The Blair Castle International Horse Trials official charity for 2014 will be HorseBack UK. The Aberdeenshire-based charity works with wounded veterans by introducing them to horses to help improve their rehabilitation, mobility and confidence. 2014 is the Centenary Year of World War One which will create even more awareness for this importance cause.
HorseBack UK not only helps service personnel who have been mentally and physically scarred it also employs instructors who have themselves been injured as a result of service to their country. The charity will benefit from raising its profile at the 2014 Blair Castle International Horse Trials (21-24 August), which attracts over 40,000 spectators every year. There will also be the opportunity to collect donations throughout the four days of competition at Blair Castle, which itself was converted into an auxiliary hospital during World War One.
Alec Lochore, Event Director of Blair Castle International Horse Trials and Country Fair, commented “HorseBack UK has developed a unique concept in providing aid through riding horses to veterans who have been wounded during active service. Both organisations share a love of horses and we look forward to providing support to HorseBack UK”.
Jock Hutchison at HorseBack UK, said “This partnership is the perfect way for us to raise awareness of the good that can be done through introducing injured servicemen and women to horses and with the very best athletes from the sport of eventing competing at Blair Castle we will be able to build on this association”.
Alec Lochore added “We expect this year’s event to be a hugely busy occasion with a host of competitions and activities for spectators to enjoy. It will also provide the stepping stone to the Blair Castle FEI European Eventing Championships in September 2015, providing Scotland with a major international competition to look forward to”.
