Press room

Leading UK specialist equine insurance provider, Petplan Equine today announces its official sponsorship of Hickstead’s Ring 2, for the 2014 competition season following its successful involvement with last year’s Longines Royal International Horse Show. Stepping up its support for the world famous venue and home of the Hickstead Derby, Petplan Equine will enjoy a presence at the following events: the Equestrian.com Hickstead Derby Meeting (25th-29th June), the Longines Royal International Horse Show (29th July to 3rd August), the Hurstpierpoint College National Schools and Pony Club Jumping Championships (7th August) and the All England Jumping Championships (4th – 7th September).

The Petplan Equine Ring 2, a recently upgraded grass arena popular with picnicking spectators, is located adjacent to the Charles Owen shopping village between the car park and main arena. The Petplan Equine Ring 2 will feature a full competition programme across the four main events.

A key feature of the sponsorship will be the Petplan Equine educational stand located in the Charles Owen village at both the Equestrian.com Hicsktead Derby Meeting and the Longines Royal International Horse show.

Leading vet, Gil Riley of Poolhouse Equine Clinic, a former Petplan Equine Vet of the Year Award winner and key member of the insurer’s expert panel will be present on the stand to answer horse owners’ questions with the aim of helping them understand how to prevent illness and injury.

A particular focus on the stand will be lower limb lameness, the condition for which Petplan Equine receives the greatest number of claims. A larger-than-life-size model of the horse’s leg will be featured for the purposes of demonstrating the skeletal and soft tissue structures of the lower leg, where and how to take a horse’s pulse and bandaging techniques among others. Gil will be on hand to explain the key causes of lower limb lameness, strategies for avoiding it, how to spot a problem and the treatment available for such injuries.

Senior Marketing Executive for Petplan Equine, Charlotte Collyer, said: “We know that horse owners are always seeking the latest information on how best to care for their horses and that the condition for which we receive the most claims, lameness, is of particular interest. We are therefore extremely excited about being involved with Hickstead to share this knowledge with the venue’s large horse-owning audiences.”

In addition, visitors to the Petplan Equine stand will have the opportunity to enter a number of exciting give-aways and competitions throughout the pre-competition period.

“In addition to a fabulous array of giveaways on the stand, we will be rewarding our customers and Facebook fans with several chances to win tickets in the lead up to the events and join us at each. Hickstead is one of the country’s premier competition venues with shows staged throughout the year covering a wide spectrum of equestrian disciplines from show jumping, showing, dressage and pony club activities, making it extremely popular with our customers.” says Charlotte.

Hickstead’s head of sponsorship, Simon Gaskin is delighted that the country’s leading specialist equine insurer has joined his elite stable of sponsors. “Petplan Equine came to Hickstead last year and received such a positive reaction from competitors and spectators alike that they are returning this year with a comprehensive sponsorship programme across our flagship and key events. We are delighted to welcome a sponsor of Petplan Equine’s calibre in 2014 and very much look forward to working with their team”, explained Simon.

To keep up-to-date with Petpaln Equine’s exciting Hickstead happenings and for the chance to win, visit the Petplan Equine website at petplanequine.co.uk or follow them on facebook at www.facebook.com/PetplanEquineUK

Media enquiries: for further information, please contact:

Andrea Worrall at The GPC by email: [email protected] t: (01608) 654040

Tilly Tayler-Levy at The GPC by email: [email protected] t: (01608) 654040

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For more information please contact:

Name	Telephone	Email
Charlotte Collyer	0208 707 8335	[email protected]

Petplan Equine is the UK's leading horse insurance provider offering a wide variety of flexible horse insurance and rider insurance policies which cater for all levels of experience.

Established more than 20 years ago, Petplan Equine is part of Allianz Insurance, one of the largest general insurers in the world.

For more information about a Petplan Equine horse insurance policy, please visit:
petplanequine.co.uk/insurance/quote.asp

Note to editors:

• Petplan Equine offers comprehensive insurance cover for horses and ponies aged from 30 days. Established 26 years ago, Petplan Equine understands the evolving equestrian market and strives to enhance knowledge and understanding of the equine world through employing horse enthusiasts and working closely with the equine industry.
• Petplan Equine is part of the Petplan brand. Founded in 1976, Petplan is the UK's largest pet insurance provider, offering comprehensive cover for dogs, cats, rabbits and horses.