The founder of a city riding school has received a prestigious award for his dedication to helping children of all backgrounds enjoy horses.
Imran Atcha, of St James City Farm Riding School in Gloucester, was announced as the winner of the Sir Colin Spedding Award at this year’s National Equine Forum (NEF) on 3 March.
Lynda Warth, British Horse Society (BHS) County Access and Bridleways Officer for Cambridgeshire, was highly commended as an award finalist.
“For the past 15 years, Imran has shown dedication and tireless energy in breaking down barriers to provide access to horses and other animals through his youth work and St James City Farm Riding School,” said a spokesman for the NEF. “The riding school introduces children to horses in one of the most built up and deprived areas of Gloucestershire, especially children from ethnic minority communities.
“Lessons are deliberately made affordable, and the ponies are also taken to primary schools and community settings. Children are introduced to different aspects of the equine world including shows, racing, eventing and horse care. Imran also advises British Equestrian and other equestrian establishments on measures to make horses more accessible.”
Imran said that while he was at the forefront of the riding project, it was not a one man operation.
“The work is accomplished by many different people and organisations over a long period, so I am extremely grateful for all their support and very humbled by this recognition, which is really a tribute to their efforts,” he said. “We have come a long way since 2007 and we still have a lot more to do inshallah (God-willing).”
Lynda Warth and HRH The Princess Royal. Credit: Craig Payne Photography www.craigpayne.co.uk.
Lynda Warth was highly commended as a finalist in recognition of the scope of the access work she undertakes on behalf of equestrians in Cambridgeshire and around the country.
“Initially helping to secure a local bridleway was the catalyst for Lynda to push for equestrian access rights to become engrained in policy; consideration of equestrian access is now a requirement for Cambridgeshire building and transport projects thanks to her endeavours,” added the NEF spokesman. “Lynda has worked to include different recreational activities within the access network, so that wherever possible families can exercise together safely, whether walking their dog, cycling, riding or carriage driving.”
Lynda Warth said she felt “hugely privileged” to be selected as a finalist for the award.
“I see it as recognition by the equestrian community of the often challenging, always ongoing, hard work of Access Volunteers to protect existing paths, to search for routes which should be available and to seize every opportunity to improve the national bridleway network for current and future generations of horse riders and carriage drivers,” she said.
Unsung heroes
Sir Colin Spedding was the founding chairman of the NEF and chaired the event for 20 years until his death in 2012. He ensured that representatives of all areas of the equine sphere were made welcome to the forum, and that topics could be discussed openly. The award was introduced in 2013, in his memory.
It is presented annually to an unsung hero of the horse world. Any individual or organisation from any equestrian field in the UK is eligible, as long as their qualities have not been formally acknowledged elsewhere.
Claire Williams, Executive Director of the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) won the Special Covid-19 Sir Colin Spedding Award in 2021. Previous winners of the standard Sir Colin Spedding Award include Suffolk Punch champion Nigel Oakley (2020 joint winner); welfare-driven equestrian journalist Eleanor Jones (2020 joint winner); Gordon Wesley, champion of the equestrian cause (2019); Dr Simon Curtis, FWCF a practicing farrier in Newmarket, Suffolk (2018); and Jim Green, pioneer of equine rescue methodology and training (2017). The full list of Award winners can be found here.
Lead image: Imran Atcha receiving the Sir Colin Spedding Award, presented by HRH The Princess Royal, President of the National Equine Forum. Credit: Craig Payne Photography www.craigpayne.co.uk.
