{"piano":{"sandbox":"false","aid":"u28R38WdMo","rid":"R7EKS5F","offerId":"OF3HQTHR122A","offerTemplateId":"OTQ347EHGCHM"}}
Trending:

‘Great pride and joy’ as major equestrian brands change hands

Eleanor Jones Eleanor Jones

    • The sale of major equestrian brands Champion and Toggi is an “exciting next chapter for the business”, its founders believe.

    TDL, Michael O’Rourke’s investment company, has bought a majority stake in Finest Brands Holdings Ltd, which also owns ProLine Sports, “with great pride and joy”.

    Champion, the largest brand in the portfolio, was founded by John Ayres almost half a century ago when he was unhappy with the quality of riding helmets available for riders, including his daughters.

    “John sadly passed away in 2013 but his family, who have continued to operate the business, have decided that now is the appropriate time for a new owner to build on their solid foundations,” a Finest Brands spokesman said.

    The company’s managing director Sarah-Jane Fedarb said the sale was a “very challenging decision for the family”.

    “But it has been a comfort to know that we were selling to TDL and the team there,” she said.

    “The TDL team share the same values and ethos that we have built up within the company at Finest Brands, we all look forward to handing over the reins and seeing this exciting next chapter for the business. The family would like to acknowledge and offer our sincere thanks to the amazing, dedicated teams past and present, at their Finest Brands head office in Leeds and the Champion and ProLine factories in Cardiff.”

    The family has retained some shares and Ms Fedarb will remain an active director.

    Mr O’Rourke said: “It is with great pride and joy that we take the reins at Finest Brands. Champion, Toggi and ProLine are brands rich in history yet like us, they are very much focused on the future. We’re excited to see what can be achieved.”

    You might also be interested in:

    Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

    Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout major shows like London International and more with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

    Eleanor Jones
    Eleanor Jones

    H&H news editor
    Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
    Eleanor Jones

    You may like...