11 minute read
What’s On - shows are BACK Including Suffolk Show, Hadleigh Show, HorseFest and the new SEIB series for 2022
Photo: Liz Knowles photography GET YOUR HORSEFEST FIX THIS SUMMER!
Need something exciting to look forward to this summer?
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HorseFest, presented by John Oates Horseboxes, is a fantastic new, weekend festival, designed to celebrate all things horse and takes place 8th to 10th July at Kelsall Hill in the beautiful Cheshire countryside. The event provides the ideal setting for all those horse fans with an interest in the equine world, allowing them to come together, learn, celebrate, have fun and create special memories. Tickets are now on sale and all HorseTribe members can buy at a special price. Membership starts from FREE so remember to join before making your purchase. Entry to HorseFest whether with a day or weekend ticket, includes all the workshops, talks, large and small arena demonstrations, as well as music and entertainment into the late evening. If you want to see and watch everything on offer a weekend ticket is a must to ensure you don’t miss out on one of HorseFest’s fantastic headliners. Across the weekend HorseFest will showcase amazing main arena demonstrations with inspirational riders and performers such as Mary King and Lydia Heywood, small arena demos to understand skills close at hand, Q&A sessions and discussions with fabulous experts and riders and problem solving workshops and clinics to find answers to your questions, plus there’s equestrian and lifestyle trade stands, delicious catering, music, bands and best of all the opportunity to catch up with like-minded friends. At night, unwind, relax or dance the night away with the music and entertainment as you treat yourself to a drink or two!
www.horsefest.org
SUFFOLK SHOW RETURNS:
THE COUNTY’S BIGGEST DAY OUT
The Suffolk Show is officially back for 2022 with a unique celebration for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee alongside a packed schedule of new attractions and fun activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Organisers the Suffolk Agricultural Association are eager to welcome visitors back to Trinity Park for ‘the best show yet’ after a two-year absence due to the Covid pandemic. The Suffolk Show will return on Tuesday 31st May and Wednesday 1st June to kickstart celebrations for the Platinum Jubilee ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend. In a brand-new one-off exhibit, visitors will be able to walk through 70-years of Suffolk history exploring communications, construction, transport, energy, agriculture, arts and fashion, food and drink, technology, education, sport and many more aspects of daily life through the ages.
www.suffolkshow.co.uk
THE MAGIC IS BACK!
August 2022 will see crowds return to Gatcombe Park, home to HRH The Princess Royal for the unique experience that is the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing, so put 5th-7th August 2022 in your diary now!
The event will be back with the magical atmosphere eventing and country fans have come to expect. With thrilling cross country action in the infamous park bowl, a whole host of family entertainment in the main arena, enviable shopping and extensive food offering all set in the beautiful Cotswold countryside, it is a weekend not to be missed.
www.festivalof britisheventing.com
2022 HADLEIGH SHOW:
SATURDAY 21ST MAY
The 181st Hadleigh Show will once again be held in the beautiful parkland setting of Holbecks Park on the edge of Hadleigh.
The biggest change following the challenge of two cancelled shows is that the 2022 Hadleigh Show tickets are all IN ADVANCE ONLY. There will be no tickets available to purchase on the gate. “This is to allow us to have a covid friendly show, should restrictions come into place again and to ensure that we are able to manage the flow of the showground and traffic management with as much advance planning as possible,” said a spokesperson. Attraction include the Bolddog Lings FMX display teams, the Sheep Show, the Dog & Duck Show, Vintage Tractors and Young Farmers Soap Box Racing. You can also try out your skills with the Tudor Archers from Sudbury and the Gun Dog scurry run by Simbos at Boxford. There are more than 150 classes of cattle, sheep, donkeys and horses on show; over 160 trade stands; the Poultry Tent; the Art Exhibition and Sale; Rural Crafts and the Flower Tent.
www.hadleighshow.co.uk
SHIRE HORSE SOCIETY NATIONAL SHOW: STREAMED LIVE
Shire horse fans will be able to watch live coverage of the National Shire Show from the comfort of their homes after the charity teamed up with leading equestrian sports and lifestyle network, Horse & Country (H&C).
The event will be broadcast live and worldwide on H&C’s streaming service, H&C+, and the action can also be watched on-demand from the following day for those who can’t catch the live stream. Secretary of the Shire Horse Society and Show Director Victoria Clayton said: “We are thrilled to announce that H&C will be streaming our National Shire Show live on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th March. This gives Shire horse fans from around the world the opportunity to watch our show. It also gives members who are competing the chance to look back at their performances in the ring at a later date by using the on-demand option. “The National Shire Show is the world’s largest gathering of Shire horses, so it’s very fitting that the event is being broadcast globally.”
www.shire-horse.org.uk www.horseandcountry.tv
A WELCOME ROYAL RETURN
The Royal Bath & West Show returns on 2nd June for a three-day celebration of Great British farming, equine competitions and rural crafts - and tickets are now on sale.
Following a Covid-enforced hiatus the show is staging a welcome comeback with all the usual livestock and equine classes, rural life exhibitions and popular family entertainment. “Livestock competitions, parades and equestrian classes are at the show’s heart and true to our traditions,” says deputy head of shows, Jess Chiplen. www.bathandwest.yourticketbooking.com
CHESTERTONS POLO IN THE PARK 10TH-12TH JUNE
Chestertons Polo in the Park brings world class polo to the heart of London. With its unique, fast paced format, it makes one of the oldest equestrian sports easier for both newcomers to follow and devoted fans to enjoy a great summer’s day out. www.ticketmaster.co.uk
The Longines Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead is one of the pinnacles of the summer season.
Thousands of equestrian fans flock to the All England Jumping Course to watch international highlights such as the Longines King George V Gold Cup, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the feature class, the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup of Great Britain. Hickstead’s July fixture is also the pinnacle of the summer showing season, with every show rider and producer striving to win a coveted blue ribbon.
www.hickstead.co.uk
JONATHAN ARMIGEL WADE ART EXHIBITION 29th MARCH - 16th APRIL
Held at the Osborne Studio Gallery, Belgravia, London. www.osg.uk.com
FIRLE PLACE – 14TH-15TH MAY
Organised by the team at BEDE Events, Firle Place takes place on 14th and 15th May and is also the most southern venue and the first British Eventing Area Festival in the calendar.
The Firle Estate sits in the heart of the South Downs National Park and is just 60 miles from the centre of London. From craft stalls to dog shows and dog agility, terrier racing, gun dog displays and a wide range of artisan food and drink stalls, the event is one not to be missed in the south of the country. www.bede-events.co.uk
THE AL SHIRA’AA HICKSTEAD DERBY MEETING 23RD-26TH JUNE
Hickstead is set for a summer of celebrations with the 60th
running of the Al Shira’aa Derby. First held in 1961, the Hickstead Derby is one of the most historic and popular classes in showjumping, and it is set to return to the All England Jumping Course. Expect thrills and spills as this year’s competitors tackle the fearsome course, which includes the 10ft 6in slope of the Derby Bank, the notoriously difficult Devil’s Dyke combination, and one of the widest water jumps in the world. www.hickstead.co.uk
OASBY HORSE TRIALS: 10TH-13TH MARCH
Many of the country’s leading event riders are set to converge on Oasby (1) Horse Trials - 10th to 13th March - with Horse & Country live streaming the cross-country on the Friday.
Major stars making their way to the Lincolnshire venue, organised by the team at BEDE Events, include Oliver Townend, Piggy March, Tom McEwen, Ros Canter, Laura Collett, Nicola Wilson, Sarah Bullimore and Izzy Taylor to name just a few.
www.bede-events.co.uk
SEIB SERIES: BIGGER, BRIGHTER, BETTER!
SEIB Search for a Star has an exciting addition for the 2022 season in the Search for a Star Open Veteran Championship with all new five qualifiers culminating in a finale at Your Horse Live in November this year.
The Search for a Star Open Veteran Championship is open to any horse or pony over 16years-old with any rider. Horses will be required to gallop and make-up and show products are permitted. The Search for a Star Open Veteran Championship was trialled at the end of the 2021 season and owing to its popularity is all set to run in full this year. Search for a Star first took place back in 1996 and over the years has provided thousands of opportunities for amateur riders to compete at championship shows. The Search for a Star Open Veteran Championship is the very first Search for a Star class that has no amateur restrictions on the horses, ponies and riders taking part. SEIB Marketing Manager, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “We have set up this exciting new Search for a Star championship to celebrate some of our very top horses in their later years. It will be a real treat to see the ‘golden oldies’ perform at Your Horse Live in November. Older horses that have previously excelled in other disciplines will be very welcome to take part. This is the one Search for a Star class in which there is no requirement for amateur status.” Qualifying classes for the Search for a Star Open Veteran Championship will be held at each of the five Search for a Star qualifiers across the country April through August.
The SEIB Search for a Star team is delighted to announce an exciting new showing championship for Pony Club members in 2022. The Search for a Star Pony Club Championship will be held at Your Horse Live in November and be an introduction to showing for members of all ages.
This new championship will enable members to learn about ring craft, turnout, and way of going, and then showcase these skills through qualifying, to compete on the centre stage at Your Horse Live. Pony Club CEO, Marcus Capel said: “This is a great opportunity for our members to learn more about the world of showing. I am very excited to enable our members to enjoy different experiences with their horses and ponies and the Search for a Star series provides a fun, supportive structure to help them achieve.” Head of Marketing at SEIB, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “We have been keen for some time to provide classes for younger people and offer education, training and support. Older Pony Club riders are also very welcome to come along to our qualifiers and in addition they can enter the other Search for a Star classes - or even take part in the Racehorse to Riding Horse series. “Showing teaches so much that is relevant to other disciplines, including turnout, way of going and of course showing the horse or pony off for a Judge when it is not feeling at its most cooperative, a very useful skill when producing a dressage test!” The new Search for a Star classes will be open to any horse or pony ridden by a member of the Pony Club. The animal should be athletic and capable of doing all round Pony Club activities. The horse or pony will not be ridden by the Judge but the competitor will be asked to give a show. For each class there will be a best rider award. Search for a Star has two ‘Weekender’ events planned. These will include a day of training followed by a full qualifying show for both Horse of the Year Show and Your Horse Live.
www.seib.co.uk/competitions
