One of our Donkey Welfare Advisers joined representatives from eight other animal welfare charities at the 248th Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.
Jess Bush was part of a collaborative effort involving fellow National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) members at the annual event, which is one of the most important dates in the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities' calendar.
Jess joined colleagues from RSPCA, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, Blue Cross, World Horse Welfare, Bransby Horses, The British Horse Society, Oak Tree Animals and The Horse Trust on the Appleby Horse Project, which supports the protection and wellbeing of horses and other equines.
As one of the biggest gatherings of equine owners in Europe, NEWC members have had a presence there for many years, providing expert guidance and advice to owners on the ground and using the event to promote better animal welfare.
Despite increasing awareness of the importance of good welfare, this year’s event saw the deaths of a three-year-old stallion and a Shetland pony, both suspected of being caused by exhaustion through overwork. These sad events underline the ongoing need for the Appleby Horse Project.
One very successful initiative of the project is the Best at Appleby Awards, which recognise the very best examples of horse health, happiness and horsemanship. This year, 24 awards were given out at the event held in the Cumbrian town of Appleby-in-Westmorland including a Vet’s and People’s Champion.
Nicola Berryman, Welfare Vet at Redwings Horse Sanctuary, is one of the awards judges and has been attending the fair since 2012. She said: “The fair is a place of extremes for us as vets, and there’s no question that judging Best at Appleby is my favourite part of my role.
“It is an honour to meet the wonderful owners of these well-cared-for horses and ponies – and of course Malcolm, this year’s mule!
“It’s always a difficult decision to choose the overall Vet’s Champion for the fair, which the vets select from the Best at Appleby award winners throughout the event on the final day. It was close between a couple of the winners, but we’re thrilled to award it to Traditional Cob Grace and her lovely owners.”
For Jess Bush from our own Welfare team, this was her first visit to Appleby Fair in her role with The Donkey Sanctuary. She said: “It was amazing to have the opportunity to be part of the engagement team and to work alongside such experienced and knowledgeable charities. It was good to see how many people engaged with us and I really enjoyed hearing people's experiences and their interest in good equine welfare.”
“It was also great to see Malcolm the mule in such good condition and winning a Best at Appleby award. It is worth remembering though that due to their intelligence and unique characteristics, mules (and hinnies) can be easily misunderstood, and anyone thinking of owning one needs to take this into consideration. Our website is a great place to start learning about these wonderful creatures.”
Nicola Berryman added: “We know there are a range of welfare standards at the fair, and no one is pretending that there aren’t welfare concerns at the event, but there is a lot to celebrate as well and that’s what Best at Appleby is about. We’re looking forward to celebrating 10 years of these wonderful awards at next year’s fair.”