A small-scale, family-run equestrian store has proved that mighty oaks from little acorns grow by winning the equine retailer of the year competition at the 2022 equestrian business awards.
Michaela Pollitt’s Equisign Tack and Feed pipped 312 nominated businesses to clinch the prize, which was announced at an awards ceremony held at the Village Hotel and Spa in Nottingham.
Michaela and her husband, Tony, have shown horses at top level for over a decade. Their charges include the maxi cob Polestar who has been placed at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) in both open and amateur ranks.
Michaela, who also runs showing clinics, judges at local and agricultural shows and is a talent spotter for The Showing Register’s training pathway series, runs Equisign with one part-time staff member in North Lincolnshire.
“The shop is my baby,” said Michaela, who sold stable signs and cross-country colours at Equisign and branched out into tack and feed supplies in 2016. “I wish I could say that we had some amazing, well thought-out business plan, but one night over a few glasses of wine we made the decision to transform our garage into a tack shop and supply equestrian products to the local community. We live in a very equestrian area and there was a definite gap in the market for a shop with traditional values that would benefit the whole equestrian community and act as a hub for advice.”
The idea was initially intended to supplement Michaela’s teaching:
“We are still a small shop in terms of size and we’re still based in humble premises, but our reach has been brilliant,” she said. “Our unique selling point is our service knowledge, our passion and our commitment to the local community; we want to be a source of support, whether that be to someone looking for feed advice to aid a specific condition, or someone looking to pick up tips on showing turnout.”
Equisign made it into the top three finalists in the retailer of the year award, alongside Equidry and North Wales and Conwy Valley tack shop.
“It’s great that the awards have recognised that we’re worth a lot more than our size,” said Michaela, who, alongside feed, bedding and tack supplies, offers other services such as rug cleaning, saddlery repairs, clipper sharpening and zip replacement and more specialist services such riding instruction arena hire and plaiting and turnout. Product demonstration videos also feature on Equisign’s social media.
“We aim to be a hub at the heart of the local equestrian community and provide customers with an introduction to local services, too. Today, you can buy anything you want or need online, but the local tack shop still provides that extra service where people can go to seek advice and help. We collaborate with other industry professionals and regularly signpost our customers to their services, and we’ve recently finished a viewing area for our school; as well as providing a vantage point to watch lessons we are hoping the area will serve as a venue to host clinics, coffee mornings, talks and demos. I also have my own herbal range that I am keen to bring to the market.
“My passion for the people we serve and their horses makes this the best job in the world. I can’t tell you the buzz I get from hearing that a product we have recommended has made a massive difference to a customer’s equestrian life or helped their horse. Supply issues and the current issues with pricing across all sectors has been challenging but we do follow trends and have so far weathered the storm thanks to the loyalty of our customers.
“We are often described as an Aladdin’s cave of desirable equestrian products but it’s our personal and warm service that we are best known and appreciated for.”
Michaela started showing in 2010 with her lightweight show cob Harvey Nichols who qualified for the SEIB Search For A Star finals in 2012. Tony started riding later in life but he has enjoyed plenty of success in the show ring in recent years.
“When I started out I used to be at the bottom of the line but I had a thirst for learning,” Michaela said. “My husband, Tony, now does the majority of the showing and he’s been placed at the RIHS with our maxi cob. More recently, we’ve bought an ex-racehorse, Chorus Of Lies, who was second at Aintree in-hand earlier this year. We hope to bring him out under saddle very soon.”
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