SCOTLAND’S HORSE TRIALS BEAT BIG NAME FOOTBALL TO TAKE TOP AWARD

24 March 2004

Triple Olympic Gold Medallist, Matthew Pinsent, presents the Long Term Sponsor Award to Event Director Sarah Phillips and Mike Keiller, Chief Executive of Morrison Bowmore Distillers Limited

Bowmore Blair Castle International Horse Trials and Country Fair has seen off competition from such iconic sporting institutions as the Scottish Football League and big names such as BP, Bank of Scotland and the CIS, to take the `Best Long Term Sponsorship Award’ at this year’s Scottish Sport Sponsorship Awards.

Bowmore Blair Castle International Horse Trials is Scotland’s leading equestrian event – it is one of only three horse trials in the UK to have achieved three star status, thereby attracting Olympians - and future Olympians - from all over the world.

Horse Trials Director, Sarah Phillips, said “We’re delighted to achieve this kind of recognition for a Scottish sporting event that is truly on the international map. The Bowmore Blair Castle International Horse Trials attracts competitors from 15 countries, including New Zealand, Australia and the USA. 33,000 people came last year. The combination of world class riders, Blair Castle’s spectacular setting and Scotland’s No 1 Islay single malt is clearly a winning one.”

Mike Keiller, Morrison Bowmore Distillers Limited’s Chief Executive said “This is a win for an event that showcases Scotland at its best – it’s fitting that Bowmore is a part of that and we’re enormously proud of our partnership and its success.”

The horse trials have been sponsored by Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky since 1996. They are run by Atholl Estates in the magnificent grounds of Scotland’s most visited historic home, Blair Castle. This partnership has seen the event grow enormously: last year’s attendance figure is an increase of 267% in eight years. The four days bring a huge cash injection to rural Perthshire, with an estimated spend of half a million across the period.

More information:
Iseabail Mactaggart, Communications Manager, Morrison Bowmore Distillers Limited.
Mobile: 07881 626 094
Landline: 0141 558 9011

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Morrison Bowmore Distillers Limited and Bowmore Blair Castle International Horse Trials won the Best Long Term Sponsor Category at the Scottish Sport Sponsorship Awards 2004.
2. The other nominations in the same category were: BP and sportscotland; Marine Harvest Scotland and Camanchd Association; Cooperative Insurance Society and Scottish Football League; Bank of Scotland and Badminton Scotland; Bank of Scotland and Scottish Schools Football Association.
3. sportscotland is the national agency for sport in Scotland. The Scottish Sport Sponsorship Awards were launched by sportscotland in 2001 to recognise excellence and creativity across Scotland’s sport sponsorship scene. Nearly 100 entries were received.
4. Bowmore Islay single malt scotch whisky is Scotland’s No 1 Malt (Source: AC Nielsen).

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