Sponsorship Success Stories – James Sommerville and Gain Equine Nutrition

The Rider: James Sommerville – International Event Rider
The Brand: Gain Equine Nutrition – Anne Priestman, National Sales Manager UK, France & Morocco

James and Gain Equine Nutrition kick of this series of Successful Sponsorship Stories. The aim of this series is to share an insight into what a good sponsorship arrangement looks like and why it works so well.

When did your sponsorship with Gain first start?

James: I’ve been supported and sponsored by Gain Horse Feeds since 2016.

How did your relationship begin?

Gain Feeds: Our relationship began at least two years before we agreed a sponsorship package with James. We first saw him around at shows locally in the north of England, followed his progress and began building a relationship from then on. James is very personable and easy to talk to and we believed that he would be a good fit for the brand.

James: Anne first came to our yard to meet the team and our horses but it was a couple of years later when we bought a horse from Ireland, who came with a free feed voucher from Gain that the relationship truly began. We reconnected and agreed a sponsorship arrangement that worked well for both of us.

Why does this sponsorship arrangement work well for you?

Gain Feeds: James is very approachable and works hard for his sponsorship. He is very knowledgeable about the product and is particularly good at recommending Gain Feeds at any given opportunity. Being a high profile professional rider, James has successfully helped to build a strong brand awareness in a localised area.

Communication is key to any relationship and being local to me is really useful when it comes to communicating with each other.

Making any sponsorship work well is a 2-way street. It’s important to thrash out your expectations of each other early on to ensure that you can deliver on your promises and maintain a good working relationship. We are a real team at Gain and we are delighted that James is a part of that team.

James: The products are great and work really well for our horses which is the most important factor. We have built a great relationship with Gain and a strong personal relationship with Anne. If we need any advice or product recommendations such as if we have a horse with a particular issue, Anne is always extremely helpful.

For me, the sponsorship works well because Gain tell us exactly what they expect and exactly what they need from us. Both parties clearly know what is required to make

Follow James’s progress at …. https://www.sommervilleeventing.co.uk

And find out more about Gain Horse Feeds at…. https://www.gainequinenutrition.com

Whether you’re a rider looking for sponsorship or a brand looking for a new sponsorship opportunity, I can help!
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