Christina Knudsen, Tim Price, and Wesko. Photo courtesy of the Wesko Equestrian Foundation.
The artist formerly known as the Windrush Equestrian Foundation has announced that it will be rebranding as the Wesko Equestrian Foundation in honour of Tim Price’s now-retired five-star winner who was owned by the late Christina Knudsen, in whose honour the British-based Foundation was launched three years ago. Though initially named for the property on which Knudsen lived, the Foundation’s board felt that the name — which mirrors that of the Windrush generation of Caribbean expatriates who relocated to Britain in the aftermath of the Second World War – represented a conflict of interests as the Foundation continues to expand its horizons.
“As an organisation, our bottom line has always been learning,” says the Board in a statement released today. “But learning is the investment of a lifetime and a process that never stops, and although the Foundation was named in good faith after the property that Ms Knudsen owned, the Foundation’s board has become increasingly cognisant of the complicated history of this name. One of the primary lessons that aspiring professionals under the Foundation’s tutelage learn is that to progress, you have to own and accept the wrong turns made along the way. As such, we’re retiring the name of Windrush and moving forward with Wesko as our figurehead.”
“As we continue to expand the newly rebranded Wesko Equestrian Foundation, our plans include the furthering of the Outreach Programme, which initially will see increased collaboration with the Brixton-based Ebony Horse Club, an excellent initiative that allows children from a diverse array of backgrounds to experience the joys of riding and horse care. For many of these children, the name ‘Windrush’ doesn’t evoke pastoral scenes of upper-level equestrian opportunities, and nor should it – instead, it refers to the generation of Caribbean expatriates who arrived in Great Britain in the decade following the Second World War and played an enormous part in rebuilding their adopted country’s economic system, often facing unspeakable discrimination and racial violence along the way.”
“Even now, the Windrush generation faces ongoing trauma, leaving many elderly people without access to social services and, in many cases, facing deportation over the past decade. Our decision to step away from our former moniker is one made out of respect to the Windrush generation and their descendants, many of whom we hope to welcome into our programme in the coming years. Our intention has never been to detract from their stories.”
Graduates of the Wesko Equestrian Federation include 2021 Blenheim CCI4*-L victor Yasmin Ingham. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The Outreach Programme was launched last year and will provide students of the Ebony Horse Club with a day of lessons with Foundation ambassador and World Number Three Tim Price. Previously, Ebony students have been invited to attend Foundation training days with Pippa Funnell at the Billy Stud, which allowed them to actively audit the sessions and learn to walk courses, set fences, and prepare for competition. Alongside the expansion of the Outreach Programme, the Wesko Equestrian Foundation – which currently supports up-and-coming young event riders already established at the international levels – is pledging to offer further support to riders at the lower levels, too, as well as expanding to developing eventing nations further afield to provide access points and education in the sport.
Another exciting new initiative is the Young Eventers Pathway, which will take place on the 15th and 16th of March at the British Showjumping Training Centre in Hothorpe. Upwards of 40 event riders between the ages of 21 and 28 will be able to participate in this fully-funded training day, with coaching from British chef d’equipes Richard Waygood and Philip Surl, as well as top dressage trainer Nikki Herbert.
“The goal at the heart of the Foundation continues to be, bringing increased education and training to talented young event riders to support their futures, with the welfare of the horse and rider at the heart of the programme,” says the Board.
