Blair Castle secures funding partnership…

Blair Castle International Horse Trials has entered the the third year of a funding package from EventScotland, in association with sportscotland and Perth and Kinross Council.

The package is geared around the FEI European Young Rider Eventing Championships (EYRC) taking place this year. The EYRC attracts more then 50 competitors from as many as 16 nations each year. In 2006, the British team won both Individual and Team Gold medals, at Pardubice in the Czech Republic. Blair has been awarded the 2007 Championships by the International Equestrian Federation, the first time the event has run a Championship since hosting the Junior Europeans back in 1996.

In total, £140,000 has been earmarked for the event across the three years, with EventScotland providing the majority of the funding. Event Director Sarah Phillips says “We are delighted that we have received this funding from EventScotland, Sportscotland and Perth and Kinross Council. It allows us to develop the event with new facilities to rival those found at any other major equestrian event. With a three year plan in place we can work in partnership towards the 2007 event and ensure that it really puts Scotland on the map as a venue for international competitions.”

EventScotland is a joint venture organisation between the Scottish Executive and VisitScotland and is responsible for leading the implementation of Scotland’s Major Events Strategy. Our vision is to make Scotland one of the world’s foremost event destinations by 2015.

www.eventscotland.org

sportscotland is the national body for sport development in Scotland. Our goal is to see more people participating in sport and enjoying its benefits. We want the whole Scottish population to be involved, from primary schoolchildren to elite athletes.

We rely upon working in partnership with public, private and voluntary organisations to achieve this goal. As a non-departmental public body we work closely with the Scottish Executive, advising Scottish Ministers and implementing Scottish Executive policy for sport and physical recreation.

www.sportscotland.org.uk

Perth and Kinross Council recognise the importance of events and tourism to the economy. Blair Castle International Horse Trials and Country Fair is a very important event for Perth and Kinross, and one which fits well with the aims of the Council’s events strategy to develop events in the area. The Council is looking forward to working with the event organisers and other public and private sector partners at this exciting time to develop this event into one of international significance.

www.pkc.gov.uk

The Scottish Equestrian Association is the governing body of equestrianism in Scotland. SEA aims to provide vision for and give leadership and guidance to equestrian interests in Scotland. SEA makes representations as appropriate to Government, other statutory and non statutory bodies. SEA is working with Blair to train volunteers and officials, to provde the opportunity for the development of Scottish riders and to increase the SEA membership.

www.s-e-a.org.uk