Norton in Hales is preparing for an influx of more than a thousand people this weekend to attend an international equestrian event.
The Brand Hall Horse Trials and British National Ponies Championship start tomorrow at the Brand Hall estate, which has been owned by Michael and Lizzie Taylor for more than 10 years.
More than 400 competitiors from across Britain are due to take part in the event, which will include dressage, cross country and show jumping competitions.
Plans to stage the horse trials at Brand Hall first surfaced after organisers had to move the event from Sansaw, near Shawbury, where it had been held for 20 years.
Lizzie said there was “happy anticipation” for the event which she hoped would be “inclusive, rather than exclusive.”
“We’ve had a wonderful and exciting time while all this has been going on and I’ve got a pleasant feeling towards it,” she said.
“They’ve designed a fantastic course and I’m absolutely delighted with it.
“We’re hoping this will draw together people whose expectations of what goes on in the countryside are not that great and introduce them to such rural pursuits.
“We don’t want it to be a disruption to the village but an extension of village life.”
Lizzie said her and her husband had been approached by a friend to consider staging the event more than a year ago and decided that Brand Hall was suitable.
“The organisers particularly wanted a venue in North Shropshire and my own children had enjoyed eventing when they were younger,” Lizzie said.
“This parkland and these fields look absolutely gorgeous at this time of year and there’s a happy anticipation towards this event.”
A village fete will be taking place alongside the trials, with a children’s painting competition entered by primary schools in Adderley, Mucklestone and Norton in Hales.
There will also be a number of stalls representing groups such as Norton in Hales Caterpillars Playgroup and Ashley and Loggerheads Community First Responders WI.
Norton in Hales Parish Council chairman Councillor Ron Lucas said he hoped the horse trails would help the village become better known “both locally and nationally.”
“We embraced this new event with great enthusiasm when it was first put to us more than a year ago,” he said.
“We felt it would give us the opportunity to be put on the equestrian map and we hope it will be a great success.”
By Winston Brown
