- Nominations are now open for The Jockey Club RoR Horse of the Year and the new The Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust RoR Community Impact Award
- RoR Awards night on Wednesday 31 January 2024 at The Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket
Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) is open to nominations for two prestigious RoR awards; the new Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust RoR Community Impact Award and The Jockey Club RoR Horse of the Year Award. The winner of each award will be revealed at the RoR Awards on 31 January 2024, at the historic Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket.
Feature Image: Owner Hannah Chisman accepts 2023 The Jockey Club RoR Horse of the Year from Aintree’s Clerk of the Course Sulekha Varma
RoR Elite Series Champions
The RoR Awards night provides a combined focus for both racing and equestrian worlds to celebrate the versatility and adaptability of thoroughbreds. The night includes presentations of the RoR Elite Series Champions across a total of seven different equestrian disciplines; dressage, endurance, showing, eventing, polo, showjumping and hunting.
The Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust RoR Community Impact Award
The Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust RoR Community Impact Award is a new award open to any individual, former racehorse partnership or an organisation that can show how using a former racehorse has made a significant impact on the quality of people’s lives and helped to make a difference in their community. Examples could include an important role your former racehorse has played in equine-assisted therapy or education, or something unique that has enabled or empowered those less fortunate.
The Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust was formed in 1998 following Peter’s retirement from the BBC. He had commentated on 50 Grand Nationals. When Peter passed away in 2015 his Trust continued, and since inception has donated over £15 million to animal welfare charities and to mental health and equine assisted learning organisations.
The Jockey Club RoR Horse of the Year Award
Introduced in 2014, The Jockey Club RoR Horse of the Year Award is firmly established as one of the most coveted titles. Previous recipients include well-known and popular former racehorses Liverpool, Monet’s Garden, Beware Chalk Pit, Monkerty Tunkerty, the late HM The Queen’s horse Quadrille and the incumbent title holder, First Fandango.
Nominations for The Jockey Club RoR Horse of the Year Award are open to all RoR registered former racehorses who can demonstrate how they have successfully transitioned from racing to a new career. The winner will once again receive the perpetual bronze trophy, as well as Club Admission and Hospitality for two people for the Opening Day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival meeting.
RoR’s Managing Director, David Catlow said:
“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with The Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust to create a new award to highlight the special bond horses develop with people and to demonstrate the impact that thoroughbreds can have to improve both physical and mental well-being.”
The RoR Awards night is packed with heartfelt stories of resilience and emotion, surprises and magical moments, once again capturing the hearts and enjoyment that former racehorses bring to many peoples’ lives long after they have retired from racing.
More information about the criteria and entry for either of the RoR Awards can be found at RoR-events. RoR will publish a shortlist of 12 horses for each award on 29 November 2023 to go forward to the RoR judging panel to determine the three finalists for both The Jockey Club RoR Horse of the Year Award and The Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust RoR Community Impact Award. From 18 December 2023 to 19 January 2024 the public will be able to vote on the finalists to decide the winner of each award.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.