Well done to Georgina Bloomberg for receiving the equestrian humanitarian award

Showjumper and equine welfare advocate Georgina Bloomberg has received the Equus Foundation Humanitarian Award, which honors a member of the equestrian world who has devoted considerable personal time to making the quality of life of our equine partners paramount.

article here . by horsetalk

Bloomberg received the award at the Pegasus Awards Dinner last Friday during the US Equestrian Annual Meeting in West Palm Beach, Florida.

In 2006, at the age of 23, in the midst of a budding career in equestrian sport, Bloomberg established The Rider’s Closet to provide equestrian clothing to individuals in need, as she wanted to give back to the sport that had given her so much. In 2019, the Rider’s Closet became an EquusFoundation program.

“We learned firsthand that tens of thousands of people of all ages all across the country have been able to pursue their horsemanship dreams thanks to Georgina’s efforts,” said Lynn Coakley, Equus Foundation President.

“Equally fortunate are all of the horses whose futures might have been dramatically different without opportunities for them to partner with these tens of thousands of people who benefitted from The Rider’s Closet clothing.”

In accepting the award, Bloomberg said that of all the awards or prizes she had receive while representing the USA, “this has to be top of the list and most meaningful”.

Georgina Bloomberg at the Longines LA Masters in Los Angeles in 2014.
Georgina Bloomberg at the Longines LA Masters in Los Angeles in 2014. © Getty Images

“It’s an amazing honor to have my name on this award, but this award is not a recognition of my work — my good intentions, yes — but much more than that — it is a recognition of how when people come together and work together as a team, what you can accomplish is limitless. I am incredibly lucky to have great people who have helped and continue to help make my dreams of accomplishments in the saddle and out become a reality.”

While Bloomberg’s crew of rescued pets includes a pig, a goat, numerous adopted and foster dogs, a cow and her calf, a rooster, and even a savvy pigeon named Steve, horses are Bloomberg’s first love, and they are at the center of her extensive and impactful animal protection efforts. Her rescued mother and son mini horses, Lola and Harley, Abe, the mule rescued from slaughter, a retired carriage horse named Sultan whom she adopted, and all the show horses she has retired at her farm that get to live out their days with loving care, all agree.

In 2017, Bloomberg became an Equus Foundation EQUUStar in addition to her already serving on the boards of prominent organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States, the Hampton Classic Horse Show, the Lake Placid Horse Show, and the United States Equestrian Team Foundation.

As an EQUUStar, Bloomberg advocates for horses at risk for abuse, neglect, and slaughter, rallies other equestrians on behalf of horse welfare, and leverages her high-profile status, partnerships, and connections to drive home the message that all horses deserve happy lives and happy endings.

Jasper, 5, had his first riding lesson on Teddy.
Jasper, 5, had his first riding lesson on Teddy, a pony adopted by Georgina Bloomberg.

When Bloomberg wanted to pique her five-year old son’s interest in learning to ride, it was no surprise that she made the choice to also make a difference in the life of an at-risk horse. Bloomberg adopted Teddy, a miniature horse rescued by Omega Horse Rescue from a kill buyer’s facility. Teddy and Jasper became a social media sensation, encouraging others to rescue and adopt.

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