The Racing and Equestrian PR and Hospitality consultancy, Foxhill Racing Promotions, has relaunched as Sporting Horse Promotions to coincide with the business’s move – following the sale of Stan Mellor’s Pollardstown Racing Stables, at Foxhill near Swindon – to new offices at Idstone (Wiltshire). With the business suffering from the cancellation of events like the Cheltenham Festival, The Marlborough Cup and point-to-points due to the Foot & Mouth outbreak – the Sporting Horse Promotions relaunch has been assisted by a grant from The South West Emergency FMD Fund.

Elain Mellor and Sandy Thwaites, who formed the successful business partnership in 1990, have together built up the specialist promotions business founded on an intelligent, professional approach based on a combination of a knowledge and love of the horse with many years of commercial marketing and PR experience.

Comments Sandy Thwaites: ‘The name Sporting Horse Promotions reflects the fact that we work for a broader base of clients, outside of racing alone, across the equestrian field.

On the PR and sponsorship side, Sporting Horse Promotions clients include: The Marlborough Cup, Highclere International Horse Trials, The Injured Jockeys Fund and The Hare & Hounds Pub-Restaurant at Lambourn. On the hospitality side, the business specialises in added value services which include behind-the-scenes tours and providing Celebrity Tipsters. Clients here have included many well-known blue chip companies and hospitality and incentive agents including Keith Prowse Hospitality.

Comments Elain Mellor, who is still very much involved with the business, following the family’s move from Pollardstown: ‘Having spent time with various sponsors when I was riding as an amateur, I saw that there was a huge need for someone to give them the inside track to make their race days more enjoyable and memorable. People love finding out about what goes on behind-the-scenes and hearing it all from the horse’s mouth so to speak. I think it’s the latter factor, which gives our business the edge, along with being able to offer value-for-money and a strategic, co-ordinated approach to marketing which pulls everything together through from sponsorship to hospitality, PR and design and print.’

Press Enquiries to:

Sandy Thwaites, Sporting Horse Promotions 01793-710610