HorseFest THE Exciting New Outdoor Summer Festival for Horse Lovers launches at Kelsall Hill EC in July 2022!

HorseFest, a NEW summer festival for horse lovers launching in 2022, has scooped residency at one of Cheshire’s elite equestrian Centres, Kelsall Hill.

Running from 8-10th July, HorseFest, presented by John Oates Horseboxes, is a fantastic new weekend festival designed to celebrate all things horse! HorseFest will bring together a magical mix of equestrian experts, elite riders and horse owners, to learn, have fun and create special memories over a summer weekend.

Postponed from July 2021, due to the pandemic, the team have used the time to consider new venue options open to them. “We have been able to visit Kelsall Hill and see the incredible new facilities that the Latham family have invested in,” commented Heidi Hunter-Cope of HorseFest.

“With two indoor arenas (one with grandstand seating) as well as two outdoor arenas, and plenty of space for talks, close up demos, shopping, great food and bars plus camping areas around the festival site – Kelsall offers a wonderful combination of a beautiful valley setting and state of the art facilities, just 25 minutes from the M6,” adds Thea Roberts, co-founder.

Visitors can come for the day or stay for the whole weekend and can camp or ‘glamp’ to fully embrace the setting, experience festival life and feel part of the HorseFest tribe. If sleeping under canvas isn’t your thing, you can bring your horsebox, caravan or motorhome to stay in, or perhaps book into one of the local hotels or holiday cottages.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be supporting HorseFest with this exciting new festival,” said Phil Latham, owner of Kelsall Hill EC. “We feel sure that the outstanding facilities and stunning views across the Cheshire countryside here will give the festival a wonderful setting.”

The event promises a packed line-up that includes a variety of interactive and inclusive performances and demonstrations from top riders and experts across all areas of the equestrian world, allowing HorseFest festivalgoers to learn and develop their own knowledge in an inspirational and inclusive environment.

With leading names already signed up, topics covered will include training on and off the ground, to answer your questions about horse care and riding – there will be something for everyone to get involved with and enjoy whilst learning.

Trainer and specialist in equine biomechanics Simon Cocozza will be talking about core conditioning for horses and how to help them develop so that they can work and carry riders effortlessly. He will be doing demonstrations with his own horse and will also use some demonstration horses to show how his techniques work as well as hosting Q&A sessions.

Eventing legend Mary King is heading to HorseFest and will be riding and chatting about her training methods and what she looks for in a young horse as she sets out on the journey to hopefully produce a star of the future.

Steph Croxford, well-known for her incredible partnership with Mr President, is a down-to-earth expert with many years of knowledge of producing ‘non-standard’ dressage horses to Grand Prix level.

Natural horseman Jason Webb and performance psychologist Charlie Unwin are set to entertain with an exciting collaboration, demonstrating their skills and expertise in developing the minds of both rider and horse.

Gillian Higgins the brains behind Horses Inside Out will also be in attendance providing a fascinating insight into equine locomotion, training, management and welfare from an anatomical perspective.

The very own Tiger himself, Jay Halim, will be passing on his showjumping tips for the top, while Jamaican eventer Lydia Heywood will share her experiences of working hard to get to the top of the eventing scene, and leading event rider Jonty Evans will be at HorseFest telling the story that captured the hearts of thousands when his partnership with Cooley Rorkes Drift was secured thanks to a successful crowd-funding campaign.

And there are more announcements to come …

As well as the educational element, socialising is a key ingredient in the HorseFest mix, and the horse world does love a party!

At night, unwind, relax or dance the night away with music and entertainment or get involved with fun quizzes as you treat yourself to a drink or two!

Throughout the event there will be a variety of tasty and innovative food stalls and bars as well as a shopping village that will include horsey and lifestyle stands to browse and enjoy.

Not forgetting the little ones, the festival will have activities, a play area, arts and crafts and hugely popular hobby horse races to keep children entertained.

Said Thea Roberts of HorseFest: “We really wanted to create an outdoor event in an beautiful, inspirational, equestrian location for those who love all things equine to indulge their passion, through connecting with like-minded people.

“We believe that HorseFest will give people the chance to talk, listen, watch, learn, participate and have fun which is our vision, and we are so excited to finally kick off the festival next year!”

For further information and to sign up for our membership community HorseTribe, for FREE visit https://horsefest.org/register/free/ Members of the HorseTribe will get the earliest information and the best ticket prices for HorseFest when they go on public sale in February 2022.