Country TV Pony Grand Prix Series
The team at Country TV are immensely proud of their long association with equestrian and say the arrival of the new season brings with it the excitement of another new chapter.
When they launched on Sky TV 11 years ago, they quickly identified a gap in the market so introduced equestrian programming within the year. For the past eight years they have been regular fixtures, filming ringside at jumping events and for seven a loyal sponsor.
General manager Helen Ryan says she and her team thrive on the feedback they receive from enthusiastic and excited young riders. “They really do show their appreciation of our sponsorship in the nicest way,” she says. Their sponsorship of the Pony Grand Prix Series is driven by that response.
“We have a very loyal equestrian community who in turn support our Country TV equine content. Our sponsorship is a way of thanking the community for that and we really enjoy being a part of the community too.”
While COVID has certainly put the brakes on filming new content, Helen says the channel has been a popular go-to for people during lockdown. Tuesday evenings are all about equestrian on Country TV with top-flight content, including plenty from the FEI platforms from around the globe supported by homegrown talent and equine lifestyle programmes.
Equestrian is just one arm of the rurally-focused channel, who also feature agribusiness, lifestyle, sustainability, music, rural sports, and weather. “We are dedicated to delivering the best rural content to New Zealand,” says Helen. “We bring our subscribers a rich selection of the very best all things rural alongside incredible local and international equestrian sports.”
The channel is subscription based and can be watched through the Sky TV platform on channel 81 or livestreamed and on demand.
For more information, head to www.countrytv.co.nz
By Diana Dobson
1 October 2021