You’d think Dorset Council had cracked the code of effortless, modern public services – until you look at their plans to make us all book an appointment just to throw away an old carpet. From this autumn, if we use the Dorchester, Wimborne, Shaftesbury or Sherborne recycling centres, we’ll have to pre-book a slot online or by phone before we turn up. According to the council’s website, you’ll get up to 10,000 slots per site each month. You can book on the day if there’s space, or up to two weeks in advance. But if you’re anything like the rest of us, the tip trip isn’t a red-letter diary event – it’s what happens when the garage is about to burst, or you’ve been hacking back the garden all day, and decide you’ve got just enough time to get it all gone if you nip to the tip before it shuts. And in an area where Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset meet in a tangle of lanes, this policy borders on the absurd. I might live a few hundred feet over the border, but now I’ll have to drive miles further – or pay a charge – just to get rid of perfectly ordinary household waste. All in the name of stopping so-called “cross-border usage,” which, let’s be honest, nobody cared about until now. It sounds rather exciting though. A bit like those Australian customs TV shows: we’ll be turning up looking all innocent while we have a bit of Wiltshire loot stashed in a box at at the back.
Keep it simple, Stu… If the problem is out-of-county residents, why not use a simpler system? Check a driving licence or a council tax bill at the gate. The staff are already there. Or better yet, look at how it’s done in the Netherlands or France: you get a resident card linked to your address. No booking, no charges for general household rubbish, no drama. The card is issued to the house, not the person. You could always charge out-of-county-ers for a card (and the right to use your tips). Imagine that – something that works without a clunky online portal and a new layer of bureaucracy. It’s worth noting the general consensus ‘oop north’ is that Sherborne and Shaftesbury rarely have queues to begin with: has it actually been assessed? A quick changeover or skip swap, maybe, but hardly gridlock. And if Dorset Council really cares about fairness, why cherry-pick four sites for this experiment while the other six carry on as usual? Uniform policy? Apparently not. Meanwhile, Shropshire tried this booking experiment – it ended in a spike of fly-tipping and was quietly scrapped earlier this year. Because when you make it harder to dispose of waste legally, some people just dump it in a gateway. And that costs councils – and ultimately us – even more. And let’s not forget the company behind this shiny booking system is also the author of the glowing reports claiming it will save money. You’ll forgive me if I’m sceptical. Simon Hoare MP called this policy a “wonky-wheeled supermarket trolley,” and for once I can’t disagree with him. If it ain’t broke, Dorset Council, don’t fix it. Or at the very least, don’t imagine a problem and then proudly announce your convoluted solution. Sometimes the simplest answer really is the best one. And no, it doesn’t require an app.
Whenever you hear someone in government say that ‘difficult decisions have to be made’ inevitably the question inevitably arises, difficult for whom? Those making the decisions, or those affected by them? The Labour government’s plan for welfare ‘reforms’ (ie cuts) included making it harder for people to access Personal Independence Payments (PIPs), and cutting the rate of incapacity payments for those unable to work for health reasons. The true measure of a civilised society surely lies in how it treats its poorer and most vulnerable citizens. PIP is designed to support people who have a long-term physical or mental health disability. Around 20 per cent of them are in work, but are simply unable to earn enough to cover their basic needs. This is yet another legacy of the decades-long failures of previous governments. And while levels of poverty have risen in the UK, the income of the rich has soared as the gap between the wealthy and the poor has widened. Hence the Green Party’s call for a fair tax system. A backbench rebellion obliged the Government to first offer some concessions, but they still proposed to reduce benefits paid to new claimants – so people with identical needs would have ended up being treated differently. Unacceptably unfair. We await the outcome of the review of the PIP assessment. On another crucial topic, the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. Almost half our wildlife has gone, and another 10,000 species of plants, animals and birds are threatened with extinction. In January the Government cut short the first reading of the Climate & Nature (CAN) Bill before it could be put to a vote, and rescheduled it for 11th July … perhaps hoping there would not be enough time for it to be debated again? There is a campaign for each of the 650 constituencies in England to send the Prime Minister a personal letter, urging him to give emergency debate time to the Bill and ensure that we have greater action on the climate and nature crisis. I’m pleased to have been asked to post the letter on behalf of North Dorset: the Government’s decision will affect rich and poor alike. Ken Huggins North Dorset Green Party
Open Farm Sunday drew 3,000 visitors to Rawston Farm, but the shadow of TB returns with fresh tests ahead for James Cossins
At Rawston Farm we have some goods news to report and also some bad news. Firstly the good: the Open Farm Sunday event we hosted on 8th June was an amazing success. At Down Barn, we welcomed nearly 3,000 people to the farm – and we took 1,212 of them around the farm on tractor and trailer rides.
Open Farm Sunday at Rawston Farm All images: Courtenay Hitchcock
Our aim this year was to show our visitors what foods we produce here on the farm, and how we produce them. In the grain barn my wife (and also a BV columnist) Barbara had organised many local food producers to show what was produced here in Dorset. We had stands for honey, rapeseed oil, milk and milk products, preserves, cider, sausage rolls … and so many more products. We also had on display some of our farm machinery, ranging from our seed drill to the combine. During the farm tours, visitors learned about the life cycle of a milking cow while watching them graze in the paddock.
Green Weald Virgin Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil – a single-variety of rapeseed grown and processed on Cranborne Chase in Dorset
We spotted plenty of hares out in their favourite grass field – many people on the trailers had never seen so many gathered together. Later in the day, guests watched the cows being milked and discovered how the milk gets from the farm all the way to the shops. We also had beef cattle, sheep, pigs and baby chicks on display, and we were also joined by representatives of our local Damory Veterinary Practice. I hope everyone had an enjoyable day – and, just as importantly, came away having learned something new about farming. My thanks go to all the local farmers and volunteers who gave their time and helped the day run so smoothly.
The TB The bad news is that one of our beef TB reactors was found to have a culture-positive result for TB. Many of you will remember our loss of 47 animals, including a bull, at the start of the year. That was about 15 per cent of our entire adult cattle herd. This latest result means that not only do we have to carry out a skin test but also a gamma blood test at the same time. Although the milking cows were blood tested last November, we have been requested to test them again: we have to hope that further infection has not been picked up since then. None of us at Rawston is looking forward to the last week of July, (comma) when the testing will be taking place.
The grain barn was filled with local producers as well as visitors enjoying their products
Our cereal harvest is likely to start in the first week of July, which is about two weeks early. We are currently busy getting the combines ready and cleaning out our grain stores ready for the harvest. It is difficult at the moment to predict the anticipated yield, after such a dry spring and summer but with the bonus of extra sunshine. I will report back at the next time of writing, hopefully with positive news … on both the harvest yields and a clear TB test.
Simon Hoare sets out the enduring tenets which anchor Conservatism, a vision rooted in responsibility, pragmatism and national confidence
Simon Hoare MP
We are marking the anniversary of the 2024 General Election – the worst defeat for my party in our long history. A question which often arose was: ‘What does your party stand for?’ In other words – “Tell me the relevance of Conservatism for the 2020s/30s”. As a Conservative, sometimes that can be hard. We are a broad church of popular centre-right appeal. We have had no Little Red Book or Marxian jottings to constrain our path. Open. Pragmatic. Common sense. Common ground. These have been our lodestars. Robert Peel, the founding father of the modern Tory Party perhaps best summarised Conservatism as ‘retaining the best of what we have got and reforming only when necessary.’ So I thought it might be helpful (though it might not!) if I set out what I think the core and foundation principles of contemporary Conservatism should be.
We believe in responsibilities as well as rights, seeing them as two sides of the same coin. We can have legitimate expectations of the State but so too can the State of us. Think Kennedy: ‘ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country’. We have responsibilities to play our part in society, to pay our way, support our families and communities.
The State should not be defined as being either small or big but, rather, smart. We must always see the State as servant, and not master. The challenges of demographic and changing tax takes means that every penny needs to be watched. The State needs to be fleet of foot, responsive … but above all know its own limits. There is such a thing as society, but it is different from the State and the State will always err when it believes that only it can be the author of every solution.
We need to instil faith in our institutions: the armed forces, legal system, police, church and crown. Not forelock-tugging deference but respect through understanding and confidence.
We must have a sense of Britain’s role in the world and, springing from our democracy, free speech etc, be a beacon on the hill for those striving for the same. Soft power and influence needs to be maximised for the national and international good. This is different from Jingoistic blind patriotism, it is about national pride and self-confidence in our ability to be a force for good.
Conservative public services need to be modern and responsive to fast-changing demand. Our Welfare State should be a safety net through which no one can fall. However, it cannot be a straightjacketing cocoon from which no-one can escape.
We need to be wedded to social mobility, sound money and having a property-owning democracy. Education and training should be the public service version of Timpson’s keycutting services – you need them to open life’s doors.
We have to be collaborative and internationalist in our outlook, while maximising the opportunities of Commonwealth and our wider global reach.
We need a civic pride in conserving our environment while building for the future.
We must be a unifying force for all parts of our United Kingdom – championing our common ground of shared values and hopes rather than seeking dividing fault lines. Over the coming months, as our policies start to take shape, if they are founded on, inter alia, the above key tenets, centre right voters and all who cherish our country and commonsense will, once again, find their political mooring.
[ad] Have you been to the Groundswell Regenerative Agriculture Festival recently – or know someone who did? Maybe you’re starting to wonder what it’s all about. Or perhaps you’re simply trying to make sense of all the ‘regen’ messages coming your way?
At its core, regenerative agriculture is about one thing: putting soil health first. That means minimising soil disturbance, keeping the ground covered, maintaining living roots for as much of the year as possible – and adding as much diversity as you can in your crops, varieties and techniques. Where you can, livestock integration is a key part too.
But context matters. Every farm, every field, every farmer is different. Regen doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. It doesn’t mean no ploughing, or never using inputs – it’s about working out what makes sense on your land.
Maybe I can help?
You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Small, well-considered changes can make a real difference – both to your soil and to your bottom line.
That might mean tweaking your grazing system. Or setting clearer treatment thresholds for livestock and crops. Or rethinking your breeding decisions to improve longevity and performance. One step at a time – towards a more resilient, profitable and rewarding way to farm.
Philip Day agricultural consultant
I bring over 30 years’ experience in managing dairy, beef, sheep and arable systems, including sustainable land use and organic conversions. That background allows me to offer practical support on soil health, livestock management, staff recruitment and training, budgeting and performance monitoring.
If you’d like to talk about how your farm could adapt in an uncertain world – and where the opportunities lie – give me a ring.
Archbishop Wake CE Primary School, part of the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, will be opening a new on-site nursery from 1st September 2025. The provision will include a dedicated baby unit, allowing the school to offer education and care for children from birth to age eleven. The move brings the existing Blandford Children’s Centre Nursery into the Archbishop Wake setting.
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This expansion marks a major development for the school, enabling it to offer all-through early years and primary education to the local community. The nursery will be fully integrated with the primary school, supporting a smooth and consistent journey for children from the Early Years Foundation Stage into Key Stage 1.
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“We are absolutely delighted to be opening our own nursery,” said Headteacher, Daniel Carter. “This has been an exciting project for the entire community, and we believe it will provide invaluable support for families in Blandford. We are really looking forward to welcoming our first nursery children in September.”
As part of the changes, the school will also take over the existing ‘Oscars’ wraparound care provision. This will extend support for working families and further strengthen the school’s role within the local community.
Bristol’s academic landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years. Days of simple note-taking and reading from textbooks are now a thing of the past. Today, information overload hits like a wave during exam season. Time slips away. Finding techniques that actually stick becomes a mission impossible for many.
This guide won’t promise miracles. Instead, it offers practical strategies to build study routines that might save your academic life. Whether you’re drowning in revision for end-of-term assessments or trying to build knowledge that won’t evaporate after the exam, these approaches could help you study smarter. Because honestly, studying harder hardly works when you’re already exhausted.
People absorb information differently – it’s just how brains work. Some students light up when presented with colourful diagrams and charts. Others practically hear concepts click into place during lectures. And then there’s the group that needs to get hands-on before anything makes sense.
Think back to classes where everything just made sense. Was the professor scribbling diagrams across the board? Or perhaps explaining concepts verbally with minimal visuals? Maybe it was that workshop where theory transformed into something tangible.
Once you’ve spotted your learning patterns, gathering study materials becomes less of a shot in the dark. Visual learners might thrive with colour-coded notes that turn a wall of text into something meaningful. Auditory learners could benefit from recording key lectures – perfect for revisiting complex ideas during a rainy Sunday afternoon study session. Kinaesthetic learners might create physical flashcards to shuffle and arrange, turning abstract theories into something they can literally get their hands on. It’s not about finding the “right” way to study; it’s about finding your way.
Resources That Enhance Learning
Standard textbooks – those hefty tomes that somehow never quite cover what appears on the exam – have their place. Lecture notes capture essential points but often lack the depth needed for true understanding. The gap between what’s provided and what’s needed often feels impossibly wide.
Thankfully, there are now platforms filled with study resources to help with exam prep. These spaces offer access to practice questions, past papers, and detailed study guides created by students who’ve already weathered the same academic storms. On a particularly frustrating Tuesday night, when nothing makes sense, seeing how someone else approached the same problem, can make all the difference.
Study guides prove particularly valuable for those modules that make absolutely no sense the first (or fifth) time around. They break down complex theories into digestible chunks and highlight what actually matters. Students regularly report that approaching material from multiple angles leads to genuine understanding rather than the frantic memorisation that evaporates the moment the exam ends.
Creating Productive Study Environments
The space where studying happens matters more than most realise. The right environment can transform a frustrating three-hour session into a productive ninety minutes.
Noise tolerance varies wildly between students. Some need library-level silence where even a whispered conversation feels intrusive. Others find the gentle hum of a café creates just enough background to prevent their mind from wandering into distractions. Perhaps music without lyrics works best, or maybe complete silence makes your thoughts shout even louder. Experimentation reveals what works for each individual brain. Bristol’s central library offers silent study rooms that feel like academic sanctuaries during exam season, while certain corners of campus coffee shops provide the perfect buzz level for others.
Lighting affects everything from eye strain to alertness. Natural light streaming through windows creates ideal conditions, but British weather doesn’t always cooperate. During those grey winter afternoons that seem to start at 2pm, warm artificial lighting can prevent the drowsiness that derails study sessions. Positioning matters too – that glare on laptop screens has ruined many good intentions.
Organisation isn’t just about aesthetic Instagram-worthy desk setups. Having essential materials within reach prevents the “just checking my phone while I look for my calculator” rabbit hole that turns into forty minutes of scrolling. Consider practical elements like desk height and chair comfort, too – backaches from hunching over notes don’t improve retention rates.
Effective Time Management Techniques
Balancing coursework across multiple subjects feels like juggling while riding a unicycle. Without strategic time management, one challenging assignment can consume all available hours, leaving other subjects neglected until panic sets in.
Creating weekly study schedules requires honesty about personal energy patterns. Morning people might tackle statistics at 8am when their analytical abilities peak, while night owls could schedule creative writing for evening sessions when ideas flow more freely. The schedule taped to the fridge might not be followed perfectly, but it provides a framework when motivation wanes.
Revision notes benefit tremendously from regular review rather than last-minute cramming. Spaced repetition – reviewing material at increasing intervals – embeds information more deeply than the traditional all-nighter. Incorporating quick reviews of yesterday’s material before tackling new topics creates connections that enhance understanding.
Memory Techniques for Exam Success
Memory isn’t a perfect recording device – it’s more like a detective piecing together clues. Understanding how memory actually works reveals why some study methods fail spectacularly while others stick.
Active recall represents the powerhouse of memory techniques. Rather than passively highlighting text until every page glows fluorescent yellow, testing yourself forces your brain to retrieve information independently. This struggle strengthens neural pathways, making future retrieval easier. It might feel uncomfortable compared to the false comfort of re-reading notes, but discomfort often signals effective learning.
Mnemonic devices transform forgettable lists into memorable stories. These memory shortcuts include acronyms, vivid mental images, and ridiculous associations that somehow stick. Medical students remember cranial nerves through phrases like “Oh Once One Takes The Anatomy Final, Very Good Vacation Awaits.” Creating personal mnemonics adds meaning to otherwise disconnected facts.
Concept mapping builds visual networks rather than linear lists. By connecting related ideas graphically, students develop understanding of relationships between concepts. This network approach mirrors how the brain naturally organises information, creating multiple retrieval pathways for exam situations.
Dealing with Academic Setbacks and Building Resilience
Academic disappointments happen universally – from first-years to PhD candidates. Research shows that response to setbacks predicts long-term success more accurately than initial performance. Students developing resilience skills bounce back more effectively from academic disappointments.
Building academic resilience requires specific approaches:
Analysing feedback objectively without spiralling into self-criticism
Creating targeted action plans that address specific knowledge gaps
Setting realistic recovery goals with clear, achievable milestones
Practising self-compassion while maintaining accountability
After poor grades, many students make the classic mistake of simply increasing study hours without changing methods. This rarely solves underlying issues. Instead, disappointments should trigger methodological adjustments – perhaps seeking additional resources, changing study environments, or finally attending those office hours that always seemed intimidating.
The “failure resume” technique helps maintain perspective during difficult academic periods. Documenting setbacks alongside lessons learned transforms negative experiences into valuable growth opportunities. This practice reduces anxiety about future challenges by highlighting resilience already demonstrated.
Many Bristol educational institutions now offer resilience workshops specifically designed for academic challenges. These resources provide structured approaches to managing stress during high-stakes assessment periods – particularly valuable during the dark January days when motivation reaches yearly lows.
Technology Tools for Study Enhancement
Digital tools offer powerful capabilities that previous generations of students could only imagine. When used thoughtfully, technology transforms study efficiency without becoming yet another distraction.
Note-taking applications provide significant advantages over traditional methods. These tools allow instant organisation of information, searchability across thousands of pages, and synchronisation across devices.
Flashcard applications leverage spaced repetition algorithms to optimise review schedules based on individual performance. These programs track which concepts cause difficulty and adjust accordingly, showing challenging material more frequently while spacing out well-known information. Perfect for those fifteen-minute study gaps between lectures.
However, technology introduces its own challenges. Notifications from social media platforms and messaging apps can fragment attention during crucial study periods. Creating digital boundaries during focused work sessions – perhaps by using aeroplane mode or dedicated focus apps, protects valuable concentration from constant interruptions.
Working Equitation welcomes every horse – part dressage, part obstacle course, all excitement, and possibly the most inclusive equestrian sport
While The Sass Queen is always up for a challenge, turning her hoof to most things with great enthusiasm, there is one discipline she genuinely begrudges: dressage. Our points for relaxation and harmony are not usually high (because life is so much more fun when you can do everything at speed, right?). In fact, if we stay within the white boards, I’m taking that as a win.
Lynne Macleod and Hermes clearing an obstacle holding a traditional vara. All images: Joe Gros
If this sounds familiar – or perhaps you’ve got a dressage diva but you’d like to try something different – then Working Equitation could well be the answer. Lynne Macleod started competing in the sport ten years ago, and her accolades include competing at the World Championships in France in 2022 and being on the British Working Equitation development squad. ‘The competitions reward the partnership and harmony between horse and rider,’ Lynne says. They consist of three phases: dressage, ease of handling and the speed round. ‘Different obstacles emulate the terrain that horses encounter while out working in the field or on ranches. It’s basically crossing bridges or opening gates, but with a bit more flair!’
Image from Lynne’s recent clinic at Glenda Spooner Farm in Somerset
The phases The dressage phase is much like your typical competition format: control, precision, harmony, collection and relaxation, with scores out of 10 for each movement. Unlike traditional dressage, it’s always in a 20×40 arena, whatever the level. There is only one test per level, with callers allowed at regional competitions – making it perfect for the slightly nervous or more forgetful riders (of which I am most definitely the latter. A, turn up the centre line … and was it track right or left at C?). Additional collective marks are given for turnout which, in the UK, is described as “traditional hunting attire” – plaited horses, tweed jacket, beige breeches, plain-coloured saddle-shaped numnah. The next phase, ease of handling, is ‘dressage but with stuff in the way,’ as Lynne puts it. ‘There is a set course, with different obstacles you have to tackle while maintaining composure. Scoring is out of 10 for precision, submission and ease of movement. At the advanced levels, riders are expected to perform flying changes in specific places for particular obstacles, and movements are performed using only one hand.’ The speed round is not just The Sass Queen’s personal favourite –even Lynne calls it ‘the fun bit’. You’re completing the obstacle course against the clock – but for every obstacle you knock or complete incorrectly you get ten points added to your time.
For the Spear The Ring obstacle, the competitor must skewer the ring(s) with the tip of the pole, while the horse maintains gait
Depending on the venue, cattle handling can be an additional phase, with riders working alongside their team to cut their cow away from the herd, get it over the line and into the pen. Having lived on a farm and terrorised a couple of bulls over the years, I feel that The Sass Queen would excel at this! However, Lynne advises this is very much not American rodeo, and that the animal’s welfare is always at the forefront. ‘A common misconception is that Working Equitation is like handy pony or mounted games for adults, she says. ‘But it’s so much harder! It is quite easy to get eliminated and everyone does at some point. But unlike other equestrian sports, it doesn’t rule you out of completing the other phases of the competition. You can also be placed against other riders who have been eliminated. ‘I’d definitely advise anyone wanting to give it a go to purchase the rule book first …’ Having had a go at a training competition held at Kingston Maurward College a few months ago, I can attest to the rules being quite particular: the gate must be opened and closed with your right hand, and you cannot enter the zone of an obstacle you have not yet completed. ‘You don’t make the same mistake twice. though,’ says Lynne, who once drove four hours to Norfolk for a competition, just to get eliminated for using the wrong hand at the gate. ‘One thing I love is that there is always a phase which your horse will excel at, and another that you’ll need to work a bit more on. It’s a level playing field.’ One thing I’ve noticed from watching a few clinics and competitions is that you also get all types of horses, from Warmbloods to Icelandics – and everything in between. ‘It’s a common misconception that you need an Iberian or a Lusitano to compete,’ says Lynne. ‘It’s very inclusive and there is always such a sense of camaraderie. National competitions are a bit like a stay-away Pony Club party, with everyone getting behind you during the speed round. The roar of 3,000 people willing us on at Westpoint was such an amazing experience!
The Sass Queen letting Tamsin Doar know exactly what her opinions are on dressage at a Working Equitation clinic
Unlike other affiliated disciplines, you move up through the levels when you feel ready to. Regional competitions are one day, and the points you gain count towards the national league. Once you’ve started competing at a certain level you can’t then move down a level, unless you achieve a particularly low score. Working Equitation is also one of the only disciplines where you can compete in a bitless bridle throughout, and any FEI legal bit is allowed, so long as you keep the same tack in each phase. ‘It’s great to see that Pony Club’s are also getting more involved,’ says Lynne. ‘Kids seem to find working equitation really engaging – it takes away what they sometimes feel as the “boring” element of dressage, and mixes it with something fun that they really have to concentrate on.’ I can fully sympathise with this: as a young rider I just wanted to go fast and have fun. The idea of poncing around the arena getting my left and rights mixed up always filled me with dread! ‘It’s also great for kids who perhaps don’t have ponies that are at the level to make Pony Club teams: working equitation is very accessible, and any breed of horse can excel at it.’
Lynne McLeod opening a gate during ease of handling phase, which involves a series of precise maneuvers that demonstrate the horse and rider’s partnership and control
Lynne advises if you’re wanting to dip your toe into the waters to take a look at the Association of British Working Equitation website where there’s lots of helpful information, ranging from contacts for local instructors to upcoming clinics and competitions, including a clinic held at Kingston Maurward College on 6th August, and a regional competition there on 16th August. Who knows, maybe I’ll see some of you there while I’m trying to persuade The Sass Queen that she really does love dressage after all, and only has to hold it together for a few minutes until we can get to the fun bit!
A beautiful park, well-designed undulating courses and a warm welcome for cobs with fabulous moustaches at the British Eventing weekend
As far as settings for competitions go, you won’t find many as beautiful as Kingston Maurward College near Dorchester. With its stunning parkland, sweeping away from from the main house, it could easily be mistaken for Badminton or Blenheim. With classes running each day – the 80cm and most of the 90cm on Saturday, followed by the 90cm, 100cm and novice classes on Sunday – it clearly took a mammoth effort to organise. But the hard work paid off, delivering a smooth, professional event that was a pleasure to attend.
Moustachio-ed cobs The event marked a milestone for the legendary cross-country starter Keith Watkins who, on the Sunday, started his 120,000th horse on to a cross-country course. Having volunteered with BE since 1989, he is a familiar face to many across the South West, welcoming well-known professional competitors and helping put nervous first-timers at ease with his calm and organised manner. As with any event, dressage is the first phase to be completed (or, in my personal limited eventing experience, tackled…). The arenas were set on top of a hill with beautiful views across the parkland down towards the main house. Portuguese international event rider Miguel Catela, who is based near Wincanton and has competed horses up to 4* level, said: ‘The organisers have obviously listened to last year’s feedback. This year the arenas are in a different location, with good ground and plenty of warm up space.’ Miguel went on to produce a beautiful test on his ride, scoring 23.5.
In the 80cm and 90cm classes, it was great to see horses of so many different shapes and sizes, ranging from ex-top eventers to cobs sporting the most fabulous moustaches Wesley was one such moustachio-ed cob, and his rider Emilia Wills rode a lovely test in their first BE event in the GO BE80 section. ‘My goal is for Wesley to be the next cob to make it around Badminton Grassroots, proving that cobs can!’ Emilia won her section, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them there soon.
Emilia Wills has big plans for Wesley to be the next cob around Badminton Grassroots Image: Anne Bolton
Mini-championship feel The show jumping course produced some lovely rounds and made for great entertainment for the spectators – although a few horses found the gradient, the final oxer (set in a dip before an upward stride) and the dog-leg line between fences seven and eight slightly tricky to ride, which unfortunately resulted in a couple of ‘involuntary dismounts’ through the day. Chloe Robinson, whose horse completed her first 100cm class, said: ‘It was quite undulating, so there was a lot of alternating between keeping the momentum and having to slow them down to keep them on their hocks. But it rode really nicely – it’s been such a lovely day out!’ The show jumping was right in front of the main house, with trade stands drawing small crowds of spectators and many competitors commenting on the atmosphere. Erin Dove, who competed in the 90cm on her TB x NF Trenley Tomorrow, said: ‘Having the stands and hospitality tents so near to the arena makes it feel very atmospheric, like a mini-championship. The organisers have clearly put a lot of effort in to getting it right.’
Erin Dovey on Trenley Tomorrow Image: Anne Bolton
Miguel Catela and Millwood Twiga did a beautiful test, scoring 23.5 Image: Anne Bolton
A lovely ride With so many riders saying they choose to compete affiliated as they’re aiming for the Grassroots Championships, this appears to be the perfect venue to introduce horses to that type of setting. Another 90cm competitor, Celia Bellamy, said her aim for the day was to get a double clear (which she managed beautifully). Her husband, who doesn’t usually watch, was in attendance, so clearly he’s a lucky charm. ‘Ultimately, I am aiming for Grassroots,’ she says. ‘Kingston Maurward is perfect for introducing the horses to something that has more of a championship feel’. The cross-country course also won similarly enthusiastic reviews. Kate Whattam, a Dorset-based rider, said: ‘The 80cm course was quite beefy and up to height. That with the undulating ground made you feel as though you were riding a proper cross country course. We’re extremely lucky to have such a great venue right on our doorstep’. The course itself was quite winding, with a few long downhill stretches, demonstrating the need for a well-balanced horse and good studs: the general consensus among the riders was that it was a lovely course to ride.
While the warm weather has been welcomed by many, it does cause problems for us equestrians: it’s always a worry that hard ground will cause injuries to the horses. However, the organisers had clearly done a lot of preparation to ensure the ground remained good and were out watering the course for weeks beforehand. The team was keen to thank event sponsors Andrews Plant Hire for supplying the water bowser!
George Walford and Meadowsweet Conker (and The BV fence!). Image: Anne Bolton
‘They’ve clearly put a lot of hard work into the ground and the course,’ says Miguel Catela. ‘Although it’s the same as last year, the course itself is well-designed and very educational for younger and greener horses.’ Judging by the cheers, smiles and big pats from those flying over the finishing line, it was a great course to ride, with the optimum time taking into account the recent warm weather conditions. One of the youngest competitors, George Walford, had a fabulous time on his New Forest pony Conker, finishing in 6th place in his section. One of his support crew told me: ’They’re normally too fast, so they had to trot a lot. Conker has done a lot of hunting and will stay out all day if he can, so cross country is his favourite bit!’
The only drama of the day was early on, with a frantic phone call that the Maoam sweets hadn’t been ordered for the volunteers! However, I’m reliably informed they were kept well fed and watered throughout the day. The sheer number of people who had kindly offered up their time to help ensure the event ran smoothly was astonishing – and they were all cheerful and helpful throughout the weekend. From road-crossing stewards to medical personnel and some of KMC’s own Combined Cadet Force students, they all kept smiles on their faces and the event wouldn’t have been such a success without them.
It was lovely to see that a local event was so well supported, with local riders alongside those who had travelled from much further afield to what is a relatively new event (only the second BE competition held at Kingston Maurward). The beautiful setting mixed with trade stands from local businesses also provided a lovely family-friendly day out, with lots of families turning up just to watch. The scenery from the top of the hill by the commentary box is stunning, offering a panoramic view across the estate and most of the cross-country course, with many groups choosing to set up camp here for the day to enjoy their picnics with a view. The supportive atmosphere and great riding appeared to inspire a new generation of riders: quite a few small, high-pitched voices could be heard asking, ‘Daddy, can I have a pony please?’ I suspect a few parents may find themselves back at the same competition in years to come, observing from the other side of the fence!
