FORMER INTERNATIONAL MODEL AND HORSE RIDER, ELIZABETH CHARLESTON, LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF HEAD INJURIES IN NEW ZEALAND

On Friday 21st May, former international model and head injury victim, Elizabeth Charleston, launched THINK! The Head Injury Network for Kiwis, to increase awareness about head injuries and to provide support to those dealing with the condition.

THINK! was created in partnership with the Waikato branch of the Head Injury Society of New Zealand and ties in with The Head Injury Awareness and Appeal Week which runs from June 8th- 15th 2010.

‘New Zealand has a higher rate of head injuries than many other countries in the world with researchers at Auckland University of Technology estimating incidents between 18,000 and 26,000 per year,’ explains Elizabeth. ‘One of the main messages I want to get across to people through THINK! is that anybody can suffer a head injury.

'I would also like to break down some of the attitudes that people have towards head injury victims and the stigma that is attached. Often, even after a sufferer has started to accept that they have a head injury, the people around them do not know how to deal with the changes to their personality and abilities. This has got to change.’

THINK! encourages people to use safety-approved head protection when playing sport or taking part in potentially dangerous activities, such as climbing, horse riding and cycling, and at work when the circumstances or activity being undertaken puts the user’s head at risk.

‘When you get into a car a person instinctively puts on their seat belt. The same level of self preservation should apply. It’s about reducing the risk and improving safety,’ says Elizabeth.

Elizabeth has also launched a campaign to coincide with the Head Injury Awareness & Appeal Week in June that gives equestrians a discount on safety riding helmets at Saddlery Warehouse and Stirrups Equestrian.

For more information on the Head Injury Society of New Zealand, visit their website by clicking here.

THINK! has a Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/THINK-The-Head-Injury-Network-for-Kiwis/378242020990?ref=ts

ROYAL EASTER SHOW- AUCKLAND

Well, I went to my last show of the season on Friday, The Royal Easter Show in Auckland, and had a fabulous time. I was very impressed with the grounds at the ASB Showgrounds. They were probably the most professionally maintained that I have seen in my first short show season in New Zealand. It's always nice to not have to battle knee high grass when you're applying your black hoof gloss!

My yearling filly, 'Graemar Replique', was impeccably well behaved, as she has been at every one of her three outings this year. She trotted up faultlessly, stood like a statue in the line up and loaded/unloaded well. We ended up placing second in the Yearling Sporthorse class behind a very upstanding and charismatic young colt. So, not as great a result as we achieved at Kumeu A&P but still something to be proud of. Despite being heart-breakingly pretty, she still looks quite immature compared to some of the others that are out at the moment so I'm looking forward to seeing how she looks with another winter/spring behind her.

Despite fairly low entries, the standards were very high at this year's Royal Easter. A number of well known showies did very well, including Anne Hjorth who scooped Champion Saddle Hunter on the stunning 'Savile Row' and Champion Hack/Supreme Horse on 'Acquisition.' What an amazing result!

The only teeny tiny downside of the day was still seeing a couple of riders, both children and adults, abusing draw reins, double bridles and side reins (and sometimes a combo of these!) when working in their horses. I especially dislike seeing horses being yanked down in front while being booted in the ribs, leaving it with absolutely nowhere to go. Also, if you need to turn your black horse white in order for it to be rideable in a show class, you really need to reevaluate your training techniques and/or whether said horse is suitable for the show ring, and whether a different discipline would be better...

Thankfully, I also saw a large number of beautiful riders who were actually having a conversation with their mounts rather than screaming at it with a megaphone. Always a pleasure to see :)

I hope everyone had a great show season. Roll on the next one.