Horses - Tremendous Support Shown for Equestrian Cornwall Health and Safety Evening - February 2001 - equiworld.net

TREMENDOUS SUPPORT SHOWN FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY EVENING read on.......

Two-hundred representatives from shows, events and equestrian organisations travelled to the Crossroads Motel, Scorrier, from all over Devon and Cornwall in support of equestriancornwall's Health and Safety evening to take advantage of the unique opportunity to listen and also have their questions answered by a top-class panel of experts. The significance of the evening was confirmed by the attendance of Jacky Wood the Chief Executive of the British Showjumping Association who travelled down from Warwickshire in support of the evening also giving her an opportunity to gain an insight into the problems experienced by show organisers at the grass route level of the sport.

Panellists Christopher Riddle (Royal Cornwall Show Secretary/Vice Chairman of the Association of Shows & Agricultural Organisation); Jane Phillips (Solicitor specialising in Personal Injury and Equine Law); Bill Cook (Risk Assessor for the Pony Club at Branch, Area & National Level) and George Harvey (BSJA Course-builder) began the evening with a short address each of them covering various aspects of Health and Safety at Events and Shows. Jacky Wood joined the panellists for the second part of the evening which gave everyone an opportunity to ask and receive an answer to their own specific concerns.

Kathryn Pearn owner of equestriancornwall said: "It will be a long time before we have the opportunity to pick the brains of such a distinguished panel again and I sincerely thank our experts for coming along this evening and giving their time so generously.

"I would especially like to thank Jacky Wood for her support and hope she has also gained information from the evening which will assist with her input towards a combined Health and Safety policy from the sport's governing bodies."

The panel were kept busy answering a host of question covering a wide-range of concerns over a period lasting an hour-and-a-half many organisers also taking advantage of a one-to-one discussion with the experts during the interval.

Representatives from the St John's and Red Cross were also in demand and Equine Veterinary Peter Sowerby was another expert on call throughout the evening.

Over two-hundred Safety Packs sponsored by equestriancornwall which include a host of information were passed out to organisers who attended the evening but for those Show Secretaries who were unable to come please contact kathrynpearn@btconnect.com it you would like your own pack.

A sample of the questions and answers asked during the evening will appear on this site in the next few days as well as a variety of items included in the pack which can be downloaded.

Kathryn Pearn concluded: "I would like to thank everyone for their tremendous support and hope they felt the evening was of benefit and look forward to seeing you all this coming season and wish you the best of luck with your shows and events."