During the early summer months, The Equestrian Business Awards competition flooded Facebook, Instagram and all the other social media platforms alongside hard copy Horse magazines. It is the first horse industry award competition of its kind in the UK where every aspect of the horse world is identified and recognition is given to all those people and businesses who are essential to keeping all horses fit and well. Without them, horse owners would be lost!https://www.equestrianbusinessawards.co.uk/

There are 14 categories designed to reach out to every single type of small business, sole trader or enterprise up to medium-sized businesses like veterinary centres or retailers. The list is as follows:- Veterinary practice of the year. Competition Event Venue of the year. Horse Transporter of the year. Farrier of the year. Saddle fitter of the year. Therapist (big subject here- from physiotherapists, massage practitioners, McTimoney chiropractors, Thermographers, Osteopaths etc.) Dentist practitioner of the year. Instructor of the year. Riding school of the year. Livery yard of the year. Equine services of the year (another big subject list- from rug repairers, photographers to stud services) Groom of the year.  Retailer of the year and finally the category I have become a finalist in is Behavioural Trainer of the year ( for professionals who have helped to train and support horses and their owners to overcome specific behavioural and emotional barriers) https://www.instinctivehorsetraining.co.uk/services/behavioural-assessment-behaviour-modification/

Every business or practitioner must hold relevant/current qualifications and insurances and be part of their respective governing bodies. For me, that is the IAABC (International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants) https://m.iaabc.org/ PPG-BI (Pet Professional Guild British Isles) https://petprofessionalguild.co.uk/and ABMA ( Animal Behaviour Management Alliance)https://www.theabma.org/

I cannot believe that I received so many votes from people far and wide to become 1 of 5 finalists in my section from across the UK. I am both humbled and very grateful. I had a “Finalists interview” with a board of judges some weeks ago which was fun. This coming Friday ( 22^nd October) is the National Awards ceremony being held in Nottingham – where every finalist from every category, from all over the UK (Scotland, Wales and Ireland included) will come together for a glittering formal evening and be put out of their misery! 😊 It would be wonderful to actually win but to be fair, becoming a finalist from the 100s of entries in my subject is pretty awesome in its own right so I am more than content. I will let you know in the next edition as to how it all went.

I’m giving a heads up here to our local horse professional community here in East Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. I’m proud to say that there are 4 more Equestrian Business Award finalists in our midst- Amanda Beal https://business.facebook.com/AmandaBealEquineTransport/?business_id=255133058152268 from Long Lane in Beverley, who has become a finalist in the Horse Transporter of the year. She is everyone’s 4^th emergency service when it comes to transporting horses to Rainbow Veterinary Hospitalhttps://www.rainbowequinehospital.co.uk/ in Malton. Rainbow themselves are finalists in the Veterinary Practice of the Year and are such a progressive, advanced practice with the most amazing ambulatory team ever. I cannot thank them enough for the work they do in my yard. And finally, there is the brilliant Sharon Cooper BAEDT https://www.facebook.com/people/Sharon-Cooper-Eq-Dental/100012232514140from Grimsby who is a finalist in the equine Dentist of the Year category. Sharon is an essential member of my complimentary team for my yard. She is so skilled and so patient with my horses, especially brilliant at winning round the trust of some of my most traumatised training horses. Saff Bloom https://www.facebook.com/sbequinetherapy/ based in Hull and East Riding is a finalist in the Therapist of the Year category. I remember her coming to me for 2 weeks of work experience when she was a student at Bishop Burton quite a few years ago now! Very well done Saff!

It makes me very proud that our little neck of the woods in the UK has been recognised as a place of excellence with all these service providers gaining recognition. Like myself, Sharon, Saff and Amanda are all sole traders, yet we have all won through over 6000 national votes to all become finalists. There are 1000s of horse vets across the UK so Rainbow have done extremely well too! – Looks like Yorkshire is a winner when it comes to being the best in helping horses and horse owners.  😊

So good luck to everyone from every field who has become a finalist in the Equestrian Business Awards 2021. October 22nd Awards ceremony in Nottingham, It will be fun.