Popular horse trials targeted by thieves

Organisers of a Somerset horse trials are appealing for information after a theft last month.

Five sets of brand new dressage markers worth £700 were stolen from a field on the last day of the Treborough Horse Trials in West Somerset (20-21June).

The organisers said they were taken just after they left the site at 8pm.

The police are looking for “a short man with dark hair” seen loading the markers into a trailer.

“We had such a wonderful event, with great weather, then this awful theft happened afterwards. It’s cast a shadow over everything,” said entries secretary Miranda Collett.

Over 400 competitors took part in the BE event including Lucy Wiegersma, Emily King and Dani Evans.

Local hunts and pony clubs are using Treborough Hill, this summer for hunter trials and summer camps.

The next BE competition at Treborough Hill is on 30-31 August.

The cross-country venue was also targeted by thieves 2 years ago when a set of new showjumps were stolen. And the honesty box used by riders using the course for schooling has been broken into and set on fire.

As a result of the thefts, the organisers have decided that from 2015 the cross-country course will no longer be open for schooling, just for competitions.

“It’s a tough decision but we are in such a remote location, we cannot have someone on the site all the time,” said one of the organisers, Bryony Turner.

For more information visit www.treboroughhill.co.uk

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