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2003
European Dressage Championships
Recognition For Dressage Grooms At Hickstead
 The
backroom girls and boys with the responsibility of looking
after the world's elite dressage horses will receive
official recognition for the first time at the European
Dressage Championships at Hickstead (13th - 17th August).
The elite grooms, who travel the world with their charges,
are to be officially represented at the Championships
by Grooms Co-Ordinator, Lucy Katan, who will ensure
that things run smoothly for them during the event.
As Official Sponsors of the Grooms, Natural Animal Feeds
will sponsor a new "Groom of the Show" award and time
has been allowed in the hectic schedule for this to
be presented in the International Arena. Grooms will
be judged on their horse's turn out, their stable area
tidiness and general attitude and friendliness at the
show and the winning groom will receive a Jacket and
a £100 cash prize from NAF.
The NAF financial commitment will also enable better
facilities and conditions to be provided for the hardworking
grooms than are usually available at major events. Each
of the 80 or more grooms, who will be visiting the UK
from all over the world, will receive a useful kit bag
for use around the show. The bag will carry the NAF
and European Dressage Championships logos and will contain
NAF information and products, ensuring that the bag
will become a valued item and used repeatedly at future
shows.
Tracey Lloyd, Marketing Manager for NAF, says "We are
absolutely delighted to be supporting the grooms in
this way. It is about time these unsung heroes were
recognised for their part and treated in the manner
they deserve. All too often their hard work goes un-noticed,
and we all know that without the back-up of a dedicated,
knowledgeable groom, no horse or rider would ever make
it into the arena in the first place!"
Dressage at Hickstead is renowned for its friendly
atmosphere that is appreciated by competitors and spectators
alike. The appointment of Lucy Katan as International
Grooms Co-Ordinator aims to ensure that the grooms are
made to feel welcome, comfortable and enjoy their role
at this special event. "I greatly appreciate the vital
role of the grooms at major events and we strive to
ensure that they are properly welcomed and well looked
after at Hickstead" says Show Director, Dane Rawlins.
Lucy was herself a groom at the WEG in 2002 and is
now a member of the BEF working party that is seeking
to improve conditions and career structure for elite
grooms. "One of the aims is improvement in the way that
grooms are treated at competitions and I hope that my
commitment to Hickstead, and Hickstead's commitment
to their grooms shows that finally this issue is moving
forwards" says Lucy.
More information about the Championships is available
on the website www.edc2003.com.
Tickets are available from Ticketmaster on 0870 0602328
(24 hours) and at all Ticketmaster ticket centres nationwide.
Book online at www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
For Group bookings call 08705 94 94 94 94.
Related Links
Long List British Dressage
Riders for 2003 European Championships Announced
Kate Hoey Criticizes BBC at European
Dressage Launch
FEI
Names Judges for 2003 European Dressage Championships
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