Leading saddlery firm resurrected
One of Britain’s oldest saddlery brands is being relaunched under a new name.
Barnsby Equestrian had been in financial difficulties and went into administration this summer.
The Walsall-based firm was set up in 1873 and was formerly known as Jabez Cliff Limited.
When the company went under, the directors hoped the “strength and reputation” of the Barnsley saddles would enable the brand to continue.
Now fellow Walsall saddler, Ideal & WRS has bought all the saddle tree manufacturing equipment from the administrator of Barnsby assets.
The new Barclay & Co saddle range will use the same patterns and saddle trees as Barnsby.
The company has resurrected the Barclay & Co label that had been used in the Canadian market and has registered the saddle tree brand Beebee & Beebee used by Barnsby.
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James Hitchen, former managing director of Jabez Cliff & Co, has joined the team at Ideal.
“The Barclay & Co saddle range will be uniquely similar to the Barnsby range as they will be built on exactly the same saddle trees,” he said.
“The most notable aesthetic difference will be the Barclay & Co saddle nails and plates,” he added.
The 17 models in the new range represent the bulk of Barnsby’s product portfolio across all equestrian disciplines.
The Barclay & Co range will include the pony saddle, the VSS, the Schockemohle and Milton jumping saddles and Kanter and Majestic dressage saddles.
All the saddles will be manufactured in-house across both of Ideal & WRS’s factories under production director Shaun Marsland.
The Barclay & Co saddles will be sold to the trade for exactly the same prices as the original Barnsby range.
For more information visit www.idealsaddle.com
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