Horsey Talk

British Equestrian Federation Chief Executive quits after clashes with Member groups 

Statement by the Chair of the BEF, Joanne Shaw

It is with great regret that I can confirm that Clare Salmon has resigned from her position as Chief Executive and will be leaving the British Equestrian Federation.

I should like to thank Clare for her outstanding contribution to the BEF during the last year. Her leadership and vision for an inclusive, accessible and sustainable future for equestrianism were warmly welcomed and supported by the board.  In particular, Clare was the driving force in reshaping the World Class Programme to ensure the confidence of our funding partners in granting ongoing funds.

In resigning, Clare has raised significant and serious concerns about culture, governance and the interaction of some of the Member Bodies. The board considers that there are legitimate questions to be answered so is commissioning an independent investigation, on which we will report in due course. 

The board intends to take this opportunity not only to update our structure and processes to ensure that we are fully compliant with the UK Sport and Sport England Governance code, but also to review our cultural values and behaviour in the interests of a stronger Federation as a whole.

Both our funding bodies are aware of the situation. In the meantime we have asked Sarah Bunting, the BEF's Head of Finance, to take over the role of accountable officer for the purpose of our funding.  The board will be considering the process to put an interim CEO in place until Clare's replacement is recruited.

There is a clear priority for the board to work with the Members' Council to deliver the governance changes required by UK Sport and Sport England by 31 October 2017.  We remain confident that commitment remains high and we will be successful.

I have every confidence in the abilities and professional skills of the BEF executive and staff team to continue their day-to-day work in the best interests of equestrianism. We are also fortunate to have a strong World Class Programme team in place, doing a great job for our athletes as they represent Great Britain. 

Statement by the Chairs and Chief Executives of British Dressage, British Eventing, British Showjumping, The British Horse Society and The Pony Club

In response to the statement issued by the BEF Board yesterday, we would like to provide some clarification on the position of the Founding Members of the Federation.

Last week, prior to the BEF Council Meeting on Wednesday 12 July, the Chairs and CEOs of British Dressage, British Eventing, British Showjumping and The British Horse Society, as well as the Chair of The Pony Club, acting as a collective and at our request, met with the Board of the BEF to share our serious concerns about the leadership of the BEF, along with the way that the proposed changes in governance, strategy and structure of the Federation were being managed.

At the conclusion of the meeting we agreed not to make any external statements due to the sensitivity of the situation, and until the Board were in a position to reflect and to make their own decisions at their Board Meeting this week on Wednesday 19 July, which we have rightly respected. On Thursday 13 July the BEF Chief Executive released an inflammatory statement by email and on Thursday 20 July the Chair of the BEF Board confirmed that the BEF CEO had left the Federation. In light of the gravity and significance of the issues we raised with the BEF Board ten days ago, we agree that this was the correct course of action.

We also welcome and endorse the Board's decision to announce an independent investigation into the serious concerns we expressed about the leadership of the Federation. We would like to reassure our key stakeholders within the equestrian community, as well as our funding partners and other external stakeholders, that we continue to have excellent working relationships with Board Directors, the Executive Team and all staff at operational level within the BEF, and have total confidence in the new World Class structure, under the guidance of our new Performance Director, to deliver future success.

We will be working closely with our fellow member bodies and the senior team within the BEF to develop a new governance model that ensures we are fully compliant with the new Code For Sports Governance issued by UK Sport and Sport England. All member bodies of the BEF are very much aligned and fully committed to agreeing a structure and strategy that satisfies all the requirements set out by our funding partners, as well as delivering a healthy and sustainable future for the Federation.

To this end, various options have been proposed and these were reviewed, discussed and debated at the Council Meeting on 12 July. This included representation from UK Sport, who provided helpful input and guidance on the different governance models available. Subsequent to this meeting we have developed and refined a single option that we feel will meet the needs of all member bodies within the Federation. We are working effectively in collaboration to revise our governance so that it is fit for purpose, has clarity over strategic direction and is future-proofed. This is not only to meet all UK Sport / Sport England objectives within the required timeframe, but to ensure that we have a structure that serves all member bodies effectively, within one united Federation, for the benefit of the whole equestrian community.

As was discussed on the 12th, a governance steering group has been established to develop this detail and manage the transition. We are confident that we will meet the key milestones, including the Council AGM on 13 September, when the new governance structure will need to be approved, and that this will be delivered by 31 October to meet the deadline set by UK Sport. We are now confident, at last, that we will be able to move forward collectively and positively during this transition period to have the right governance, strategy and structure in place to meet the long term needs of all member bodies and equestrian sport.

Owner fined after he left donkeys to suffer because he failed to trim their hooves

A man who failed to trim his donkeys' overgrown hooves, leading three of them to suffer in pain, has been fined by magistrates.

James Derek Pickford  of Lowe Hill, in Leek, Staffordshire, was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to three donkeys and failing to meet the needs of seven donkeys following a trial at North Staffordshire Justice Centre this week.

The court heard that the RSPCA had been in contact with Pickford before, and had given advice and warning notices on a number of occasions regarding his donkeys' overgrown hooves, however the problem continued.

Hannah Bryer, senior welfare adviser at The Donkey Sanctuary said: 'Owning donkeys can be a hugely rewarding experience and a wonderful privilege, however they require caring and compassionate management to ensure they lead healthy and enriched lives.

'The seven donkeys in this case had significantly overgrown and imbalanced hooves. These changes caused undue stresses and strains on the joints and soft tissues of the limb. Three of the donkeys were suffering chronic pain as a result.

'This suffering could have been easily avoided with proper and routine farrier care. Despite being easy to remedy, lack of appropriate hoof care remains one of the most common welfare issues faced by donkeys in Great Britain today.

'When the donkeys came into our care last May we found out that five of them were in foal. Since then we have worked closely with a vet and farrier to ensure they were ready to welcome five healthy foals into the world.

'We are grateful to the RSPCA, World Horse Welfare, Staffordshire Police, and North Staffordshire Council for their efforts in this case and are pleased to able to provide these donkeys with a safe and secure future.'

Inspector Charlotte Melvin said: 'Their hooves were x-rayed and these x-rays showed that three of the donkeys were suffering from a great deal of pain, as their pedal bone - one of the bones in their feet - had rotated as a result. This would have made them very uncomfortable and led to suffering.

"Equines require a lot of specialist care and it is important to remember that people who have animals have a responsibility to look after them properly, and ensure they receive the proper veterinary treatment and care when they need it.'

Magistrates ordered Pickford to pay £2,250 in costs, a £240 fine and a £30 victim surcharge.

The donkeys are now in the care of The Donkey Sanctuary.

Fundraising campaign launched to buy Cooley Rorkes Drift

Jonty Evans came ninth at the Rio Olympic Games riding the horse

A three-day event rider has launched a fundraising campaign to buy the horse he rode at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Jonty Evans needs to raise £550,000 to buy Cooley Rorkes Drift after its owner put the horse up for sale.

Evans finished ninth in Rio, representing Ireland, and wants to compete in the European championships next month in Poland.

He said it would be "amazing" to win a medal on "the people's horse".

Mr Evans, from Andoversford in Gloucestershire, has trained and ridden the 11-year-old for the past six years.

'Heartbreaking'

The value of Cooley Rorkes Drift has risen due to its recent success and its owner now wants to sell him. Mr Evans has been given first-refusal to buy the horse.

"By virtue of the performances the horse has been very widely touted as one of the best event horses in the world, and unfortunately with that comes interest from wealthy people who can afford to buy the horse and take him away from me," he said.

He added it was "heartbreaking" to think all the "hard work could go somewhere else".

"We're a small team. We work so, so hard. We've put so much time and effort into it."

"If we could raise this money he would essentially become the people's horse," Mr Evans added.

"If he could stay with me and we could win a medal, and win it with the help of the public, it would just be amazing."

More than £80,000 has so far been raised in the first three days of the fundraising campaign.

Horse comes up with an ingenious way to relieve its uncomfortable back 

- The footage was shot in West Clandon, Surrey

- It shows a chestnut horse sitting on the vehicle with a leg in the air

- A man orders him off but the horse is not about to abandon his new scratch post

Details

Suggested captions for this photo

Says Bryony Dickens

Great picture! :-) Here are 3 different suggestions:

- Pressure from the outside leg behind the girth can cause the horse to spook left, shoot forward and the unwary rider to wobble and topple to the right!

- Alternative routes with varying degrees of difficulty are offered at the quarry complex.

- Visitors at the arboretum follow the signs to see a rare specimen of an Arrow tree.

GODOLPHIN STUD AND STABLE STAFF AWARDS

 NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN 

Nominations are now open for the 2018 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. The awards, now in their 14th year, recognise and reward the outstanding skills, commitment and contribution of racing's 6,000 stud and stable staff.

The awards, sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in association with the Racing Post, offer more than £120,000 in prize money, with up to £40,000 available to a single yard or stud.

Click below to view the Godolphin Stud and Stable Awards 2018 promo video:

As well as recognising and rewarding stud and stable staff, the awards are an advertisement for racing as a great place to work and an industry that looks after its horses and its people. The 'Rory MacDonald Community Award' recognises the contribution from stud and stable staff to benefit the wider community. To find out more about Racing's work in the community visit our Racing Together webpage.

Last year's winner of the Employee of The Year Award, Terry Doherty, said: "I truly believe these awards are the biggest thank you to all those people who have a passion for horses within our industry.

"It is this passion that drives them to work as hard as they all do. It is not the hardest thing in the world to nominate someone you feel deserves it but by doing so it could mean everything in the world to them." Nominations are now open for owners, trainers, breeders, colleagues and managers to show their appreciation for hard-working members of staff.

The nomination process is very simple and is available to trainers online via the Racing Administration website. Nominations can also be completed or downloaded via www.studandstablestaffawards.co.uk and www.racingpost.com

Rescue Horses Put Best Hooves Forward at Royal Norfolk Show

Almost 30 rescue horses and ponies competed at the Royal Norfolk Show yesterday (29th June) in the second year that the show has run these classes sponsored by World Horse Welfare.

Supreme Champion, Bert and Reserve Champion, Meresborough's Chevez

Each horse or pony competing had been rehomed from a range of charities including World Horse Welfare, Redwings, the RSPCA and many more with judging based on their background story in addition to their performance on the day.

World Horse Welfare Oliver and rehomer, Rachel Blake

Norwich-resident Nikki Cox and her horse, Bert, rehomed from Redwings stood overall champion of the section as well as winning the ridden four years old and over class, with World Horse Welfare Oliver and rehomer Rachel Blake, also from Norwich, taking first prize in the in-hand four years old and over class.

World Horse Welfare Sebastian

Other winners included Reserve Champion and first place in the in-hand under four years old category, Mereseborough's Chevez and Bury St Edmunds resident, Melanie Cole and Horse Rescue Fund Phoenix with rehomer Lindsey Plant from Toft Monks taking the top spot in the ridden fifteen years and over class.

World Horse Welfare Splodge

World Horse Welfare Deputy Chief Executive, Tony Tyler said:

"The rescue classes are a fantastic opportunity to showcase the amazing things that rehomed horses and ponies are capable of and we were delighted to see so many entrants from around the local area and beyond. Anyone seeing the horses and ponies competing at the show could never imagine the difficulties that so many of them have suffered in their lives and each and every one is a real credit to the rehomers who have helped give them a second chance."

World Horse Welfare Nutkin ridden by Darcy Fowler and led by Leah Fowler

Charlotte Dujardin

32        Great Britain's most successful Olympic equestrian