HAPPA’s awards evening puts animal heroes in the spotlight
Horse and Ponies Protection Association – HAPPA’s Charity Gala and first Hoof & Hearts Awards proved a roaring success, welcoming a sold-out crowd and raising more than £10,000 for the animal welfare charity.
Supporters, sponsors, and animal champions flocked to the Dunkenhalgh Hotel on Saturday 26 September for an evening with plenty to neigh, bark, purr, and squeak about. Guests tucked into dinner before enjoying live entertainment, music, and dancing, with a raffle and auction helping to boost funds for HAPPA’s rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming work.
The first-of-its-kind awards uncovered inspiring tales from across the North of England and the wider UK, celebrating rescue, recovery, second chances and remarkable bonds between people and animals.
Seven categories recognised rescued animals, rescue centres, welfare services, volunteers, re-homers, heroic horses, and much-loved companions, giving every kind of animal champion its moment in the spotlight.
HAPPA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Arthur announced the winners on the night. Speaking about the awards, she said: “At HAPPA, we know that rescue is about far more than one moment of intervention; it is about patience, trust, rehabilitation and the belief that every animal deserves safety, dignity and the opportunity to thrive.
“The awards reflect the very ethos of HAPPA: to recognise hope where others may see hardship, celebrate kindness in action and shine a light on those who dedicate themselves to improving the lives of animals. The Hoof & Hearts Awards are an opportunity to come together in gratitude, pride, and shared purpose – championing the animals who enrich our lives and the people who give them the futures they deserve.”
Eight worthy award winners trotted into the spotlight:
Horsepower Hero – sponsored by SMART Saddles
Winner: Daisy the Pony, Tracks Through Pastures. Blind but brilliantly big-hearted, Daisy supports young people and prisoners through therapeutic equine learning.
Fur-Ever Friend – sponsored by The Royal Dyche
Winner: Duke of York the Horse. Catherine Mawdsley’s companion of 31 years has taught three generations and made an inspiring recovery from stress laminitis.
Rescue Centre of the Year – sponsored by Scope Fire & Security Ltd
Winner: Homeward Bound. This volunteer-led rescue reunites, treats, and rehomes cats and dogs while tackling local feral and stray populations.
Fur-Ever Home Hero – sponsored by Neuro-Sparks Business Solutions
Winner: Molly Kate Stowe. Molly gave Sparkie and Kasper the patience, expert care, and loving home they needed to survive and thrive.
Rescue Rockstar – sponsored by PM+M Solutions
Winner: Paula Knowles, Pendle Dogs in Need. For 13 years, Paula has stood at the sharp end of rescue, fighting for abandoned and unwanted dogs and puppies.
Tail Blazer – sponsored by Gallop & Graze
Winner: Equine QR. Tina and her team created QR products that give emergency responders vital horse-and-rider information in an instant.
Rescue of the Year – sponsored by HAPPA
Winner: RSPCA George. Orphaned at birth, George found Theo and together they have won twenty-six national dressage titles and represented England.
The judges also gave a special tail-wag of recognition to one moving nomination.
Highly Commended – Katie Smart, Sir George & Leash and Release.
After Sir George died in a dog attack, Katie turned heartbreak into an educational campaign promoting safer encounters around horses, livestock, wildlife, and people.
HAPPA is inviting everyone to nominate a special animal, person, or organisation for the Hoof & Hearts Awards 2027. Nominations open on 1 October 2026, giving the next deserving pack of animal heroes their chance to shine at the Charity’s next Gala and Awards Evening.
For further information about HAPPA and the Hoof & Hearts Awards, contact HAPPA on 01282 455992 or at [email protected].