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| Warrior, ridden by Shane Breen, at Stallion Showcase GB |
There aren't many opportunities in Britain for mare owners to view a number of stallions in one place and the Showcase provided the right environment to do it.
The big, bright International Arena at Addington made the setting instantly welcoming and trade stands laid around the parade arena allowed visitors to browse stalls without missing out on the action.
My companion for the day, a mare owner herself, also commented on how great it was to be able to eat in the venue's cafeteria while still being able to watch everything going on in the arena. Regular breaks allowed for a trip down to the stables to visit the stallions in their stables to assess conformation, temperament and chat with their handlers and owners. And for those that didn't fancy heading down to the stables, talks from industry professional, as well as lecture/demos, were held in between stallion shows.
The organisers also produced a breeding book containing detailed information about the stallions. I overheard a number of praising comments of its contents from people thumbing through its pages. It's still available to buy now from Brendon Saddlery.
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| Randi, exhibited by John Whitaker. |
Personally, I hope this event goes from strength to strength and encourages more breeding from British animals.
The Showcase wasn't only helping out British breeding. A silent auction was held over both days in aid of Help 4 Heroes, with prizes donated from all corners of the British equestrian circuit. In total, £12,000 was raised.
It was a credit to the organisers, a fantastic weekend for both stallion and mare owners alike. Roll on 2012 I am sure it will be even bigger and better.
ReplyDeleteWell done to all concerned.
it was a beautifully run showcase. Although the numbers for dressage horses and spectators was down for the Sunday, it did clash with Patchetts where I know a number were already booked. All say they will definitely be at the showcase next year! For a first run, there were no visible problems though you would expect nothing less of the Brendon team and Ed Lyall for whom customer service is a huge sense of pride. I love it and will definitely attend in 2012! Thank you for taking this initiative all!
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