ABOVE: Pictured on his father’s famous riding school at Caley Farm in Heacham, Robert Callaby (right) stands with his wife Constance and their son Robert (who was about three years old at the time) with Head Groom Herbert Howling
The man who brought high society to Heacham Expert horseman, experienced trainer and friend to the famous, Horace Callaby brought a small village to national attention...
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any people are aware of ARCO, the successful tool, small plant and garden machinery hire company based at Caley Farm in Heacham. But few people know that the family-run business has a fascinating history behind it, one that includes larger-than-life characters, world-famous artists, national sporting heroes, world boxing champions, film stars, and European royalty.
The story started in 1917 when a young Horace Callaby (who’d moved down to London to supply the Army with horses) bought two farms in Heacham from the Hunstanton estate. He’d established a riding school and training facility near Crystal Palace and would soon make a name for himself breeding Hackney and race horses - in fact within ten years his horses would win over 500 first places and championship awards.
“Even by the standards of the day, he was a rather flamboyant character,” says his grandson Bob Callaby, who now lives in one of the converted barns at Caley Farm. “As a youngster he’d challenged the Norfolk-born world heavyweight boxing champion Jem Mace to a fight for a bet. I’m not sure Heacham was quite ready for him at the end of the first World War!” Indeed, a few decades later, the London Illustrated magazine would
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KLmagazine March 2020