Bolesworth’s Big Beautiful Weekend

Bolesworth’s Big Beautiful Weekend

Cheshire is gearing up for the big, beautiful weekend at Bolesworth Castle, where world-class sport meets fabulous entertainment and a buzzing social scene.

The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show, which runs from June 13th to 17th, has announced the line-up for one of the biggest sporting and social weekends in the Cheshire summer calendar.

Show president, Nina Barbour said:

We like to think of our show as an exciting mix of entertainment and world-class sport.  The stunning backdrop of Bolesworth Castle creates a special atmosphere similar to a day at the races.  It’s a special day out and we like to think we bring a taste of the Great British summer season to the heart of Cheshire.”

Bolesworth is recognised as one of the most modern and high quality equestrian events in Europe and Nina Barbour is keen to encourage young people into the sport.

She said:

Children love to see the horses and ponies and so we’re very happy to say that children below the age of 12 have free admission to Bolesworth.  We want to show the next generation what a great sport this is and, to inspire children, we have lots of Olympic gold medallists taking part this year.”

The top class showjumping and dressage at Bolesworth includes freestyle dressage, where horses dance to music, and demonstrations by Olympic gold medal-winning dressage rider, Carl Hester. Charlotte Dujardin, Team GB’s double gold medallist, will be riding her new star horse, Mount St John Freestyle, who she will be partnering at the World Equestrian Games later this year.

The showjumping will showcase stars from all over the World including, UK favourite John Whitaker, and up and coming US talent, Jessica Springsteen, daughter of legendary rock stars Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa.  Competition will climax with the 1.60m Equerry Bolesworth International Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, with riders battling for their share of the 100,000 Euro prize pot.

Other highlights include the horsey high jump, known as the Puissance, on Friday night – where horses and riders tackle the famous big red wall, often achieving heights well in excess of two metres.  Friday night also includes action from some of the UK’s finest polo players, showing their speed and talent in an exhibition polo match.

The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show has gained a reputation for being one of the best venues for VIP hospitality and networking.  Nina Barbour is developing the event to sit alongside traditional British summer sporting and social events, like Goodwood, Ascot, Henley and tennis at Queen’s Club.

Barbour said:

The Bolesworth team spends all winter conjuring up a spectacular and magical programme and we’re improving our offer every year.  For 2018, we have the brand new ‘Club Boles’ next to the main ring, which will host a serious line-up of music and entertainment, including Ibiza Classics on Friday night and Rick Parfitt Jr and the RPJ band live on Saturday night.”

For fans of alternative forms of horse power, there is a full line up of Freestyle Motocross from the Arenacross FMX crew all weekend.  There’s also fun with horses and cars on Saturday evening as riders compete in the Bentley Ride & Drive, jumping over fences with their horses and then racing against the clock around an obstacle course in the sleek Bentley Bentayga V8 worth more than £150,000.

For families with children, throughout the weekend, Bolesworth has mountain bike displays, interactive electric bike zone, pony rides, exotic animals, crazy golf, an assault course, fun fair, inflatables and the ever-popular Bolesworth Dog Show, plus a full range of bars and food outlets.

Bolesworth has a shopping village open from Wednesday, with over 100 retailers selling everything from diamonds to designer shirts and the Fine Food and Lifestyle Marquee celebrates local produce and gifts over the weekend.

Tickets and luxury VIP packages are available from www.bolesworthinternational.com Prices start at £8 for evening entry after 5pm and daily tickets start at £15 if buying online. (Tickets are up to 25% cheaper online than on the day and include free parking, which costs £5 per car on the gate). Gate prices on the day start at £20 and an evening ticket on the gate costs £10.  And there’s a special bonus for mums and dads – children under 12 have free admission to Bolesworth.

Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.