Do you know an exceptional individual or organisation, as yet without accolade, within the equine sector? Nominations are now being invited for the National Equine Forum (NEF) Sir Colin Spedding Award 2021 and the organising committee is keen to hear if you have any shining stars on your radar.
The Sir Colin Spedding Award was introduced in 2013 and has become one of the most respected annual awards within UK equestrianism. Any individual or organisation, from any equestrian field, is eligible, as long as their outstanding qualities have not been formally acknowledged elsewhere.
This year’s NEF was one of the most successful in the event’s 28-year history. Held in London two weeks prior to lockdown it welcomed more than 200 delegates, including representation from most of the UK’s leading equestrian organisations. In addition, the event was livestreamed in 28 countries, with more than 1000 individual viewers, and social media engagement exceeded 20k on some posts. To increase interaction, both at the venue and remotely, audience participation tool Slido was introduced, enabling users to submit questions for live answers in post-presentation Q&A sessions.
Sir Colin Spedding was the founding chairman of the NEF and chaired the event for 20 years until his death in 2012. He ensured that representatives of all areas of the equine sphere were made welcome to the Forum, and that topics of general interest and concern could be discussed openly and amicably.
Previous winners of the Sir Colin Spedding Award include tireless Suffolk Punch champion Nigel Oakley (2020 joint winner); welfare-driven equestrian journalist Eleanor Jones (2020 joint winner); equine sector stalwart Gordon Wesley (2019); exceptional farrier Dr Simon Curtis (2018); fire and rescue pioneer Jim Green (2017); riding school and equestrian education champion Sue Martin, of Trent Park Equestrian Centre in London, (2016); Thoroughbred racing and breeding advocate Paul Greeves, formerly of Weatherbys, (2015); equine infectious disease expert Dr Andrew Waller on behalf of The Animal Health Trust (AHT) Infectious Disease Group (2014); and actor Martin Clunes in recognition of the collective work of the UK Equine Welfare charities during the winter of 2012 (2013).
To submit a nomination please read the checklist on the website and write, in no more than 100 words, why you believe your chosen candidate (an individual or an organisation) should be considered for the award. The NEF Spedding Award Committee will produce a shortlist of nominations, from which the winner will be selected by the Organising Committee. Multiple nominations for the same person will not carry additional merit and the decision will be final. The winner will be invited to attend the National Equine Forum, where the Award will be formally presented.
Please visit NEF’s website to complete your nomination. Closing date midday on 7 September 2020.
All the sessions from NEF 2020 can be viewed on NEF’s YouTube channel.
The 29th National Equine Forum will take place on Thursday 4 March 2021.
