Great British Mare & Foal show forced into last minute venue change
A new venue has been found for the first Great British Mare & Foal Show on Friday (2 September).
The show will now run at The College Equestrian Centre, Keysoe, Bedfordshire, not at Addington as was originally planned.
Addington director Tim Price told H&H the venue pulled out after being told there were 38 entries last Friday (26 August).
“It’s not viable for them or us to run a show with that number of entries,” he said.
But show organiser Lynne Crowden told H&H: “We were completely nonplussed by Addington’s withdrawal of the venue.”
She said the show now has “well over 50 horses entered and more coming in.”
The College EC’s owner Simon Bates told H&H: “We’re delighted to host the Great Mare & Foal Show at Keysoe and are looking forward to welcoming everyone on Friday.”
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Organised by the British Breeders’ Network, the show is hosting the first Supreme Futurity dressage and showjumping foal & mare championship.
Foals who scored a higher first or elite Futurity premium in the dressage or showjumping sections at the 2016 Baileys Horse Feeds/British Breeding/ British Equestrian Federation Futurity qualify with their dams for the championship.
“We’re very excited about the Supreme Futurity foal championship,” said Mrs Crowden, who runs Woodlander Stud with her husband Dave.
She said the show has been set up “to support breeders of all studbooks.”
Prize money and sponsorship totals nearly £3,000 at the debut event.
There are classes for mares and foals bred for showjumping, dressage, eventing and endurance, as well as heritage horses and sports ponies.
“The heritage horses really are the backbone of the history of breeding in our country and cover breeds including Cleveland bays, Clydesdales and Irish draughts,” said Mrs Crowden.
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Entries officially closed on Monday 29th, but late entries are being taken for foals and their dams at the final few Futurity venues taking place this week.
The organisers are planning to add more classes to next year’s show.
For more details click here.
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