Equestrian facilities for riders in the south have been expanded following a major investment by an East Sussex competition venue.
Brendon Stud has put in a new outdoor arena, warm-up ring, refurbished its café and is planning to run more British Showjumping, British Dressage and eventing clinics at its Pyecombe training base.
The new Andrews Bowen all-weather arena installed will be officially opened at Pyecombe’s next show later this month (28-30 May).
The new 90mx60m arena measures 130m x 75m when the extended grass surface is included.
The arena has been built to enable competitions to be run on both surface and grass.
A devils dyke, two smaller banks and a set of steps and water splash have been built on the new arena.
On the grass the main grass derby bank and the traditional double of water ditches remains.
An all-weather track has been installed to enable arena eventing competitors jump in both the new and existing arena.
The venue is run by Caraleen Light, alongside her mother, Valerie, and three sisters.
Her mother has been running shows at Brendon Stud for 50 years, after she set up the business as a riding school.
The new facilities have “cost a lot of money” admitted Mrs Light. “But people want good ground for their horses,” she added.
At the launch show on 28-30 May the feature class on Saturday carries a prize of £2,000 for the winner of the area trial.
Other classes in the two all weather arenas include £150 1st prize newcomers and foxhunters each day, 1.35/1.40m £500 classes and a £200 five-year-old class.
The Abbey Road Olympic fence is coming to the show straight after Windsor.
This autumn eventing training clinics are taking place at Pyecombe with Gemma Tattersall, and others are hoping to run with Tina Cook and Mark Todd.
“We will be expanding more into BS, BD, eventing and showing events and want to hire out the facilities. The possibilities are endless because it is a very big arena,” Mrs Light told H&H.
