These international trials are quite the thing in the horsey world.
http://www.bramham-horse.co.uk/ They are also an annual event that occurs in the village next to Wetherby. About 60,000 people go every year and this year we decided, since it was such a nice day, we'd go too.
Bramham Park house and grounds also host the Leeds Festival music thing every year which follows the horse show in July/August.
http://www.leedsmusicfestival.com/ The Music thing is like the Glastonbury of the North, sort of in the Woodstock tradition but more structured. The horsey people are a bit more civilised.
In truth its sort of a retail fair for horse stuff with some eventing and judging and horses doing things. Not that that makes it boring. There is much about horsey fashion and stuff that is interesting, and lots of beautiful people and gorgeous horses.
so there was dressage and jumping and really good commentary but pathetic phototaking as it turns out.
the locals were friendly, we met a horse trader who spent a pint of beer and a bacon bap telling us about his work and life trading horses between Rep.Ireland and the UK. We now know stuff about horses. And understand the impact of the recession and government cutbacks in yet another part of the local economy.
This final shot gives an idea of the scope of the day, these are just two of the six judging arenas and the steeplechase and cross country course covers another 60 acres with view points and water jumps as well as forest runs. If we were more into horse stuff it would be a fantastic long weekend. As it was we sat in the sun and under the shade and drank Pimms, ate pizza and munched pork rolls all the time relaxing and enjoying despite the horse stuff.
