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Bennington Carriages – a ‘spirited blaze’ voted Supplier of the Year 2010


2010 has been a very special year for Bennington Carriages – the launch of both the Blaze and Spirit high performance carriages, Sue Mart gaining UKCC Level 2 qualification, the launch of the Bennington Academy and grand opening of the company’s new premises at Long Bennington kept everyone extremely busy. And now, to add icing to the cake, the company has been voted ‘2010 Carriage Driving Supplier of the Year’ at the recent BHDTA ‘Alternative Awards’. Pride of place though must go to the Blaze and Spirit. Both carriages are made to the same highly professional


standard and have been created by competitors for competitors. The Blaze, built for the 14hh+ single pony and horse, is the lightest competition carriage built by Bennington for this sector while the Spirit is an ideal 115kg for the smaller 11 – 13hh single pony. Designed for the marathon phase, both carriages can be utilised for all three phases of indoor and outdoor trials with the ‘Dual Purpose’ optional extra pack. Key features include major technical advancements with new composite materials for lightness. These include polyurethane tyres and aluminium wheels which are also cambered for stability. Parabolic elliptic spring suspension


provides a soft ride while adjustable groom grab handles are detachable for dressage and cones phases. A wide range of optional extras are available to ensure the carriage meets with the customer’s exact


specification. The seat, front and rear pans are also available in a range of colours as optional extras.


New Product - Bennington Rug Drier


The new Bennington Rug Drier provides an effective, economical way of drying horse rugs. The Bennington Rug Drier is electronically controlled to maintain the optimum temperature to dry horse rugs and also does a great job of warming riding clothes before those cold morning outings! Made in our Nottinghamshire workshops and finished in a durable powder coat finish, the Bennington Rug Drier brings high quality Bennington engineering to the horse owner. Price: £249.00 Contact: Bennington Carriages Tel: 01400 281280 www.benningtoncarriages.co.uk info@bennington.co.uk


Already proven in top competition – Philip Reeves became Indoor Driving Trials Supreme Champion driving his brand new Bennington Blaze and also topped the BHDTA National Points League (Open Horse) – the Blaze and Spirit add enhancement to the popular Bennington range whose customers include no less than seven 2010 BHDTA National Champions!


Nicola is living the dream & enjoying the Buzz


Photos from WEG by Kit Houghton


“Living a dream” was how International event rider Nicola Wilson from Northallerton, Yorkshire described her experience of being part of the gold medal-winning British team at the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Kentucky.


Riding Opposition Buzz, who Nicola also won a team gold medal at the 2009 European Eventing


Photo by Julia Shearwood


Photo of Nicola by Julia Shearwood


Championships at Fontainebleau, enjoyed a fantastic preparation prior to WEG, having been eighth at Badminton CCI**** in the spring, this was followed by winning the CIC*** at Barbury International Horse Trials and retaining their Scottish Open crown at Blair Castle CCI***.


Having made their senior British


eventing debut at the European Championships the year before and being the pathfinders for the team, which they performed with aplomb, Nicola and Opposition Buzz were given their No.1 starting slot again in Kentucky, however, this wasn’t just for the British team, but for the whole competition, a pressure that Nicola coped with fantastically well.


The hard work that Nicola has put into the dressage with Opposition Buzz phase paid off, performing a fabulous test and on the cross country course they put in a round that was a joy to watch from start to finish, following up the next day with a clear show jumping round, that put the foundations in place


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for that team gold medal, which had eluded the British for sixteen years. Chris Bartle has been Nicola’s dressage trainer for the last 7 years. Opposition Buzz is now having a well earned rest before embarking on his build up to Badminton next year and hopefully selection for the European Eventing Championships that take place in Luhmühlen later in the year.


What is Opposition Buzz like? ‘Dodi’ (Opposition Buzz) is quite a reserved character who loves his routine and playing in the field, he never gallops about but often likes to show off his extended trot. He likes carrots but turns his nose up to Polos. He likes his head being brushed but gets very cross when brushing his tummy. Dodi loves jumping and going to Ann Duffield’s gallops. He’s a very happy horse who thrives on his routine and competing.


Dodi likes to have a varied training routine so he has a good mix of dressage training, occasional visits to the gallops and hacking. He, unlike his stable mates, would probably only jump once every 10 days or so and usually training exercises to keep him supple and using his brain. He goes out in the paddock every day to have his invaluable ‘me time’. He is fed on Topspec Conditioning Cubes,


Topspec Chop and Topspec Racehorse Balancer and haylage and bedded down on Edgar Shepherd’s shavings. Looking back, Nicola was a member of the Hurworth Pony Club and enjoyed being part of all the teams, but mostly enjoyed doing


Tetrathlon, Prince Philip Cup Pony Club Games and hunting.


With success brings recognition in the form of owners, which has enabled Nicola to build up a talented string of horses from young novices setting out on their eventing careers, ones that are showing real potential such as Annie Clover, who was recently second at the 6-year-old World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers through to horses that are competing at Intermediate and Advanced level and at major Three Day Events and Championships. Nicola is incredibly grateful to all her owners and it is fitting that Rosemary Search who is owner/ breeder of Opposition Buzz was recognized for his achievements by being nominated for the Eventing prize at the Animal Health Awards Dinner that were held in November.


Sponsorship is another form of recognition for any athlete and Top Spec, McIvor Equestrian Supplies, Kanteq Body Protectors and Devoucoux Saddles are currently sponsoring Nicola, however, to assist her with the financial cost of competing at the very top level, Nicola has engaged the services of Claire Thomas to facilitate the process of bringing on board a few


more sponsors and any managing director couldn’t ask for a better ambassador to endorse their company. Nicola is also aware that to attract additional sponsors her profile needs to be raised, which to a self-effacing person such as Nicola is not something that comes naturally, even though after European and World team gold medals her name is more in the mainstream media, Nicola is working with a PR company to handle potential PR opportunities and has just launched her own website www.nicolawilsoneventing.co.uk


Besides Nicola the rider, Nicola Wilson Eventing consists of head girl Lynn Swift, who has been with Nicola seven years and is a key part to Nicola’s success and it is her pride in the horses that she looks after that has led to her being awarded the coveted ‘Groom’s Prize’ at a number of three-day-events she has been to with Nicola, including at this year’s Blair International Horse Trials. Carrie Myatt and Lucy Wheeler are also part of Team Wilson, who ably assists Lynn in the yard and at events. Unfortunately, Lucy is leaving to pursue her career in another direction meaning that Nicola will be looking for her replacement early next year.


Although Nicola had achieved a lot of success throughout her eventing career, it wasn’t until she had been selected for the Equestrian World Class Programme in 2008 that she felt she ‘belonged’ saying, “Whereas before I was always on the outside looking in, I now feel that I belong a little more”. With her performances that have helped Britain win team European and World gold medals, belong Nicola does and she will never have to feel on the outside ever again.


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GB Event Team WEG 2010 Nicola, Tina, William & Mary Photo by Kit Houghton


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