2009 Arena Attractions

Information regarding the 2009 Arena Attractions will be published here when available

Owners and Trainers are invited to show progress made with four and five year old horses in dressage, show jumping and presentation. Qualifiers will go to the final at Burghley in September. The Competition will take place in the YEH Arena above the Main Arena alongside the Cross Country course.

The ponies are only 40 inches high and the silk-clad jockeys no more than 13 years old but the competition is just as fierce as at Aintree in this Lilliputian Blue Riband of Steeplechasing.

First past the post in the final round will qualify for the final at the famous Olympia International Show Jumping Championships in December. The racing is fast and furious. Backing a winner is not easy as the ponies have come from all corners of Great Britain including the Shetland Isles. Some have raced the previous season, and others are new to the exciting sport of Shetland Pony racing.

All ponies are members of the Shetland Pony Stud Book Society Performance Awards Scheme (Ridden) which involves competing in everything from one day events to gymkhana games.

Dressage continues to enjoy enormous popularity and growth and we are delighted to give this display at Gatcombe, compered by the incomparable Desi Dillingham.

Charlotte Dennis will inspire with her unique demonstrations of Natural Horsemanship.

Jemima Parry-Jones of the International Centre for Birds of Prey in Newent, returns to amaze the crowds with her spectacular falconry display.

The RAC Beagles were formed in 1890 and have been going ever since exept during the two World Wars.

The country they hunt is within approximately a ten mile radius of Cirencester and they only continue to hunt due to the goodwill of farmers and surrounding packs of Foxhounds.

They are hunted by students at the college who are supported by a professional in kennels. Between them they look after around 30 couple of hounds. The Hounds are fed entirely on the fallen stock from the surounding farms, this is considered a valuable service by the farmers and goes to show how important hunting is to the rural economy.

The Hounds are kennelled at Badminton and are out four days a week from November to March - even more during Autumn hunting which will start later in August. Under the Mastership of the Duke of Beaufort and Captain Ian Farquhar, who hunts the Hounds they are a popular and traditional part of the countryside and perform a vital service for farmers.

Members of the RDA will be giving a display on Saturday. A very special time for an organisation celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year of which HRH The Princess Royal is President

For more information please contact the box office on 0871 789 1423
or email: info@gatcombe-horse.co.uk