GB Skip Hire is launching an exciting three-year sponsorship journey, beginning with a thrilling match race this Friday.
If you've been following them on social media, you may have noticed a countdown teasing something big. Last night, it was revealed that the highly anticipated match race will take place at Romford, pitting Links Maverick against Not So Slow, with a hefty £3,000 prize up for grabs—a grand way to start their sponsorship!
Patrick Huckle, a director at GB Skip Hire, is the mastermind behind this initiative. He explained that the company is committing to a three-year sponsorship because they are a local business to Romford and decided to allocate their advertising budget there. Although the company is headquartered in Ilford, it operates nationwide and has been expanding for over 50 years.
The Puppy Cup night at Romford is already one of the most popular events, but the atmosphere will be even more electric thanks to GB Skip Hire's involvement. The company is taking over the pavilion on Friday, with 90-100 of its employees expected to attend. Huckle hopes that they all develop a passion for greyhound racing, much like his own.
Huckle revealed his love for the sport began at an early age, mentioning that he bought his first greyhound at 14, after attending races at Walthamstow since he was 12. His enthusiasm for greyhound racing was rekindled post-COVID by trainer Nathan Hunt. “I’ve got 12 dogs with Nathan now," he said, acknowledging that Hunt reignited his passion. Without Hunt, he added, none of this would be happening.
Huckle also gave credit to the connections of the greyhounds involved, including trainers Tom Heilbron and Patrick Janssens, describing them as extremely supportive and easy to work with.
As for why he chose a match race format, Huckle explained that he finds them particularly exciting, taking inspiration from Australian racing. He believes that match races give the best dogs a chance to shine, adding that it’s an excellent way to highlight top-tier talent. The race poster has captured that energetic marketing style perfectly.
Looking ahead, GB Skip Hire’s three-year deal plans to bring sponsorship to various tracks, with Huckle even exploring the revival of a long-lost competition. He has more ideas in the works for 2025, all driven by his deep love for the sport. If this weekend's event is a success, it could just be the beginning of something even bigger.