RENOWNED tattoo artist and cartoonist, Judi Milne, world-famous hat designer, David Shilling and talented rural artist, Judith Stowell are the first names announced to be designing and dressing three fibreglass horse sculptures for charity, World Horse Welfare’s ‘Invisible Horse Trail’ which will feature at the 2016 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in May.

Fourteen fibreglass horse sculptures will make up the trail, each one telling the story of a horse who has been helped by World Horse Welfare through the artist’s interpretation of that story. The maquette for the fibreglass sculptures was modelled on the charity’s adoption horse, May, by award-winning sculptor Judy Boyt, with the sculpture trail bringing to life World Horse Welfare’s campaign to raise awareness of the world’s invisible horses.

Mitsubishi Motors is celebrating 25 years of its sponsorship of the iconic Badminton Horse Trials this year, and has joined with World Horse Welfare as the event’s Charity of the Year, to sponsor one of the horses on the trail. Painted in silver, the sculpture will embody the story of World Horse Welfare Yogi, a pony rescued by the charity in 2006 who is now a key player on the UK competitive carriage driving circuit. The stunning sculpture will be wearing a unique, one-of-a-kind hat designed from a Mitsubishi Motors steering wheel by world-renowned hat designer and sculptor, David Shilling.

David Shilling said: “I’m delighted to be part of the Invisible Horse Trail, supporting World Horse Welfare whose important work makes this world a better place and makes you proud to be a part of it. Young people and adults alike take great joy from their involvement in the charity’s work to care and repatriate horses, so everyone is a winner.”

Judy Boyt’s muse for the original maquette, World Horse Welfare’s Adoption horse May, will be brought to life through a design inspired by World Horse Welfare Field Officer, Claire Gordon. The inspiration behind the design details the ’16 pairs of hands’ that helped take May from her terrible condition when she was found fly-grazing to the healthy, happy horse she is now. Celebrated-tattooist and cartoonist, Judi Milne, is currently translating Claire’s idea onto the fibreglass sculpture in a black outline and visitors to World Horse Welfare’s stand at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials will be able to help ‘colour-in’ the sculpture entitled ‘The People’s Horse’

World Horse Welfare’s iconic Clydesdale Adoption horse, Digger, is being embodied through a farming heritage themed design by talented, self-taught rural artist, Judith Stowell. Judith’s design will highlight the role of working horses in agriculture and will feature the tartan of Belwade Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

All the artists and designers involved in the Invisible Horse Trail have very kindly given their time and creativity free of charge. More artists and sponsors will be announced in due course.