Welcome to the National Equine Forum
The National Equine Forum (NEF) is the only equine conference of its kind in the UK, free from any specific equine sector affiliation, bias or commercial influence.
Recognised in the horse world as an outstanding annual event this exceptional conference brings together influential members of the equine industry, experts and government to debate pertinent topical issues and discuss current research and innovation. It also provides a unique opportunity for networking with the leaders of the industry.
The 33rd National Equine Form took place on Thursday 06 March 2025 (#NEF25).
Nominations open for Sir Colin Spedding Award 2026
Nominations are now open for the for the National Equine Forum (NEF) Sir Colin Spedding Award 2026. This award honours outstanding individuals or organisations in the equine sector who strive to make a difference but have not yet been recognised. The online nomination process is quick and easy; the form can be found here. Sir Colin Spedding was the founding chairman of the NEF and chaired the event for 20...
Record attendance for National Equine Forum
This year’s National Equine Forum broke previous attendance records. It was enjoyed by more than 630 people, with the face-to-face event at Westminster, London, at capacity and a record 417 people watching the livestream from around the world. The event embraced an inspirational balance of the latest in equestrian news, knowledge and know-how, as well as pulling at delegates heartstrings with moving presentations on human animal bonds and interactions. Sessions...
NEF Sir Colin Spedding Award Winner Announced
Di Arbuthnot, the former Chief Executive of the charity Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) was announced as the winner of the Sir Colin Spedding Award at today’s National Equine Forum (NEF), 6th March 2025. The award was given in recognition of Di’s dedication to racehorse welfare. Through her leadership of the charity Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) for over 20 years, Di provided a pathway for thoroughbreds to have a meaningful life...
Next Forum
The 34th National Equine Forum will take place on Thursday 05 March 2026. Details will be released in late 2025.
The 33rd National Equine Forum took place on Thursday 06 March 2025. Details can be found here and on our YouTube Channel.
If you would like to keep up to date with developments please subscribe to our mailing list.
Sir Colin Spedding Award
The Sir Colin Spedding Award is presented annually to an exceptional unsung hero or heroine of the equestrian world. Any individual or organisation from any equestrian field in the UK is eligible, as long as their outstanding qualities have not been formally acknowledged elsewhere. Past winners can be found here.
Nominations for the 2026 Sir Colin Spedding Award are now open, and will close at 12 noon (BST) on 31 July 2025. Nominations can be made here. The winner will be announced at the 34th National Equine Forum on Thursday 05 March 2026.
