“Coming new to any sport at any age can be daunting, but as myself and our members are aware, eventing is actually a very welcoming and inclusive discipline where there is space and events for all,” says British Eventing CEO, Rosie Williams OBE. “So therefore, it is always a surprise to hear that people see BE eventing as unattainable, and mistakenly think that they aren’t good enough to join us.”
With this in mind, British Eventing have launched an innovative ‘Here to Help’ campaign to assist with the breaking down of barriers. The aim is to ensure that anyone who wishes to event at any level or ability, is aware that they can do so within the encouraging, supportive and progressive environment offered by the National Governing Body of the sport.
“It is important for us to break down these misconceptions by highlighting how accessible and welcoming our sport really is,” explains Rosie Williams. “The ‘Here to Help’ campaign is designed to encourage new members to try eventing, whilst also ensuring that our current members understand how much we value them and are aware of the support on offer. To achieve this, we will have BE ambassadors on the ground at events who are knowledgeable in what it takes to event and can work directly with members to help them get the most out of their competition days.
“That help might come in the shape of walking the course with them to show them the right decisions to make, helping them with competition guidelines, and being a general motivator to ensure everyone has the best experiences possible. Whether someone is new to eventing or a long-standing member, BE are passionate about helping members get the most out of everything our brilliant sport has to offer.”
The launch of the ‘Here to Help’ campaign was integrated within BE’s annual Stakeholder Day, which took place at the weekend (24th February 2024). As a National Governing Body, BE work hard to ensure that all stakeholders are given a platform in which to express their thoughts and help shape the future of the sport. The stakeholder day, once again, proved to be a great success in achieving this.
“It was fitting to launch ‘Here to Help’ during the Stakeholder Day as both are focussed on moving the sport forward and coming up with solutions to the challenges faced, and this forms the start of looking at setting the strategic direction for the sport,” added Rosie Williams. “I would like to thank Sport England whose funding has allowed for the role out and launch of the Here to Help campaign.”
Alongside the opportunity for open communication, the day encompassed discussions on BE’s role, geographical spread of events, venue viability and cost, entry fees and the owner experience, social license, horse welfare, concussion and the work being done by British Eventing Support Trust, finishing with ‘what does success look like this time next year?’ We will be publishing the outcomes of the Stakeholder Day in the coming weeks.
Look out for the people here to help!
Further information on Sport England and the work they do can be found here.
