As we gallop ever closer to the festive season and Christmas Day, we know lots of you will be busy cooking, shopping and looking forward to time with friends and family, so thank you for taking a moment to read our final update of the year.
It’s one week since our glittering Winter Ball at The Savoy in London and we’ve (just about) recovered from a very busy month or two preparing and totted up the final fundraising figure. We wanted to use this blog to look back at the evening and thank every single person who supported it. That’s the people and businesses who so generously donated prizes and sponsored the ball to our supporters who placed bids, attended in person or helped us spread the word online. We count ourselves very fortunate to be part of a community that comes together to fundraise in such style!
The 2025 Winter Ball raised an incredible £185,000 – a truly transformative amount of money. We’ve worked so hard to raise our profile over the past four years and as more event riders learn about what we do, the more our services are in demand. We shared in a recent blog that we’re tracking a 52% increase in the number of riders we will help this year versus 2024. That means the money raised at the Winter Ball will be needed to support British Eventing competing members when they need us most.
The ball was another memorable occasion, with our guests kicking off the festive season in central London with a champagne reception, great food, dancing, merriment and lively bidding on our auction lots. It was also an opportunity to highlight our work to new supporters and to talk honestly about the help riders need. So many conversations took place in the lead up to the ball and on the night that will have a direct impact on the people we support next year.
None of this would be possible without the imagination and generosity of our fundraisers. The silent auction and live auction remain at the heart of the Winter Ball, and once again we were overwhelmed by the calibre and variety of prizes donated. From luxury retreats to sporting experiences to collector’s items, the breadth of items meant there was something for every age, passion and budget.
Our Winter Ball and all the other events you’ll have seen us talk about during the past 12 months are only made possible because of hours of hard work behind the scenes by our staff, trustees and volunteers.
2025 has been an incredible year for the British Eventing Support Trust. We’ve seen riders get back in the saddle after devastating injury, had a presence at some of the biggest events in the British Eventing calendar and supported more people than ever before.
Now, with the 2025 season and Winter Ball complete, we’ll be enjoying a rest over the festive season before planning begins in earnest for the 2026 eventing season and our busy calendar of fundraising events. We can’t wait to share what’s coming next, so make sure you keep a close eye on our channels in the New Year.
From all of us here at the British Eventing Support Trust, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year. And remember, our free and confidential Mental Health Helpline is available 24 hours a day seven days a week – even on Christmas Day. Thank you again for your support.