International Selectors to attend this year’s Suffolk Show

The Suffolk Agricultural Association, organiser of the Suffolk Show, has received record entries for show jumping for the Show on June 2 and 3 and this week announced that international selectors will be present for the very first time.

Such is the high level of interest across the seven show jumping classes, with 305 entries, that the entire timetable has had to be completely changed to accommodate them all. Show jumping in the Ipswich Building Society Grand Ring will begin earlier at 10.50am with the scurry at 5.40pm and evening show jumping scheduled to begin at 6.20pm. On Thursday the Eraser Stakes will begin at 9.45am and the International Stairway, with nearly 60 entries, at 3.20pm.

Leading riders registered include Geoff Billington, David McPherson, Robert Whitaker, William Funnell, Sian Price, Robert Bevis and Tina Fletcher and international selectors will be looking out in the hope of finding junior competitors in the run up to the International Championships.

Both the original timetable in the ticket folder and the revised timetable in the replacement folder are now out of date so all entrants will be receiving new ones. For further details and the finalised timetable visit www.suffolkshow.co.uk.

For further press information contact Stephanie Renouf, PR, The Suffolk Agricultural Association. 01473 707125/07785 551193 - email:stephanie.renouf@suffolkshow.co.uk

New showing classes and ring layouts announced for The Suffolk Show 2010

For the first time, classes for mountain and moorland working hunter ponies, novice working hunters and working cobs will be held at The Suffolk Show, Trinity Park, Ipswich, on June 2 and 3 this year.

Work over the last few months to relocate and expand rings has ensured that a wider variety of classes can be held, safety has been improved and ring time is higher than ever before in the show’s 178 year history.

Organisers the Suffolk Agricultural Association have created new ring space to accommodate more entries and increased ring time by almost 10 per cent, taking total equine ring time to well over 104 hours during the two days.

The new layout, located away from busy public areas, will also provide better conditions and access with proximity to box parks.

“Two existing rings have been merged to create a new dedicated Working Hunter Ring to free up other areas and cope with the demand our success has produced,” said David Nunn, the deputy show director, who has stewarded heavy horse classes for 20 years, 14 at the Suffolk and six at The Royal Show. “This new ring has been created to include natural obstacles making it more authentic, challenging and interesting for the rider.”

“The original two rings (7 and 8), have been relocated to a better position which will reduce the amount of horse walk on the 350 acre site and will be now known as the Nacton and Levington rings. The show has a good safety record and we attract about 1200 equine entries each year across more than 290 classes. We want to build on this. We have great land, it is sandy heathland so well irrigated giving good conditions for all classes and with all these improvements we are not missing out on reaching the wider equestrian audience.”

David stresses that despite plenty of new ring space, horses will continue to feature in the Grand Ring. ”It is one of the best across all the county rings and if we are hoping to attract Olympic show jumping qualifiers to the show we need to pull out all the stops and constantly improve the standard.”

Prize money in show jumping this year looks to set to exceed £20,000 and prizes are awarded to the first eight in each class.

New events include the Eraser Stakes, included in the Olympia programme last year, that offers total prize money of £1800. The International Stairway supported by the British Show Jumping Business Partnership has a total prize value of £7,500 while £6,050 is on offer for the winner the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Two Star International Trial. The Ride and Drive prize money stands at £2700.

Closing dates for entries are as follows: heavy and light horses March 26, show jumping April 23 and the Horse Shoeing Competition April 9.

Schedules are available by post or can be downloaded from the website at www.suffolkshow.co.uk. To receive a copy by post, send a stamped addressed envelope (72p first class or 59p second class) to Suffolk Agricultural Association, Trinity Park, Felixstowe Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 8UH, marking the envelope with the relevant section eg: Heavy Horses, Light Horses, Show Jumping.

Suffolk Show equine entries reach highest ever level

This year’s work by the estates team at the Suffolk Show to create a new ring for working hunters and relocate two other rings, to reduce horse walk time, has resulted in the highest recorded level of entries of light horses.

More than 1320 horses are registered with more than 170 across the new mountain and moorland working hunter ponies, novice working hunters and working cob classes which is a great result, say organisers The Suffolk Agricultural Association. Deputy Show Director David Nunn said he had been delighted with the response and was optimistic that the show jumping entries with the International Stairway competition included and more than £20,000 prize money would attract equally high numbers.

Equally successful are the numbers of new sponsors keen to support the equine classes including ECR Properties for the Working Hunter Ring, Copdock Countrystore for the Bucklesham Ring and SOS HR Ltd for the skewbald and piebald ridden classes.

Further equine success is recorded in the farriery classes where again entry levels are far higher than anticipated and extra marquees will be hired to accommodate the 105 entries – most of the entrants enter at least two classes. Anvils and forges will be hired from other shows to cope with the unprecedented demand in all classes.

David, the former head steward of heavy horses said: “This is an amazing response. It demonstrates the strength of our senior equine stewards, who are all volunteers. They are good people with good contacts who are doing a great job in getting the word out and then delivering the kind of quality attention that our exhibitors enjoy once they are at the Show.”

The increased numbers have an impact on the work of the 24 traffic stewards under head steward Barry Martin whose task is to ensure there is adequate vehicle parking close to the rings once vehicles get onto the 300 acre Show site.

As well as show jumping in the Grand Ring, sponsored by the Ipswich Building Society, an air to ground display featuring The Red Devils, Lynx helicopters and the awesome Apache helicopter among other equipment from the military base at Wattisham is planned for both days of the Show on June 2 and 3, 2010.

The world famous Parachute Regiment Freefall Display Team, known as The Red Devils, will parachute from the Lynx helicopters at the start of a dynamic programme to simulate refuelling and rearming of the Apache following a mission to prepare it for the next.

Representing the Pathfinders of Colchester-based 16 Air Assault Brigade, the red jumpsuit clad paras will jump and land in the grand ring.

Meanwhile a forward arming and refuelling point in the form of an Oshkosh fuel bowser, the enormous American all terrain 1500 litre tanker containing aviation fuel, and two ammunition points, will set up in the ring preparing to receive the Apache. The Red Devils will guide the Apache into the ring where it will hover and the refuelling take place.

Once the Apache has saluted the crowd it will depart and the Lynxs return to collect the parachute teams.

The display is expected to last about 45 minutes and has been created especially for the Suffolk Show as part of the Suffolk Agricultural Association’s mutual partnership with the local military to strengthen links and also show support to its many families whose members are serving in Afghanistan.

There will be pigs in the President’s ring this year, in fact pig-racing from Joseph’s Amazing Racing Pigs comprising six rare breed pigs being enticed over jumps by suitable attired runners and other thrilling displays include the Mountainboard Big Air Show – a stunt display of all that is possible on skateboards.

In the three year run up to London 2012 sports will be high on the Show agenda so “Suffolk’s Pledge for 2012” will launched and the Heart Sport Zone will encourage visitors to have a go at a new sport.

Ipswich Town Football Club will have a major presence in this area, with members of its Foundation teaching ball skills and Questions and Answers sessions with Olympians.

The four Suffolk higher education colleges will be showing skills to be learned on their courses – including giving manicures – a great hit on the second afternoon of the Show.

The Suffolk Show, now in it’s 179th year is a true agricultural Show with more than 500 cattle as well as young handlers, goat and dog shows, pigs and sheep. This year it is a qualifier for the BPA Pig of the Year and visitors to the Trinity Park, Ipswich, should make time to watch the grand parade of all animals in the ring.

Away from the main rings the Adnams Food and Drink Experience is set to be bigger than ever with applications for stands up by 25 per cent and in addition a new food court has been established.

The Flower and Garden Experience continues to blossom with a 2m eliptical silent water fountain installation at the entrance to the marquee, new sweet pea stands, celebrations for the 100 years since the bonsai was first introduced into the country and practical demonstrations of how to arrange a supermarket bunch of flowers into a stunning display.

Discounted advance tickets are available and all prices are as follows: Adults £16 preshow, £18 on the day, children (4-16) £5 or £6, Senior citizens (60+) £14 or £16 on the day.

The family package, for two adults and two children and car pass is £38 in advance and £42 on the day, plus £5 for car parking, making a 20percent saving, £9, when booked ahead.

Details on how to become a member of the Suffolk Agricultural Association are also included on this area of the website.

For further press information contact Stephanie Renouf, PR Consultant, Suffolk Agricultural Association. Tel: 01473 707125/07785 551193