WORLD HORSE WELFARE TO BE BLAIR HORSE TRIALS NOMINATED CHARITY 2009
Blair Castle International Horse Trials is pleased to announce that its nominated charity for 2009 is World Horse Welfare. Funds will be raised in a number of ways at this year's event which takes place at Blair Atholl from Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th August
Formerly the ILPH, World Horse Welfare is a leading international charity dedicated to caring for horses.
Founded in 1927, by Ada Cole, the charity now has 150 staff and four recovery and rehabilitation centres around the UK. These centres rescue, rehabilitate and rehome over 250 horses a year and there are currently over 1,700 horses out on the charity’s Loan Scheme. The focus of World Horse Welfare’s Scottish operations is Belwade Farm, near Aboyne.
Overseas, World Horse Welfare trains more than 100 saddlers and farriers every year who use their skills to improve the lives of local working horses and their owners. The charity also campaigns to achieve major input into horse welfare legislation in the UK and Europe and to change practice and attitudes towards horse welfare. World Horse Welfare is actively campaigning for an end to the long distance transportation of horses for slaughter in Europe and has achieved welfare improvements impacting upon 100,000 involved in the trade every year.
The charity invests around £7.5million a year in its work. No organisation in the world does more for horses than World Horse Welfare.
Newly appointed Horse Trials director, Alec Lochore said, “We are delighted to be able to help World Horse Welfare in any way. While enjoying the spectacle of well cared for, fit, athletic horses competing in the various disciplines at Blair, it is important for people to remember the hundreds of abused and neglected animals both in the UK and around the world.”
Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare Chief Executive said, "I am delighted that World Horse Welfare is the nominated charity at Blair Horse Trials this year and would like to thank Alec Lochore and his team. World Horse Welfare is dedicated to helping horses and we have a strong presence in Scotland through our recovery and rehabilitation centre in Aboyne. Since Belwade Farm opened in 1990 more than 1,500 horses have been recovered from abuse and neglect, rehabilitated and re-homed."
World Horse Welfare will have their popular mascot Hoofit Harry on their trade stand at the event where visitors can shop or donate. There will be a blanket collection after the showjumping on Sunday, a raffle and a cross country fence will be named in honour of the charity. Plans are afoot for further fund-raising efforts which will be revealed at a later date.
Further information from www.worldhorsewelfare.org
Blair Castle International Horse Trials & Country Fair
Atholl Estates Office
Blair Atholl
Perthshire
PH18 5TH
Tel: 01796 481543