Press Releases 2008

9 May 2008

Our Family Profiles:
Equine

Competing at the Royal Show, one of the top equine events in the English horse calendar, is a must for Natalie Greasley, who will be showing her nine-year old Exmoor pony, Porridge, for the second year running. Horses are Natalie’s passion and she spends every spare minute training native ponies like Porridge, who she has owned since 2005.

The attraction of the Royal Show is that it offers the horse enthusiast everything – from show jumping and showing supreme breeds to heavy horse activities, scurry driving and side-saddle performances.

Natalie, who is just 25, loves the whole atmosphere of the Royal Show, and has been a regular visitor for many years. For her it is not just the buzz of the competitions, but the whole social mix as most of her friends will also be competing too!

Porridge is being put through his paces now, to get him fit for the show. In preparation he is ridden five to six times a week, with activities varied to keep him interested – these will include schooling, jumps and hacking out. Just before the day of the competition, he will have a bath and make sure he's spotless and shining.

The Royal Show comes in the middle of the equine show season, so it is an especially busy time for Natalie; as she will be competing most weekends from April to September and sometimes during the week too. Porridge though, is an old hand at competitions and last year he won the Royal Welsh. If successful in the Moorland Ridden Classes at the Royal Show, Natalie and Porridge will be competing in the Horse of the Year show.

Natalie will be supported at the Royal Show by her family who live close by in Warwickshire. Her mum also loves the Royal Show – as although she herself isn’t involved with horses she finds there is more than enough for her to do, including plenty of shopping!

The show starts on Thursday 3rd July, and runs until Sunday 6th July for further information on the Royal Show or to book tickets please visit www.royalshow.org.uk.

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For further media information contact:

Naomi Barry
The Ceres Partnership
T: 01189 475956
M: 07920 098498
E: naomi.barry@ceres-pr.co.uk

Simon Frere-Cook
Director, Royal Show & Technical Events
T: 02476 858282
E: simonf@rase.org.uk

Notes for editor

The Royal Show is organised by the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE). RASE is an independent charity with over 6,000 members including the general public and the farming community. RASE works towards a sustainable, vibrant future for British Agriculture and the rural community.

For more information about RASE, please contact: 02476 696969 or visit the website www.rase.org.uk