A month before nominations close for the FEI Awards 2011, Ros Spearing, founder and director of the London-based Ebony Horse Club, the winner in last year’s Development category, recalls her pleasure in receiving it.
Ros Spearing, founder and director of the Ebony Horse Club, a charity that has in 15 years enabled more than 300 children living in one of London’s most deprived boroughs to enjoy the benefits of riding and caring for horses said: “Receiving international recognition from the FEI was a fantastic boost after years of hard work.”
When Spearing accepted the FEI’s Development Award on behalf of the Ebony Horse Club in November 2010, the charity was £79,000 away from its goal of raising £1.4 million to build a community equestrian centre in Brixton, south London.
The club achieved its objective several weeks after the FEI Awards ceremony. Building work on the equestrian centre is currently underway and the first riding lessons will take place in October of this year. More information is available at http://www.ebonyhorseclub.org.uk/.
The FEI’s Development Award rewards a person or organisation dedicated to making equestrianism accessible to a wider public or developing the sport in some way. It is one of five FEI Awards that reward equestrian heroes from around the world.
This year’s winners will fly to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to attend the FEI Awards ceremony at a gala evening organised at the Copacabana Palace, the famous Art Deco hotel facing Copacabana Beach.
Nominations in the five awards categories (Development, Against all Odds, Reem Acra Best Athlete, HSBC Rising Star, Best Groom) should be made via the dedicated website http://www.feiawards.org/.
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