Reports stand. Their day was topped by a win in the new Hartland Wedding/Ceremonial Vehicles class when Lee Cross drove a 1890 Barouche by Thrupp & Mabberley to take the beautiful new Menno Trophy.
Champions all at The 52nd BDS Annual Show Photo: www.1stclassimages.com
Carriages were also to the fore in the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights Vintage Vehicles. Judge Peter Leech studied the nine entries in great detail awarding top prize to Bob Alexander’s pair Bullet & Bandit to an original brake.
Hackney Champion, Baldwins A Class Act owned & driven by Hayley McNiece
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Jessie Dudley Apicella had had a busy day with six entries and whilst she herself did not qualify for the Championship, it was Dad Geoff who did having won the Victoria Foods Welsh Championship with Jessie’s Stockdale Black Prince.
Mr. & Mrs. Titmus’ The Outlaw driven by James Titmus, winner of the Balanced Horse Feeds Pleasure Driving class
Liz Edmonds’ evergreen Maylands Magpie had won a strong T. Cribb & Sons Non-Hackney Type over 13.2hh class thereby earning a chance to compete for the title which they had won in 2011. The two-time Osborne Refrigerators National Champion Brynllwyn Quick-Flash owned and driven by Nicola Salter earned his shot at the title by winning the smaller Non-Hackney Type class. Neil Wray left his 2015 Supreme Champion horses Binkie & Eric at home, bringing a new single turnout to the show. Plains Royalty rewarded him by not only taking the Novice Horse class, but went on to become Gail Crosier
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British Driving Society
It was, however, the winner of a very strong KBIS British Equestrian Insurance Hackney Type class – Joe Rowe driving his own Brookeborough Stepping Star who caught Judge Alex Lanni’s eye. She awarded him the Championship trophy and qualification for the Harness Champion of the Year at the Horse of the Year Show. In a month that was heading towards being one of the wettest on record, the show was a very welcome dry day much appreciated by both exhibitors and spectators alike. In a year when some shows are struggling to attract driving entries (competitors be warned – shows will cancel classes if they are not supported) organisers were delighted and grateful that entry numbers at Smith’s Lawn were up on 2015 figures. Despite this two classes were cancelled having received not one entry. One was the Miniature Horse class the other being the Young Driver 10-14 years. Nevertheless the older young driver category attracted more entries than usual and proved a very strong class indeed. Coming out top and winning the famous Langdon Dowsett trophy for the Thimbleby & Shorland Young Driver Championship was 15 year old Rachel Milton driving Jessie Dudley-Apicella’s Brookfield Show Time. Traditionally Light Trade classes at the BDS Show are some of the most popular. Twenty-one entries were split into three divisions and it was the responsibility of Wiltshire judge Charles Roger Jacobs to find his three winners and ultimate Champion. He chose James Edwards’ Marylind Lady Jane in the Fenix Carriages Four Wheel and Steve Watts with Trixies BreninGwalia in the Thimbleby & Shorland Costers, but it was K.R. Howman’s Philmarsh Sam, winner of the Fairbourne Carriages Two Wheel Light Trade who ultimately went on to become champion. The T. Cribb & Sons team had a busy day with horses in five classes; they also generously provided a display of carriages for the Carriage Foundation
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They included Paul & Christine Bassett’s lovely Highland Staffin Peigi of Castlegreen who had won both the Alexander Mountain & Moorland and Binder Ltd. Country Vehicles 13.2hh & under thereby making their long journey from Derbyshire worthwhile. The winner of the larger height Country Vehicle class, Lucy Smith’s Waunoris Melody also joined them in the final.
Novice Champion and entry into the Supreme Championship.
Thimbleby & Shorland Young Driver Champion, Rachel Milton driving Jessie Dudley Apicella’s Brookfield Show Time
Awards Committee Chairman Mark Broadbent had a particularly busy day, not only with the Coachmakers, but also presenting the awards for the Fenix Red Rover to Joyce White and helping his wife Joanna with her pony team. The Worshipful Company of Farriers prize is judged through four classes with the top prize awarded to Jenny Todd’s Springfield Park Rumpus. A delighted Jenny cheerfully gave all the credit to her farrier Gareth Thomas. The show is also grateful to all its stewards and officials without whom it, like all other shows and events, could not run. They, the unsung heroes, work all day bringing expertise, enthusiasm and ultimately pride in a job well done. No task is too big or too small, but it was disappointing that the clear-up team had to deal with soiled babies
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There was a new name on the famous BDS Supreme Championship Trophy at the BDS Annual Show on 19th June. Joe Rowe took time off from his duties as a farrier to come out top of a very strong class of nine competitors who had qualified throughout the day to compete for the supreme title.
Thank you to all the sponsors for their support, and also to the Livery Companies who attend the show. The Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights support the Vintage Vehicle class and bring a large party to the show, with a similar number from the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers & Coach Harness Makers for whom the highlight is the presentation of their Award by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. This year’s winner was Margaret Brockie.
Margaret Brockie receiving her award from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh accompanied by the Master of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers & Coach Harness Makers, Michael Kimber
Magazine Issue 364 – Summer 2016