November is proving to be a busy month! The highlight of which has been the announcement that MARS EQUESTRIAN™ have stepped up to become our title sponsor, which we feel an honour and privilege to have the added support of a company that has the wellbeing and welfare of humans, horses and dogs at its heart.
Lightsource bp will again be our official partner and how grateful I am to them for their continued support.
Andrew Temkin (USA), who is in his second year as the FEI Technical Delegate, visited Badminton last weekend and joined Eric Winter (Course Designer) and Mike Etherington-Smith (Course Advisor) on a cross-country course walk last Saturday. It was interesting to hear their first thoughts on the course and how they see it evolving over the winter. It will now be down to James and Timmy Willis to build the fences and bring alive the Course Designer’s ideas!
Earlier this week, we also had the preliminary meeting with the TV production team, Chris Lewis and Michael Cole, which included another course walk and the initial placing of the cameras. This is much more technical than I first realised, as the cameras have to encompass many different aspects, including the fence being jumped, the line the rider is approaching from and going on to and possibly taking in another fence, plus of course sponsors’ banners, but at the same time avoiding the hampering of the spectators’ view. The number of trees in the park do not always help!
I have just returned from a very enjoyable evening at the Horse & Hound Awards. What a great occasion and so good to witness all the worthy prize winners, both human and equine, receiving their awards, with Terry Pendrey, the late Queen’s stud groom receiving the Lifetime Achievement award. Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo not surprisingly also featured in the awards.
The office team have been busy, the Box Office preparing for the opening in the New Year and the rest of the office team’s work is ramping up working with tradestand holders, officials, etc. I hope you like the new website!