The September Council Meeting was held online on Wednesday 23rd September and featured a highly informative and well-received presentation by Roly Owers MBE, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare. The presentation focused on the importance of maintaining the sport's Social Licence, or public acceptance, and highlighted key welfare concerns within the equestrian community as a whole.
 

A significant topic of discussion was the prevalence of overweight horses and ponies in the UK, with more than one-third of equines considered overweight and some classified as obese. Concerns were raised that such animals can still be rewarded in the show ring. Council members agreed that responsibility for equine welfare rests with everyone involved in the sport, including riders, producers and, importantly, judges.

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Following discussions at the March Council Meeting, Concussion Guidelines have now been developed and circulated. Member Bodies were advised to ensure they have a concussion policy in place ahead of the 2027 season.

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The 2027 hat and body protector recommendations have also been finalised and will be circulated shortly to MBs. It was emphasised that implementation of these important safety guidelines will help societies demonstrate good practice and provide valuable protection should an accident or injury occur at a show.

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Council members were reminded of the importance of effective communication within their organisations. Some representatives were unaware of whether the recently circulated governance checklist had been reviewed by their societies and all were encouraged to ensure information circulated by The Showing Council is regularly reviewed and implemented where helpful within their organisations. 

 

The legal responsibilities of company directors were also reiterated and guidance on directors' duties, board appointments and good governance practice, including a skills audit template, will be re-circulated.

 

Norma Grubb will be following up with MBs to establish if any have not yet appointed a Safeguarding Lead and to provide assistance to any Society which is struggling with this.  

 

Chris Hewlett provided an update on the Equestrian Workforce Survey, a major project aimed at creating the most comprehensive picture yet of the UK equestrian workforce. All Member Bodies are asked to circulate the survey to their memberships as a matter of urgency. The survey is anonymous and closes on 31st October. Strong participation from the showing community is vital to ensure its experiences and needs are accurately represented within the national evidence base.

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• Paid Staff, Freelancers, Self-Employed Professionals and Employers, click: BEF Workforce Survey

• Volunteers, click: BEF Volunteer Survey

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David Ingle reported on progress with the Welfare Guidelines and Unified Rules, including updates relating to Amateur Rules for societies running amateur classes at the Royal International Horse Show. Clarification has been provided regarding the reclassification of grooms who have previously worked in professional yards. Draft revisions to the welfare documents are currently undergoing final review with Jan Rogers, alongside consultation with the British Equestrian Federation (BEF), World Horse Welfare (WHW) and the British Horse Society (BHS).

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The NPS suggested that TSC consider investment in PR and marketing, and to include its social media channels in order to raise awareness of its work.  TSC is well  placed to provide impartial , evidence based guidance on issues such as competitor and horse welfare.  The Exec will report at conclusion of its research on this.