Sporting Horse Promotions, the specialist equestrian and racing promotions company founded by Elain Mellor and Sandy Thwaites, has won a 2002 Corporate Event Association (CEA) Award for The Best Sporting Hospitality Event. This was one of 17 annual industry awards which attracted 75 applicants. The awards were presented earlier this week (26 November) at The CEA Annual Awards Dinner at The Commonwealth Institute in London.

The Partnership, based just outside Lambourn, in Idstone, created and ran a programme of Horseracing Gift Experiences for one of the UK'S leading suppliers, Activity Superstore. The series of days out were run at both flat and jump meetings across the year at Newbury and Haydock; and included local training yard visits and tips and advice at the races. They are retailed on the High Street in a gift box, which includes a voucher for the day out and a horseracing book to provide a quality gift. The tours, which offer a real insight into the sport tend to attract those with an interest in horses generally, or armchair punters.

Commented Sandy Thwaites: "The days have been a real eye opener for our guests who typically follow racing on the television but haven't ventured on to the racecourse before; so the programme has really encouraged more people to go racing and to become further involved with the sport. We would like to thank Newbury and Haydock and the various trainers who have given the programme their support including: Clive Cox, Noel Chance, Willie Muir, Lavinia Taylor, Barry Hills and Richard Ford."

The CEA Awards are run in partnership with Haymarket Events and were judged by a panel of leading corporate buyers, major event organisers and the media. In addition to hospitality, Sporting Horse Promotions offers the full range of marketing consultancy services in the horse sports world including public relations, sponsorship and design & print.