Sponsorship Success Stories – Jonty Evans and NAF

The Rider: Jonty Evans, International Event Rider

The Brand: NAF (Natural Animal Feeds). Lorna George, UK Sales and Business Development Manager

Jonty Evans is a hugely successful international event rider who finished 9th individually at the Rio Olympics 2016 on Cooley Rorkes Drift aka Art, riding for Team Ireland. Following the threat of losing him, incredibly Jonty managed to crowdfund the £500,000 needed to secure the sale and Art’s Amazing Family was born!

NAF the UK’s leading horse supplement brand and proud to be the official supplier of supplements and care products to the British Equestrian Teams.

How long has the sponsorship arrangement been running?

Jonty

It feels like a long time ago for me. It was back in 2012 just before the London Olympics.

How did the sponsorship arrangement it come about?

Lorna, NAF

Jonty was known to a number of NAF Team members including myself and our relationship began out of conversations around finding the right supplementation for his event horses.

We spent time working with Jonty to understand what would be the best products for his horses. He then trialled some of the NAF products and got on really well with them.

The relationship flourished and Jonty joined our team of supported riders and we have supported him ever since – particularly through the time when he was securing Art as his own horse through crowd funding and Arts Amazing Family was born.

Jonty

NAF was a brand that I was familiar with as I was already using several of their products before we agreed a sponsorship arrangement. I trialled some more of the NAF products on my horses and loved them.

I had also known Lorna from when she was just down the road from me at a yard in Barnsley Park, near Talland in Cirencenter. From then I got to know the team and the relationship with NAF grew.

They have been very supportive of me and Art in particular, over the years and agreed to supply him with NAF Superflex Senior for life!

How does the sponsorship relationship work well for you?

Lorna, NAF

Jonty is so personable, genuine and easy to work with as a sponsored rider. His own approach to his horses’ care and wellbeing resonates with our own company values which is why our consumers love him.

He’s always willing to help in any way he can offering course walks and brand opportunities at the big events along with supporting our retailers at open days in store.

Over the years Jonty has truly got to know the business which adds to his value. Successful rider sponsorship is built on trust and brand loyalty. He always provides good honest feedback on the products when asked and genuinely works hard to promote the brand.

For us a company, successful rider sponsorship relationships are built on trust and brand loyalty. It’s important to accept that with any rider there will be good times and bad times and part of the deal is to be remain with them throughout their journey.

We are delighted to have Jonty as a part of Team NAF and will continue to support him on the next stage of his journey!

Jonty

NAF are a company I hugely admire and are incredibly easy to work with. Nothing is too much trouble if I need help or advice with the best products to use on my horses.

They are one big friendly team and I’ve been lucky enough to get to know them all including Richard, Linda and Lorna. They are all very easy to approach.

I know that I can ring them up at any time to discuss an individual horse’s needs. A particular occasion was when Art needed a little help concentrating in the dressage arena and together we decided to put him on NAF Magic which had exactly the right affect and he became much more responsive to my aids.

NAF have been so incredibly supportive of me over the years through everything that I have been through. I feel proud to be able to represent the brand and I’m happy to give back to them in any way I can. It’s the perfect symbiotic relationship!

Image credit: Lucy Hall Photography

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