Equine Thesis of the Year
The Equine Thesis of the Year competition, developed by Graham Suggett and Pat Harris in the late 1990s, until 2012. It was hosted and administered by the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) as a means of recognising the good work done by equestrian undergraduates.
BETA relaunched the competition in 2016 after a three-year break.
The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) has announced the four finalists for the 2026 Equine Thesis of the Year Competition, with the live final taking place online on 21st October 2026.
Universities and colleges from all over the UK offering equine related degrees were invited to submit one thesis to represent the establishment. Out of all the entries received, a panel selected four finalists.
The four finalists are:
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Coraigh Lynch from College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise with their thesis ‘An Investigation into the Variation of Equine Parasite Eggs Within a Faeces Sample’.
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Fyona Fay Cowan from SRUC & The University of Glasgow with their thesis: ‘Exploring the Effects of Superficial Localised Heat Therapy on Equine Relaxation’.
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Lillian Fenn from A.R.U Writtle with their thesis:’ An Investigation into Alternative Protein Sources to Soya in Horse Feed: Nutritional and Practical’.
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Evelyn Baker from Royal Agricultural University with their thesis: ‘The Influence of a Fenwick Liquid Titanium LT Mask on Brain Activity in the Horse’
“Every year, we’re all so impressed by the quality of the work coming out of the universities and colleges that apply,” said Claire Williams, Executive Director of BETA. “Not only is the work well thought through, but the subjects could change, or at least challenge, how we view certain subjects. We are very excited to hear the live presentations and announce the winner after the judges have deliberated.”
The four judges on the panel bring together a broad range of expertise as well as deep understanding of research methods. This year’s panel is made up of:
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Dr Georgina Crossman – a research consultant and owner of GK Crossman Consultancy.
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Dr Katie Williams – an equine nutritionist with 25 years’ experience, technical and product development manager at Dengie.
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Dr Edd Knowles, Global Science & Nutrition Director, Mars Horsecare and Head of the Equine Studies Group – Waltham™ Petcare Science Institute.
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Eleanor Jones, News Editor at Horse & Houn
