Welcome to the 3rd issue of our BEMA Bulletin, which has a post-Olympic flavour to it as you’d expect, as well as items on two of our major UK shows. I hope you had a successful summer in whichever branch of the equestrian world you work. My outings comprised the Olympics, the NPS at Malvern and Blenheim. Not a bad trio of top events. I won’t tell your which was my favourite, but a clue is I’ve been going to it in one form or another since 1970! If you’ve not caught up with the BEMA Bulletin yet, the aim is to produce a quarterly newsletter purely for BEMA members. No-one else is sent it. Committee updates, news about members, info from shows and riders you may have missed, internal stuff - generally content to enhance your BEMA membership. I hope you like it, and do get in touch if you have anything to offer.
Charles Runcie
Editor BEMA Bulletin
charles@charlesruncie.co.uk
BLENHEIM TO HOST EUROPEAN EVENTING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Agria Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials has been awarded the FEI Eventing European Championship for 2025. The event will take place from the 18th-21st September 2025. The Oxfordshire venue previously ran the FEI Eventing European Championship in 2005. It is the first senior Eventing championship to be held in Great Britain since Blair Castle in 2015.“It is a great honour to be bringing the FEI Eventing European Championship back to Britain. Blenheim is such a fitting backdrop, with the Palace and the spectacular parkland cross country course, and we look forward to welcoming the teams and their supporters for a truly memorable occasion” said Event Organiser, Katrina Midgley of organisers Stable Events.It will be the 37th running of the bi-annual FEI Eventing European Championship, which started in 1953, the 12th occasion that Great Britain has been the host nation, and the 35th anniversary of the first international horse trials at Blenheim. “Blenheim is long established as a popular and beautiful Eventing venue and we are very much looking forward to the FEI Eventing European Championship taking place there,” FEI Eventing Director Catrin Norinder said. At the most recent FEI Eventing European Championship, held in Le Pin au Haras in 2023 Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, along with Team Great Britain, were crowned champions. Next year will be Agria's first as title sponsor. “Could there be a more thrilling way to celebrate the third UK birthday of our game-changing lifetime equine insurance than by becoming Blenheim's title sponsor for the 2025 Agria FEI Eventing European Championships?” said Vicki Wentworth, Chief Executive of Agria UK. It’s a brilliant event that always produces a memorable competition."
Laura Collett & Hester at Blenheim © BPIHT / Libby Law
TITLE SPONSOR FOR BEMA LUNCH AND AWARDS
Agria — the world's oldest pet and equine insurer, which introduced its game changing and unique lifetime equine insurance to the UK two years ago — is delighted to be supporting, as title sponsor, the British Equestrian Media Association (BEMA) lunch and awards, which take place at the London International Horse Show on Wednesday 18th December.
The lunch is the single biggest annual gathering of British equestrian and national sporting media, including photographers, commentators, broadcasters and influencers besides top riders and industry figures. BEMA originally came into being to help lobby for improved working conditions for the equestrian media. Nowadays its role also involves seeking ways to increase equestrian coverage, to thank the riders and other members of the equestrian community who are so generous with their time and encourage young people into the profession.
A small number of awards — voted for by BEMA members — are made to riders and senior figures within the sport each year, plus one or two to recognise the outstanding photography and journalism of the year. This year, the Agria British Equestrian Writers Association will be launching a bursary to offer support to a young media professional.
Agria UK’s CEO Vicki Wentworth commented: “We’re delighted to support BEMA’s lunch and awards. We're very appreciative of just how much our friends in the media do for the profile of horse sports, and brands like ours, which support them. London International is where Christmas really starts for any horse-lover, and we look forward saying well done and thank you to riders and media alike at the Agria BEMA lunch and awards.”
Photo: Vicki Wentworth, CEO Agria UK
BLENHEIM VISIT
The lovely surroundings of the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials was destination for a large group of BEMA members on Friday 20th September, at the invitation of the Event Organiser Katrina Midgley and Event Director James Gower. They were keen to get one or two new BEMA members along for them to see how it’s grown over the years. We had an interesting session with Katrina and James on how they see things going with the trials. It proved a good insight into how commercially aware horse trials need to be these days, and how it sits within the wider portfolio of events their company Stable PR do. A course walk with event rider Simon Grieve - fortunately the rain just about held off – then afternoon tea in the VIP Pavilion completed a fascinating day out. Huge thanks to BEMA member April Coate of Coate PR for pulling it all together.
Photo caption: Our BEMA group enjoying their day out.
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Lynne, our hard-working Treasurer, reminds us: “If you’ve not already done so, please ensure your membership fees for 2024 are up to date. Payment of £25 for 2024 membership must be made by 31st October via bank transfer so I can finalise the annual accounts”. Details:
British Equestrian Media Association
HSBC bank
Sort code: 40-38-18
Account number 71298291
REFLECTIONS ON PARIS
BEMA member Amy Powell, who was Venue Media Manager - Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon for the Olympic Games in Versailles, has some honest thoughts on her time there.Even after both the Olympic and Paralympic flags have gone down, those iconic images of equestrian sport in front of the Chateau de Versailles will most certainly live on in my memory for years to come.
Needless to say the sport didn’t necessarily start off in the best light, after the Charlotte du Jardin story broke days before the Opening Ceremony, but the Brits did an incredible job of showing the world what true equestrian partnerships are made of. Thanks to their incredible performances and the stunning venue, the media furore swiftly turned to a very positive vibe in the mixed zone. Our media centre was alive and kicking, particularly on medal days when the IOC came to monitor media attention, which can only be a positive thing for the sport.
We regularly hosted 200 members of the media on any given day, a true testament to the attraction of well-run sport in a beautiful, yet central setting. This popularity really came to light when we managed to visit other venues during our ‘transition days’ when the venue moved its attention to Modern Pentathlon. What you would deem ‘more popular’ Olympic sports such as track cycling, beach volleyball and aquatics all drew in significantly less photographers than we hosted in Versailles, even on our quietest days. On a day with two medal ceremonies in the Velodrome they had less than 10% of our maximum number (100) of photographers on team showjumping medal day. With our news conferences regularly attracting 40 – 50 attendees, this far outstripped the number of those attending the artistic swimming finals. Our mixed zone, buzzing with up to 70 members of the media at once, put the attendance figures under the lights of the Eiffel Tower for Beach Volleyball to shame.
All of this is to say that it could be so easy to fall into the trap of thinking our little niche sport in the corner of the global sports industry could be long forgotten, as those iconic images disappear from our social media feeds. However, having witnessed the incredible appetite for our sports from media and spectators alike, in figures I never thought imaginable and without my rose tinted glasses on, there really is room for us to propel equestrianism to even higher limits, bigger audiences and more sponsors.We as a collective of journalists, media managers, agencies, athletes and supporters have the responsibility to keep pushing this momentum forwards. We must capitalise on it as much as we possibly can, to continue the good work achieved by the athletes, national and international federations, to secure the place of equestrian sports at the Olympic table for many Olympic Games to come. Now is the time to shout about the success and attraction of our sport, and be part of that Olympic legacy conversation.
BEMA EVENING AT HOYS
BEMA members were among the guests at the 75th anniversary Horse of the Year Show at the NEC, a lovely invitation from show organisers. Lots of reminiscences about when we all first went. For your Editor it was 50 years ago, with the Prince Philip Cup Mounted Games organisers, at a muddy Wembley Arena in 1974
Pictured l-r: Charles Runcie, Rupert Bell, Andrew Baldock, Christina Jones from Blacktype, Scott Rowley from Bolesworth.
PHOTO OF THE YEAR
Following on from the success of the inaugural award, it will again be open to all paid-up members for 2024. Entries will be judged by a panel made up of BEMA Committee members, with Kit Houghton presiding. The winner will receive a trophy. Further details, along with the T+C’s, can be found on the BEMA website www.bema.org.uk
AGM DIARY DATE
The annual BEMA AGM, lunch and awards ceremony will be held at the London International Horse Show at Excel on Wednesday 18th December. The AGM starts at 11.15, with pre-lunch drinks at midday followed by lunch and the awards presentation. Lunch tickets will be £80 per head, and non-members are also welcome. It will be limited to 90 guests. Last year’s event at our new venue was a resounding success, with many new contacts being made by BEMA members. Further details, including nominations, voting, and application for lunch tickets will be sent out by Lynne Reed later this month.
A CLEAR ROUND WITH
….In each issue we spotlight one of our BEMA members, find out a little more about them and their equestrian life. For this issue we turn the spotlight on equestrian photographer Nico Morgan.
1. What 3 words describe you? Pedantic, perfectionist, light-hearted.
2. First horsey memory? My Mother, uncles and aunts all hunted and team chased. One of my uncles was a successful trainer of pointers, and owned horses under rules so, I remember thoroughbreds being everywhere I went as a child.
3. How and when did you start working in equestrian sport? I'd been paid for photography since my time at university but didn't focus on equestrian sport until 2006, when a friend persuaded me to go and photograph two of the local hunts.
4. Favourite memory from our sport? There are many, but recording the reactions of the friends and family of Piggy and Thomas when they revealed at their ‘Badminton Party’ that it was actually going to be their wedding.
5. Name someone you’ve admired in the equestrian world. When you've photographed grassroots sport and young horse classes it is difficult not to have huge respect for anybody who makes it to the top level in any discipline and the amount of work involved.
6. What’s your current equestrian work? My work is a mixture of commercial photography projects, normally equine related, plus content creation days with riders and event photography for various companies across dressage, showjumping, showing and eventing. Recently I've covered the Petplan Championships, HOYS, team chasing, showjumping, fun rides, and lots of hunting.
7. What one change in the sport would you like to see? A return to teams of four and a discarded score in the Olympic Games.
8. Describe life away from collecting rings, media centres and PR releases. I live with my partner and three dogs in the Vale of Belvoir. I enjoy playing cricket for a wandering club in the inter-hunt league in the Midlands. I also develop web sites. One of my current projects is a database of equine qualifications, funded by a grant from the Scottish Government.
9. Tell us a little-known fact about yourself. As a teenager I chose boats over horses, having grown up in a family serious about both. I went on to race at National Championship level in several dinghy classes and Championships on three different yachts.
10. Who’d play you in a Hollywood movie? I don't know about someone playing me, but my friends think I already feature in ‘The Simpsons’ playing Milhouse Van Houten!Cheers Nico. You can find him and his work at www.nicomorgan.co.uk
MEDIA ACCREDITATION FOR THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL HORSE SHOW
Media Accreditation for the 2024 show, taking place at the Excel Arena from December 18th-22nd, is now open. Please complete and submit the form on their official website www.londonhorseshow.com. If you have any queries email Henrietta Collier on henriettac@hpower.co.uk
‘JOHN WHITAKER – THE LEGEND’
Experience the thrill of showjumping superstar John Whitaker's life through the pages of 'John Whitaker - The Legend,' as told to new BEMA member Sarah Peacocke. Launching later this month, this new biography delves into the extraordinary life and career of John Whitaker MBE. John has been an international show jumper for over 40 years, and in a career spanning six decades been to six Olympic Games, four World Equestrian Games, three World Championships and represented Great Britain at more than 200 Nations Cups. His story is one of incredible success, heart-breaking loss, near-death injury and lost opportunity.‘John Whitaker - The Legend’ takes a comprehensive and in-depth look at John Whitaker’s life, told in his own words. He recalls the early years of him and his three brothers riding and competing ponies, the challenges he faced and the triumphs with fabled horses like Ryan’s Son, Milton and Gammon that defined his career. This is a must-read book, about a rider who’s become one of the most admired horseman in the world. Available from 20th October, the book can be pre-ordered on www.johnwhitakerthelegend.com for £18.99 plus P&P. It will also be available to buy at the Equine America stand at Your Horse Live at Stoneleigh Park (8 – 10th November) and on the Equine America and Horse and Rider stands at The London International Horse Show at London ExCeL (18 – 22 December).For media enquiries please contact the author Sarah Peacocke at sarah.peacocke@gmail.com or Whatsapp: 07984 090560.
The BETA Marketing Effectiveness Award
Specialist Marketing and Communications agency, The Grand Plan Consultancy (The GPC) was delighted to be named Runner Up in the BETA Holdsworth PR Marketing Effectiveness Award for its Agria Horse of a Lifetime campaign last month
The Horse of a Lifetime campaign was brought to life by The GPC’s Founder, Panda Worrall to help launch Agria’s game-changing lifetime equine insurance policies two years ago. The campaign's aim was to celebrate Agria's support for how the 'ordinary horse’ can be someone’s extraordinary ‘horse of a lifetime’, — and that all horses have an equal right to universally wonderful care for their entire lifetimes.
The campaign was thus named as a playful nod to Agria’s unique ‘lifetime’ equine insurance.
It launched with a social media campaign inviting public nominations for Agria’s Horse of a Lifetime's regular winners and featuring numerous top riders’ ‘horse of a lifetime’ stories. As the campaign rolled out it incorporated a full range of marketing, PR, social media, advertising and sponsorship initiatives including encouraging Horse & Hound to add the Horse of a Lifetime award to its annual Horse & Hound Awards and a regular Horse of a Lifetime podcast with Equi-Ratings, each sponsored by Agria.
Agria is a full partner in the delivery of the Horse of a Lifetime campaign with it now forming part of Agria’s activity at shows and events, where visitors can enter their horse's details on the Agria exhibition stand.
The GPC has been proud to develop a truly integrated campaign that demonstrates Agria's values and respect for the horse-human bond in a way that involves great stories, interactivity, high visibility and accessibility, and celebrates all horses from treasured family ponies to world champions.
“Working with a brand like Agria that puts the horse, and horse welfare, at its heart, is fun and incredibly rewarding, and this campaign embodies how much can be achieved when agency and client have a shared vision,” says The GPC’s Founder, Andrea Worrall.
“Thank you to our friends at Agria for their involvement every step of the way, and to BETA for recognising the hard work we’ve all put in.”Photo: The GPC's Andrea Worrall & Agria UK's Vicki Wentworth accept the award - and a bottle of bubbly
BLACKTYPE DIGITAL NEWS
Christina Jones from Blacktype Digital contacted me to say: Here at Blacktype Digital we’ve been busy developing bespoke marketing software for equine businesses. If you use newsletter tools like Mailchimp & Active Campaign, or social media scheduling tools like Hootsuite and Buffer for your own business or on behalf of your clients, then we’re confident we have a better alternative.
Our all-in-one platform is designed to save you time and money. Use our powerful tools to enhance your content and marketing services, offer our software to clients as a value-add and earn additional income through software subscription referrals.If you’d like to find out more, and for a no-obligation demo email christina@blacktypegroup.com