Trailer firms pull together to back research to combat killer horse disease

VITAL research to combat a killer horse disease has received a £15,000 boost thanks to two trailer companies marking a decade of working side by side.

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Sean Cooper of Stirling Trailer Centre and Anne Logan from the Equine Grass Sickness Fund with an Ifor Williams Trailers horsebox

North Wales-based Ifor Williams Trailers joined forces with one of its Scottish distributors, the Stirling Trailer Centre, to donate a top-of-the-range horsebox to an online fundraising raffle in aid of Equine Grass Sickness (EGS).

The devastating condition is still one of the biggest causes of death in horses, ponies and donkeys across Britain - with eight in 10 cases proving fatal.

Sean Cooper, general manager at Stirling Trailer Centre, said the firm became involved after managing director Robin Gray attended a Rural Education Trust meeting, where he heard at firsthand about the fight against EGS.

At the event, Robin learned more from Anne Logan, chair of the More-dun Foundation Equine Grass Sickness Fund (EGSF) the only registered UK charity dedicated solely to tackling the disease.

Sean explained: “Robin heard about the campaign to raise awareness and the raffle idea to boost funds through social media.

“He immediately agreed to donate an Ifor Williams HBX506 horsebox and Ifor Williams Trailers themselves stepped in to cover half the cost. We were thrilled to get their backing and it was great to partner with them as always.

“We have been an official Ifor Williams Trailers distributor for 10 years now so it has been a nice way to mark a decade of working together.

“We stock over 250 Ifor Williams trailers and are delighted to work closely with them.