The North Cotswold Hunt Ball, undeniably the highlight of the equestrian social calendar, was held in December by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Butler, who provided the customary venue of Nayles Barn. A grand marquee erected in Cutsdean’s usually tranquil pastures hosted the elegant occasion which - thanks to the hard work of committee members Louise O’Hara, Hannah Drury, Kirsty Shaw, Kristina Jelly and Faye Evans – was in keeping with the evening’s theme and truly rocked the Kasbah!
Two vodka-filled ice sculptures, by The Plough at Ford, proved to be the most talked about pair of the night amongst the glamorous guests in their evening finery. When the main dining area was revealed, it brought the mingling swiftly to an end: vast rooms were filled with table upon table of crisp linens, candles and flowers. As the guests took their seats, a harem of beautiful young ladies from the North Cotswold Pony Club were introduced as waiting staff for the night.
Oasis Events’ sumptuous marquee took shape in the style of a Bedouin tent, with patterned saffron walls and gilded lanterns; we half imagined the carpets would take flight. Shelly Young of Broadway Florists created dramatic displays of fiery reds and citrus greens that succeeded in warding away the winter chill, perhaps also due in part to the flow of champagne provided by Bennetts Fine Wines as hundreds of guests filed into the reception.
Raffle tickets, wafting in the form of helium balloons, were sold and tied to chair backs. Before long, the food was served from the famous Williams Kitchen of Calcot Manor. In keeping with the Moroccan theme of the night, they served deliciously spiced chicken with flatbreads and dips, followed by roasted lamb shanks and rounded off with lightly perfumed, rose-water pannacotta. All at once the band struck up - without bidding, guests migrated towards the dance floor and merrily swung around to the live music. Casino tables magically appeared in the reception area to amuse guests arriving with after-dinner tickets. The dance tent, a new addition to the hunt ball format, seemed to be the where the main action was - DJ Ben Hall enticed the most unlikely cross section of guests to fill his blacked-out tent. Like desert sand through an hourglass, the evening slipped away. Soon, waiting staff were found wandering serenely through the marquee with trays of breakfast baguettes, providing sustenance to the tipsy and the weary - with refreshed zeal, the guests partied on until “Carriages at 3!”, when a mass exodus rendered the giant carcass of a marquee finally silent - until next year.
James McNaught Davies, Jamie Ball-Hooker, Andrew Haskins and Lisa Haskins
Craig Brown & Vicky Saddler
Sam Bushell, Lily Melaert, Rachel Farren, Martin Crean, Nikki Bayes, Martene Mallett, Emma Thompson
Sue Woodward, David Woodward, Nigel Peel Master of the Hunt, Louise O’Hara and Joey Ritblat
Camilla Grossman, Frankie Courtney, Maddy Pearce, Lottie Organ, Charlotte Plum, Millie Mather, Abi Stock and Briony Lusted www.cotswold-homes.com
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