Horse & Country TV Partners with Badminton to Revolutionise Horse Sport Media 

Sole programme distribution and media representation partnership with the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2010  

The Board of Horse & Country TV ("H&C TV"), the world's largest digital broadcast channel devoted to horse sports and country activities (www.horseandcountry.tv and SKY channel 280), announced today that it will represent the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials ("Badminton" or the "Trials") for global media distribution and sponsorship sales from 2010 to the end of 2012.  

For the first time, H&C TV will create a global media sponsorship opportunity around Badminton by securing broadcast and online distribution for programming from the Trials in an estimated 20 international markets.  In the past, Badminton has sold a highlights package to a small number of international TV outlets, but in 2010, mainstream and specialist broadcasters around the world are being offered this programming for free, in exchange for providing sponsor credits around all ad-breaks and before online video.  This media exposure offers an opportunity for a global brand to take a major position in an under-sponsored Olympic sport. 

In the UK, Badminton programming will be seen on commercial broadcasters including H&C TV and potentially other outlets.  Continuing a tradition of more than 50 years’ standing, Badminton will also be seen (media sponsor-free) on the BBC. 

Badminton, which takes place from April 30 to May 3 on the Duke of Beaufort’s estate in Gloucestershire, regularly attracts crowds of over 150,000.  

Widely considered as the pinnacle of the exciting sport of three day eventing, an equestrian triathlon that tests the aptitudes of the same horse and rider pair across three different disciplines, Badminton is one leg of the FEI HSBC Classics Series and the Rolex Grand Slam, as well as being a key proving ground for aspiring Olympians.  World-class competitors from 13 countries took part in the Trials in 2009. 

Hugh Thomas, Director of Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, said: "We are very pleased to be working with H&C TV to distribute our programming to global broadcasters, and also via the internet.  In the past our web streaming has attracted viewers from 100 countries.  We believe both TV and the web are critical factors in reaching Badminton’s fans". 

Heather Killen, Chairman of H&C TV, said: "This is the first time horse sport programming has been packaged to maximise distribution and establish a platform for high value sports media sponsorship.  At the grass roots, horse sport delivers one of the most attractive audiences a global brand advertiser could imagine, but to date it has lacked the oxygen of broad media exposure.  We believe that by taking premium tier events like Badminton to their global audience we can bring horse sport into the major leagues of sports sponsorship". 

Enquiries: 

Horse & Country TV press officer                                                                           T: + 44 (0) 208 980 3545

Dominic Barretto (Yellow Jersey PR) 

www.horseandcountry.tv 

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials press officer                                 M: + 44 (0) 7831 515 736

Julian Seaman

www.badminton-horse.co.uk 

NOTES TO EDITORS 

Horse & Country TV (H&C TV) lives on-air and online and provides exclusive event coverage, format-driven and personality-led programming, views and other features to a passionate and under-served audience base.  Viewers can access hours of digital video footage, covering previously featured shows including the National Dressage Championships, the London International Horse Show at Olympia 2009, the Veuve Cliquot World Cup, and the World Dressage Masters. As well as horse sports, H&C TV broadcasts a series of other related programmes focused on dogs, country sports, food and lifestyle.  

Online, H&C runs blogs and commentary provided by a range of experts and personalities including Olympian, Sharon Hunt, ranked among the top 50 event riders in the world, and Jose L Souto, one of the UK's premier game chefs. 

H&C TV carries one of the strongest management teams in today's digital media space, including Heather Killen, former SVP, International Operations at Yahoo! Inc, and former non-executive director at ITV plc, the company’s Chairman.  H&C TV has a 25,000 strong Facebook following and lives online at www.horeseandcountry.tv and on-air on SKY channel 280.