
Congratulations to the winners of the Haddon Training British Grooms Awards – with a particular emphasis on eventing grooms:-
Lucy Seddon – Winner of the British Grooms Award
Sarah Charnley – Team GBR Grooms Award
Joe Castree – Team GBR Pony, Junior and YR Grooms Award
Attached is a group image of the winning recipients:- L to R Lucy Seddon, Gabby Southern, Sarah Charnley, Joe Castree, Chris Hewlett (Haddon Training MD) Connor McCunn Poppy Graves, Emma-Jayne Eldrige.
A very warm welcome to the EHOA this year. We are delighted that you are part of the Owners Association which offers friendship, support and fun to owners of event horses. We are always pleased to welcome new members so if you know of any owner who would like to join, then do please let me know I will then send them an application form.
For many combinations the focal point of the eventing calendar this year will be the European Championships. These are being held at Luhmühlen, Germany; 28th August – 1st September. ”It’s a gorgeous time of the year to host the Europeans in Luhmühlen as the heather is in bloom in late August and will turn the landscape purple and green. Hopefully the weather will play along, too” says Luhmühlen’s Event Director Julia Otto. Once more, our generous sponsor, Zip Travel have offered a travel grant of £1000 which can be used to join the Zip Tour to the Europeans or any of their other tours in 2019. For more details please look at their website: www.zip-travel.com The Draw for this generous prize will take place in the EHOA tent at Badminton, 1st – 5th May; prior to the start of cross country.
Amongst the many benefits of membership, we host hospitality tents at numerous events. These are always well-supported and popular. Our tents offer a welcoming, dry and cosy environment with refreshments, newspapers and a chance to meet fellow enthusiasts and catch up with friends. A list of events with Owners hospitality will shortly be published on the web-site. We will also endeavour to keep you informed via email about the hospitality at the various events.
As you will appreciate, we cannot host these tents without volunteers and any offers of assistance will be most welcome. If you feel that you are able to help, then please get in touch with Tor Rickcord, our hospitality co-ordinator totsy1@hotmail.co.uk indicating which events you could help at. Without volunteers we will have no tents! And it really is not too onerous – in fact it is great fun!
EHOA’s social events include the Owners Dinner at Badminton, our AGM and lunch at Burghley and the Annual Dinner and Awards ceremony at the end of the season, all of which are well- attended and fun.
Importantly we, as the principal “Voice of Owners”, have representation on committees at British Eventing and we are able to take any queries you may have to BE. We are recognised as a vital stakeholder in the sport and, as such, we can influence and have a say in major decisions at the highest level.
As can be appreciated none of the above can happen without the hard work of our Board members. This is your sport and if you are interested in becoming further involved, whether by helping out with hospitality at events or in other ways please let me or make contact with any members of the Board. All Board members are listed on the website with their respective contact details. There is an up coming board meeting on January 15th so if you have a point you would like mentioning, please email them over. My email: alex.vantuyll@gmail.com Mark Corbett will also be going to a Sports Committee meeting on February 12th at Stoneleigh so contact him directly if he can help you. Marks’ email: rawlinsfarm@me.com
The Board of the EHOA, wishes you all a very happy, fun-filled and successful season in 2019 and we look forward to seeing you at events very soon.
Cathy Butler
Paul Hodgson will retire at the end of the year and will be handing over the Chairman role to current Board Director Fiona O’Hara, with Jude Matthews being appointed by the Board into the new role of Vice-Chairman.
Fiona is a Managing Director at leading global professional services company Accenture and specialises in operational excellence and business transformation. She owns 3 horses, an advanced dressage horse who she enjoys competing and two youngsters who she is looking forward to bringing on. Fiona has been a Board Director with British Eventing since 2017.
Jude Matthews has a skilled background in the financial services industry most recently working at leading firm Hargreaves Lansdown. Jude has been a non-executive Board Director at British Eventing for the past nine months having taken on the role of Commercial and Marketing Director and is a keen amateur event rider.
The EHOA board welcome both to their positions and look forward to working with them over the coming seasons.
After four years as British Eventing Chairman, Paul Hodgson has announced that after his first term concludes at the end of December 2018, he has taken the decision to not stand for the position once again.
The EHOA Annual Awards
The EHOA Annual Awards dinner took place at Ascot Racecourse in November. Some 200 people enjoyed the glittering occasion, kindly sponsored by Taylor Woodcock. It was an opportunity to look back on the successes of 2018.
The evening started with a champagne reception sponsored by Equine Construction and Shearwater Insurance.
Tony Woodcock MD of Taylor Woodcock commented “It was a pleasure to attend and support the EHOAs annual dinner at the iconic Ascot Race Course earlier this month.
Through my business partner Adrian Taylor, who is director of partnerships for EHOA, we, Taylor Woodcock enjoyed the association and had a thoroughly enjoyable evening alongside event horse owners and a number of world champions from the sport”
Chairman Cathy Butler commentated “it was great to see so many at the dinner, it was probably the largest gathering we have had at the dinner, ever. It really was a great night to celebrate a year of outstanding achievements”.
The evening marked the retirement of committee member Margie Hall who has completed 17 years on the board.
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Nick Embiricos. Nick has been an owner with Tina Cook (Gifford) for many many years and was an EHOA member since the organization was formed.
He was a truly wonderful man and will be greatly missed by all those who knew him. Our thoughts are with his family.
Dear Member,
You are all no doubt aware that I was due to step down this Autumn from chairing the EHOA.
As a result of a recent board meeting, it was suggested to me that I might consider remaining as Chair of the Association until such time as the new person feels able to take up the reins. This is likely to come from within the board, all of whom have a wide knowledge of the Sport and we are privileged to have them representing us.
Over the course of the last 18 months many of my responsibilities have been delegated to other board members and this will actively continue in 2019. It is on this understanding that I will remain as Chairman until such time in the forthcoming months that a suitable candidate is ready to take the Association forward.
I am really looking forward to seeing many of you next week at the dinner and awards evening. It should be a great celebration of the achievements of 2018.
Best wishes,
Cathy
Cathy Butler
Helen White, an EHOA member, is the Grassroots member on the Sport Committee
If any member has any grassroots issues they would like raised please do contact Helen.
