Some of the best side saddle riders in the country will be demonstrating their artistry and skill at The Game Fair this year after confirming their appearance at this year’s 60th anniversary.
Representing the Side Saddle Association, the ‘Bit on the Side’ display team will be performing in the Horse and Hounds Arena on all three days at this summer’s festival of the great British countryside, which takes place at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire from Friday 27 July to Sunday 29 July.
The four-woman team includes Nottingham’s Laura Allin, the reigning side saddle rider of the year; Dorset’s Chloe Marsh, the reserve side saddle rider of the year; new team member Millie Somerfield of Nottingham, last year’s reserve junior novice champion; and Leicestershire’s Emma Brown, who is often seen crossing the country when out hunting as a side saddle rider with the famous Quorn Hunt.
The team will be performing two half-hour demonstrations at The Game Fair each day and will be joined on the Friday by fellow riders Karen Bird and Sarah Edmonds.
‘Bit on the Side’ is managed by international judge and trainer Ginny Oakley Pope, a former sidesaddle rider from Northamptonshire who chairs one of the Side Saddle Association’s 20 areas.
“Our ‘Bit on the Side’ display team are a talented bunch,” she said, adding: “Each demonstration will be different. We’ll be showing the artistry and mysteriousness of it and revealing how a side saddle rider stays on. The traditional costumes will be fabulous too, reflecting the history of side saddle riding. We’ll even be doing some jumping, which very few people will have seen live. It’ll certainly be exciting to watch.”
