2014 Show.
This year we were not blessed with kind weather. It seemed apt, in a strange way that the show was remembering the outbreak of The Great War as the ground was reminiscent of The Somme.
However that will never put a real horse brass collector off. It was a pleasure to welcome quite a number of society members and visitors to the stand and another new member recruited. As part of the commemoration of the centenary of the start of WW1 The Wolds Wagoners were brought back to life with a wonderful re-enactment of the Wagoners and their horses and wagons and uniforms, where the few pictures shown here once more bring to life the memory of these brave men and their horses who gave unstintingly in the service of their country.
Our General Secretary, Jim Speed, (above) presented our new society award brass to the winner of the decorated harness class with his usual aplomb. It was a splendid display of Lancashire harness. The newly designed NHBS award brass fitted well with the WW1 theme of the 2014 show and the award went to Marion and Don Heap from Cheshire owners of 22 year old Bill, a magnificent Shire standing at 17.2 hands.
The Great Dorset apparently is the only show in the country that separates decorated from traditional harness and although Bill was the only entry in the decorated class, the award brass was well deserved for the two hours plus in preparation.
The harness of course had to be presented to the usual high standard of traditional entries with the additional ribbons and bows, so well done Don.
The traditional harness class however attracts in the region of eight to ten entries which has led the NHBS committee to recommend an additional award brass to be presented to the winner of that class also at the Great Dorset Steam Fair in the future.