Rocking all over the world

Stevenson Brothers has been creating gorgeous bespoke rocking horses for a global clientele since the mid 1980s. Nigel Reid reports

Marc & Tony Stevenson

hat little conjunction nestling, snuggly, between “art” and “crafts” can sometimes imply that the two things are somehow separate from one another, the inference being perhaps that “craft” is the blue-collar cousin of T the better-bred “art”.

But, as everyone looking to buy a yearling at this year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale will know, the look of something and how it is put together are often two essential parts of the same thing, especially when it comes to horses.

And, just occasionally, “Art” and “Craft” merge so beautifully that it’s obvious, even to the unpracticed eye, that the finished article would be impossible without the skill, dedication and excellence of both artist AND the craftsman.

The two certainly come together at Stevenson Brothers, where they have been patiently and successfully producing the most gorgeous bespoke rocking horses to a global clientele since the mid 1980s.

The twins’ inspiration came initially from their uncle James Bosworthick who, along with their father, was a naval shipwright in the Chatham Dockyard. Uncle James made toys and rocking horses all his life and, after some persuading when the twins were looking to go into business on their own, he agreed to train one of them to follow in his footsteps – although he doubted the sanity of both nephews as, at the time, the first electronic games had come along to make for an uncertain future for purveyors of something as traditional as a rocking horse.

Eventually, however, they borrowed some money, begged their sister for a shed to use as a workshop and went about building a British company that has stood the test of time and changing tastes.

In the more than 35 years since they began, Stevenson Brothers, and its small, loyal team of artisans, have been creating not just rocking horses that defy the term “toy”, but also memories of childhoods that cascade down the generations.

“Our rocking horses are often passed down through the different generations of the same families,” Marc Stevenson explained. “After all, you can’t leave your son or daughter a laptop!” Highly sought after, Stevenson Brothers’ rocking horses, of which the company creates only 150 to 250 each year, are owned by families around the world, including royalty and a wide selection of the well-known characters from the various equestrian disciplines.

Several high-profile jockeys, including Richard Johnson and Frankie Dettori, own handcrafted Stevenson Brothers’ rocking horses and, as Stevenson explained, the racing and eventing worlds make up a significant slice of the British company’s business.

“We’re training the next generations of jockeys, eventers and showjumpers with our rocking horses,” Stevenson said with a smile. “The horse world is definitely a large part of our business.”

Initially, upon the sage advice of their Uncle James, Stevenson Brothers created only dapple-grey rocking horses, but have since bowed to wider interests. The company now creates a variety of members of the animal kingdom, as well as meeting a strong demand for replicas of famous horses, such as three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Best Mate.

Dettori, for instance, has a Zebra (“Zebra number seven,” Stevenson revealed), while there is even a camel in the showroom in Kent.

“I shouldn’t tell you this, but we’re currently working on a horse whose name begins with an ‘F’ and ends with an ‘L’” – Marc Stevenson

“Replicas of famous horses are very popular,” Stevenson explained. “And I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but we’re currently working on a horse whose name begins with an “F” and ends with an “L”.

Each rocking horse, which has its own unique character, can take between two and three months to produce and the company works closely with each customer to meet their individual needs.

This custom approach has helped to create a sustainable and global business for the Stevensons, who have seen many changes to the market place since they began.

Stevenson said: “When we started, we had to go out to the world, to New York, to Sydney, LA, London. But now, thanks to the Internet, the world also comes to us.”

Indeed, at the time of writing, a forty-foot container of Stevenson rocking horses was hurricane-dodging somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean on the way to Florida, although Marc and his company are also ever present at significant annual events such as the Cheltenham Festival, Burleigh, the Chelsea Flower Show, to mention just three.

But to talk of business feels almost tawdry when there is clearly so much “art” and “craft”, not to mention love, which goes into each end every unique Stevenson Brothers’ creation.

After all, just try and say the words “rocking horse” without smiling.