21/11/2023
What superb news, and SO very well deserved!
Congratulations to the whole Wellington International Horse Trials team! ๐ฅณ
๐๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฅ โ ๐ช๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐
All the hard work of Wellington Riding School staff & our dedicated volunteers was encapsulated with WIHT winning the prestigious industry accolade of โFEI Event Of The Year 2023โ from the SouthEast Eventers League (SEEL).
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ!
WIHT had a table of 10 attending the SEEL Ball at the weekend to accept this award - as you can see from this photo they all really enjoyed themselves, echoing the great comradery within the WITH team. Huge thanks to Ian N Bareham & the SEEL committee for all their efforts, not just organising an epic ball, but behind the scenes by supporting event organisers & riders from grassroots to professionals.
As always, Adrian Ditcham ensured that WIHT had the best going possible & provided beautifully presented yet challenging courses to keep both horses & riders thinking.
Even in its 12th year of running, this yearโs WITH event was all about celebrating exciting sporting firsts:
โจFirst time the course has been completely reversed
โจFirst ever horses went through the new lake complex
โจFirst time for public to fully access upper areas of the course
โจFirst time hosting the CCI1* class
WIHT 2023 had 11 nations represented at FEI level, 13 Olympians compete along with numerous high profile riders from around the country.
โIt is such a compliment to have had consecutively high entries year after year. 2023 entries were at the maximum even before ballot date, with 1253 entries received & numerous waitlists facilitated. With the ever changing landscape of the sport this yearโs entries required a Herculean effort to deliver from our staff, officials & army of volunteers. Our ethos across the Wellington Estate & Wellington Riding is to allow opportunities for all ends of the sport whilst brining communities together.โ โ David Sheerin Equestrian Coach FBHS
The WIHT Organising Team are already planning ahead for next yearโs expansion centring around the new lake complex as well as liaising with FEI Eventing to apply for future CCI4* status!
Thank you to our WIHT sponsors for continuing to support the sport with us!
Andrews Bowen Ltd BedSoft & HaySoft Berkshire Equine
Bruce's Charlotte Bury Photography Childeric UK Equine Exceed
Gusbourne Horse & Country TV H.Giles Fencing Highfield Park
LeMieux Lister Wilder Agriculture Nirvana Spa Pretty Green Landscapes Saracen Horse Feeds
British Eventing Official EHOA - The Event Horse Owners Association Event Riders Association BE Regional Youth Programme - South East British Eventing Volunteers British Eventing British Equestrian FEI Eventing