Meet the team
Meet the team who are here to help when you contact us about horse welfare in the UK, our Rehome a Horse scheme or for general horse advice.
The UK Support team based at our Head Office is made up of three members.
Debbie Graver
Debbie has worked at World Horse Welfare since 2003 and she deals exclusively with welfare.
This involves answering calls from concerned individuals, passing information to our team of Field Officers, liaising with the Field Officers and Rescue and Rehoming Centres when new horses need to come in, and dealing with all the paperwork associated with new admissions and prosecution cases. Debbie has been involved with horses for most of her life, and has had her own horse in the past. She has been dealing with welfare calls since she first joined the charity, so is very knowledgeable about what the Animal Welfare Act covers.
Sara Hemingfield
Sara joined the team in 2015 and she primarily deals with welfare concerns. This involves answering calls from concerned individuals and passing information to our team of Field Officers as well as offering advice and support to callers.
Sara has worked in the equine sector since 1995, mostly in riding schools and competition yards as an instructor and groom. She also spent four years working with donkeys at a rescue charity. Sara holds her BHSAI, BHS Intermediate Teaching Test and BHS Intermediate Stable Manager qualifications and until recently always had a horse of her own.
Fran Smith
Fran Smith joined the team in 2019 and primarily deals with our Rehoming Scheme, including answering queries from potential and existing rehomers, liaising with our Centres and Field Officers, updating the rehoming website and dealing with all associated administration. She provides advice and support to concerned horse owners, particularly those who are unable to keep their own horses, and she adds to the knowledgeable team answering the welfare calls.
Fran has worked in the equine sector since 2004, primarily with event horses competing at international level and more recently with racehorse rehabilitation. She has her BHS AI and Intermediate Stable Manager’s exam. Fran has her own Irish Sports Horse, Bramble, who she backed to ride herself, and they now enjoy doing everything from sponsored rides to dressage and cross country.
Sam Chubbock
Sam has worked at the charity since 2002, initially answering the welfare calls before becoming Assistant to the Director of UK Welfare and then Head of UK Support.
As well as overseeing the UK Support team, Sam also works on many of the horse owner advice projects World Horse Welfare runs, such as the Right Weight, Just in Case and Need to Breed initiatives. Sam has ridden since she was 5 years old and has an NVQ Level 2 in Horse Care and an honours degree in Equine Science and Management.
