Land Rover Announces British Equestrian Champions Ben Maher And Laura Tomlinson As New Brand Ambassadors

6 September 2013

Land Rover is to release exclusive films of equestrian champions, show jumper Ben Maher and dressage rider Laura Tomlinson, in celebration of their new roles as ambassadors for the brand.

  • Champion riders Ben and Laura join Zara Phillips on the Land Rover equestrian roster
  • Exclusive series of films gives behind‑the‑scenes glimpse into the riders' training and preparation
  • Cements Land Rover's on‑going support of equestrian sports including sponsorship of Team GBR and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials

Whitley, UK, September 6 2013 ‑ Land Rover is to release exclusive films of equestrian champions, show jumper Ben Maher and dressage rider Laura Tomlinson, in celebration of their new roles as ambassadors for the brand.

They join Zara Phillips as Land Rover equestrian ambassadors and help cement the manufacturer's on‑going support of the sport.

Land Rover is producing a series of exclusive films featuring the riders which will include an edition with Zara Phillips. Each rider's individual film will take viewers behind the scenes, giving a glimpse into their training regimes, hopes and aims for competition, and insights from their trainers and support team.

Ben Maher is ranked number one in the FEI world rankings for show jumping, recently winning a team Gold and individual Silver with Jane Clark's Cella at the 2013 FEI European Championships in Herning, Denmark. He was also a member of the Gold medal‑winning British team at the London 2012 Olympics with the homebred Tripple X III.

Now 30, Ben had overtaken regular British team members by the age of 26, with consistent wins around the globe in some of the sport's most prestigious events, which include winning the recent Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in London and Longines King George V Gold Cup at Hickstead. He is one of just two riders to have won both the Hickstead Derby and Speed Derby in the same year.

Ben commented: "I am incredibly excited to be joining Land Rover's roster of equestrian ambassadors. Sitting alongside riders such as Zara Phillips is a huge privilege and Land Rover's on‑going support of the sport is great to see."

Ben's film is now live and can be viewed here ‑ https://www.facebook.com/landrover.uk.

Laura Tomlinson is a long‑time member of the British Dressage Team. Now age 28, Laura first competed for Britain when she was 14 and she made her debut at senior level in 2006. With her beloved horse Mistral Højris, Laura has won several team and individual medals including the team gold and individual bronze medals at the London 2012 Olympics.

Following the Olympics her aim is now to concentrate on bringing through up and coming younger horses and hopefully mould them into future champions.

Laura added: "It is great to be able to join riders such as Ben and Zara as a Land Rover ambassador. Land Rover vehicles are both powerful and elegant and these are traits I look for in my horses. I hope that my role as an ambassador and my new film will help to raise awareness of the sport and also bring in interest from the younger generation."

Laura's film is set to be released on the 10th September and will be available to view on Land Rover's Facebook tab, www.facebook.com/landrover.uk, with Zara's film to appear later in the month.

Land Rover has supported equestrian sports for over 30 years, both through individual riders and event sponsorships. Land Rover is the Official Vehicle of Team GBR, which has riders across all disciplines as well as dedicated youth teams, and is title sponsor of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, which run from the 5th to the 8th September 2013.

Jeremy Hicks, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover UK said "We are delighted to announce Ben and Laura as new ambassadors for the brand. They are both fantastic young British riders and encapsulate all the traits that are important to Land Rover ‑ their style is elegant yet powerful and both go Above and Beyond in competition."

ENDS

For further information log onto www.uk.media.landrover.com or contact:

Rachel Murray
Press Officer, Land Rover UK
T: 02476 564 127
M: 07780 494282
E: rmurra73@landrover.com

Lucy Reynolds                                                          
PR Manager, Land Rover UK                                    
T: 02476 564 161
M: 07801 699928                              
E: lreyno25@landrover.com

Kim Palmer
Senior Press Officer, Land Rover UK
T: 02476 564 129
M: 07795 666169
E: kpalmer@landrover.com

Editors Note:

‑         Since 1948 Land Rover has been manufacturing authentic 4x4s that represent true breadth of capability across the model range. Defender, Freelander, Discovery, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque each define the world's 4x4 sectors. Land Rover products are currently sold in approximately 180 global markets.