Park End Equestrian Training Centre has now been officially opened, what a fantastic weekend was had by all who attended.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Northumberland people have been so friendly, I am pleasantly surprised how appreciative everyone has been of my coming up here” said Mary King. “It has been fantastic to be able to share my thoughts and training methods with so many other people”.
Mary, accompanied by her wonderful mother Jill, Daughter Emily and groom Emma travelled through the night, making the long journey all the way from Devon - they arrived in the early hours of Saturday morning along with Mary’s Two Top Horses Imperial Cavalier and King’s Fancy. Once the horses were bedded down in Charlotte’s best stables, Mary cracked straight on with her customary smile and tenacious spirit.
Saturday and Sunday were taken up with Show jumping clinics for 52 lucky riders from all over the North East including members of Corbridge and District Riding Club and. of course. the children of the surrounding local Pony Clubs. The clinics were very constructive, giving us all, both young and old plenty to think about and improve upon. However, Saturday Evening’s Lecture Demonstration was the main event. Sponsored by Gilesgate Subaru of Hexham and with a guest appearance from Charlotte’s 25 year old former Four Star Eventer Mistatiger, the audience which was a sell out catering for over 300 spectators was kept warm with a glass of home made punch made from Mandy Nichol’s own secret recipe. We then sat back to watch Mary give the most wonderful display of both Flat work and Show Jumping, riding her own Imperial Cavalier and King’s Fancy. During the interval fabulous raffle prizes were won raising £600 for Help for Heroes and the North of England Children’s Cancer Research Fund, in memory of Zoe Arnup.
Below we have listed some of the fantastic feedback;
“I would like to congratulate you on the success of Saturday evening’s lecture demo. I thought it was excellent and well worth the very long journey from Wooler where I now live. Your centre looks fantastic and it was great that there was so much parking as well. I wasn’t even cold! Mary King is just brilliant. Her riding and her explanations of how she trains horses were excellent – so good luck to you for the future. With a place like that, you should go far!”
“I thought your Saturday night opening went very well, very professional and polished”
“Many congratulations to you and all your team, for such a super evening on Saturday. It all went so smoothly and the atmosphere was so welcoming and friendly.
Mary was super – of course!”
“Here we had every horse treated as an individual, but all trained along a simple clear training path - do as I ask and you're wonderful, do otherwise and we do it again. Simple enough for even me to understand, and hopefully my pupils too!”
“We needed a demo like that, in this area.”