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Recognition
For Dressage Grooms At Hickstead |
The
backroom girls and boys with the responsibility of looking after
the world's elite dressage horses will receive official recognition
for the first time at the European Dressage Championships at Hickstead
(13th - 17th August).
The elite grooms, who travel the world with their charges, are to
be officially represented at the Championships by Grooms Co-Ordinator,
Lucy Katan, who will ensure that things run smoothly for them during
the event. As Official Sponsors of the Grooms, Natural Animal Feeds
will sponsor a new "Groom of the Show" award and time
has been allowed in the hectic schedule for this to be presented
in the International Arena. Grooms will be judged on their horse's
turn out, their stable area tidiness and general attitude and friendliness
at the show and the winning groom will receive a Jacket and a £100
cash prize from NAF.
The NAF financial commitment will also enable better facilities
and conditions to be provided for the hardworking grooms than are
usually available at major events. Each of the 80 or more grooms,
who will be visiting the UK from all over the world, will receive
a useful kit bag for use around the show. The bag will carry the
NAF and European Dressage Championships logos and will contain NAF
information and products, ensuring that the bag will become a valued
item and used repeatedly at future shows.
Tracey Lloyd, Marketing Manager for NAF, says "We are absolutely
delighted to be supporting the grooms in this way. It is about time
these unsung heroes were recognised for their part and treated in
the manner they deserve. All too often their hard work goes un-noticed,
and we all know that without the back-up of a dedicated, knowledgeable
groom, no horse or rider would ever make it into the arena in the
first place!"
Dressage at Hickstead is renowned for its friendly atmosphere that
is appreciated by competitors and spectators alike. The appointment
of Lucy Katan as International Grooms Co-Ordinator aims to ensure
that the grooms are made to feel welcome, comfortable and enjoy
their role at this special event. "I greatly appreciate the
vital role of the grooms at major events and we strive to ensure
that they are properly welcomed and well looked after at Hickstead"
says Show Director, Dane Rawlins.
Lucy was herself a groom at the WEG in 2002 and is now a member
of the BEF working party that is seeking to improve conditions and
career structure for elite grooms. "One of the aims is improvement
in the way that grooms are treated at competitions and I hope that
my commitment to Hickstead, and Hickstead's commitment to their
grooms shows that finally this issue is moving forwards" says
Lucy.
More information about the Championships is available on the website
www.edc2003.com. Tickets are
available from Ticketmaster on 0870 0602328 (24 hours) and at all
Ticketmaster ticket centres nationwide. Book online at www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
For Group bookings call 08705 94 94 94 94.
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