Secure A Sponsor

Get help to achieve your riding and competition goals, and cover some of the costs, by securing sponsorship. Here are some useful tips to get you started...

- Jo Browne

Owning a horse can be costly – throw competing into the mix and your bank account will drain faster than a greedy horse emptying his feed bucket. If you want to compete seriously and rise through the ranks and aim for championships, this can involve a huge financial commitment.

As well as entries and membership fees, there is transport to factor in, training costs and possibly new tack and equipment. The list goes on… And on… And on.

One way to cover some of the costs and help achieve your dreams is to secure sponsorship. This is where a company makes a financial contribution towards your expenses, or provides support in a different way, such as free or discounted products and services.

The good news is there are companies out there willing to support riders, and not only those competing at the highest levels of equestrian sports. Many businesses are just as keen to back people at grassroots level and recognise their commitment, passion and drive.

Set yourself up for success

There are several ways to go about seeking sponsorship, but first do some preparation. Decide which businesses or organisations you are going to target, who is the right person to speak to and work out how you might persuade them to support you. Companies will want to know what the benefits of sponsoring you will be.

Event rider Alice Goring advises approaching companies whose products you already use and love.

“You will come across as being passionate about the company and their products and this will give you a better chance of securing sponsorship,” says Alice.