news RoR celebrates exceptional former racehorses at 2025 RoR Awards

Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) marked a landmark occasion at its 2025 RoR Awards ceremony on Saturday, 25 January, during Cheltenham’s Festival Trials Day. The event, which brought together over 200 attendees from the racing and equestrian communities, also celebrated RoR’s 25th anniversary, honouring a quarter-century of transforming the lives of former racehorses.

The ceremony, opened by RoR Patron, Zara Tindall, set an inspiring tone for the day, hosted by Richard Phillips. Moving stories behind the award winners highlighted the extraordinary versatility and talent of former racehorses now thriving in new careers.

The Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust RoR Community Impact Award was won by Grace Muir of HEROS Charity for her outstanding contributions to both the racing and educational sectors. Since its founding in 2006, HEROS has played a pivotal role in retraining and rehoming former racehorses, while also offering educational opportunities to young people facing challenges in mainstream education.

Grace commented: “I am so honoured to receive this award from RoR because they lead the way in this sphere. While we also do different work at HEROS, there's no doubt that my heart lies with the horses. I hope that we continue to grow, expand, and reach more targets, making a real impact on the aftercare of former racehorses.”

Watch Grace’s video.

The prestigious Jockey Club RoR Horse of the Year Award went to Master Wickham, with owner and rider Claire Lewis reflecting on his journey from a brief racing career to a successful Grade A showjumper. His story showcases the incredible adaptability of former racehorses in new disciplines.

Watch Mater Wickhams and Claire’s video.

David Catlow, Managing Director of RoR, remarked: “The RoR Awards celebrate the incredible adaptability and success of former racehorses in new careers. They serve as a powerful reminder of the impact of retraining racehorses into second careers and highlight our ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for these exceptional athletes. This milestone anniversary not only celebrates the past but reaffirms our commitment to their bright futures.”

Among the two key awards were the 2024 RoR Elite Awards, recognising former racehorses excelling in disciplines including dressage, polo, eventing, showjumping, endurance, and showing. These prestigious accolades underscored the remarkable achievements of retrained racehorses competing at the highest levels.

2024 RoR Elite Award winners:

• RoR Elite Dressage Champion – Tapaidh Frankie, owned and ridden by Tracy Thirlwall

• RoR Elite Polo Champion – Dark Hedges, owned and ridden by Matt Perry

• RoR Elite Endurance Champion – Art Mauresque, owned and ridden by Hayley Gilmore

• Tattersalls RoR Elite Showing Champion – Minella Rebellion, owned and ridden by Katie Dashwood

• RoR Tattersalls Supreme Champion – Gentleman at Arms, owned and ridden by Harriet Edmunds

• RoR Elite Eventing Champion – Bayaanaatt, part-owned and ridden by Izzy Taylor

• RoR Elite Showjumping Champion – The Iron Factor, owned and ridden by Jessie Welch

ENDS

Notes to Editors      
For more information, please contact:  Toni Levey, Marketing Communications, Retraining of Racehorses, tlevey@ror.org.uk, or telephone 07881286441        

Retraining of Racehorses
Established in 2000, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all former racehorses through various preventative measures, including:    

• Setting industry standards for retraining former racehorses.    

• Providing training and education to owners to build lifelong partnerships with their retired racehorses.    

• Promoting the versatility of these horses in various equestrian activities and facilitating their participation in competitions.    

• Maintaining a robust tracking system for former racehorses through RoR membership.    

RoR also extends support to former racehorses in times of need through its welfare work.    

Find out more about our work, please visit www.ror.org.uk
 

The 2025 RoR Awards
The 2025 RoR Awards took place at Cheltenham Racecourse on Festival Trials Day on 25 January 2025. This exciting new venue for the RoR Awards provided a unique opportunity to celebrate the adaptability and versatility of Thoroughbreds in their post-racing careers alongside the excitement of live racing. The event also included the presentation of the RoR Elite Series Champions across seven equestrian disciplines: dressage, endurance, eventing, hunting, polo, showing and showjumping.