HEAVY HORSES AND
WORKING ANIMALS
TAKE CENTRE STAGE THIS SUMMER
The Heavy Horse and
Working Animals Show
Saturday/Sunday 30th
and 31st May
Weald & Downland Open Air Museum
The giants of the horse world will demonstrate their
skills and versatility alongside a host of other working animals at a
magnificent gathering this summer. The Heavy Horse and Working Animals Show
at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, Singleton, near Chichester, West
Sussex, will be an unforgettable weekend of displays, demonstrations and
parades guaranteed to delight visitors of all ages. The Museum has for many
years staged its highly successful Heavy Horse Spectacular, one of the
biggest shows of its kind in the south of England, and this year will build
upon the event to include a number of fascinating displays showcasing a wide
variety of animals in action.
During the two days over forty Shires, Clydesdales, Suffolks, British
Percherons and Ardennes horses will be taking part in a variety of
activities. Weighing up to a ton and standing up to 19 hands high, these
powerful and majestic horses are prized for their good looks, gentle
temperament and capacity for work. In the Show arena, demonstrations will
include agricultural vehicles, brewers' drays, a horse-drawn steam-powered
fire engine with ‘firemen’ in period costume, harnessing and decoration.
Continuous ringside commentary will be provided by Sarah Rouse, a well-known
figure in the horse world who has been very popular at the event in recent
years.
Also among the activities at the Show will be a display of one of the most
exciting developments in the heavy horse scene – cross-country driving. This
will be the highlight of the Show on the Saturday, with intrepid drivers
putting on a special display of timed obstacle driving through a cones
course. Arena parades take place at the end of each day, with a Grand Parade
around the Museum site bringing the event to a conclusion on the Sunday.
The new working animals element to the Show will bring an additional
entertaining dimension to the event, with information and displays
showcasing man’s working relationship, both modern and traditional, with a
variety of creatures great and small. There will be a display of working
donkeys with a chance to meet them as they participate in the Show; an
opportunity to see the Museum’s own working Sussex cattle as they undertake
seasonal tasks on the Museum’s farmland; a gundog display; a falconry
display, plus a whole host of involvement from various organisations who
work with animals on a daily basis.
An interesting and varied collection of craft and trade stands will be on
the Museum site throughout the event, offering a range of items such as
country clothing, local produce, garden wares, books, gifts, jewellery and
local crafts.
The Museum is open for the Heavy Horse and Working Animals Show on Saturday
and Sunday 30 & 31 May, and daily until 23 December. Opening hours are 10.30
– 6pm during British Summer Time, and until 4pm during the rest of the year.
Admission is adults £8.95, over 60s £7.95, children £4.70, family £24.25.
Group rates are also available.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The
award-winning Weald & Downland Open Air Museum has over 45 historic building
exhibits and is designated by the Government for the outstanding importance
of its collections. Exhibits include a medieval farmstead; a working
watermill producing wholemeal stoneground flour; exhibitions focusing on
traditional building techniques and agriculture; historic gardens, farm
livestock and a working Tudor kitchen. The Museum runs a well-established
programme of courses in building conservation and rural crafts. There is a
café which uses the Museum’s own flour and a shop with gifts and books on
countryside and buildings themes. The modern Downland Gridshell houses the
Museum’s building conservation centre and artefact collection. There is a
daily tour at 1.30pm when the Museum is open, and an appointments system for
visits to the collections for research purposes.
NOTE TO EDITORS
Reporters and photographers are welcome at the Museum.
For
further information call the Museum information line on 01243 811348 or
contact Cathy Clark, Marketing Officer
Tel:
01243
811014.
Fax:
01243 811475
Email:
marketing@wealddown.co.uk.
Full
details about the Museum and its activities can be found at
www.wealddown.co.uk
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