The Broome family has been awarded Lottery funding of £125,000 to construct a state-of-the-art all-weather arena at the Wales and the West Showground at Crick, South Wales.
The grant has been administered via the Sports Council for Wales, part of a scheme to support the development of sports facilities in the principality.
The new arena will measure 7,200 square metres – large enough to hold three full-size dressage arenas, plus a working-in and collecting area.
It will also boast a novel computer controlled irrigation/drainagesystem, which can pump excess water out of the sand surface as well as pump water in during dry periods.
This system can also be used to vary the type of going on offer, according to James Broome, son of legendary show jumper David and mastermind of the scheme.
“Dressage competitors like a fluffy surface, while show jumpers prefer the ground slightly harder. By pumping out water, the sand becomes drier and softer, while a higher concentration of water makes it firmer – much like the sand on a beach,” he explained.
The venue will also be available to hire for training purposes and the surface is even said to be suitable for rugby sevens, such is the adaptability of the irrigation system.
The grant is part of a£4m handout to 14 new sports projects in Wales.
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