Horse & Hound – 01 August 2019

Eventer Ellie

Fredericks,

daughter of top

riders Lucinda

and Clayton

Fredericks,

was on the winning south-west

under-18 team in the CCIJ2*-L at

Frickley Park Horse Trials.

Dressage rider
Louise Bell made
history when she
won the CDI3*
grand prix at
Hickstead on
former Hickstead working hunter
champion Into The Blue. The pair
also won the grand prix freestyle.

Security warning aft er

spate of tack theft s

COMPETITORS are urged to

keep saddles in vehicles at shows

after a spate of tack locker thefts.

Ten lockers were targeted at

Bicton Arena, Devon, and one at

Weston Lawns, Warwickshire,

between 12 and 14 July.

Bicton manager Helen West

said of 10 tack lockers targeted,

three riders’ saddles were stolen.

“It was a shock, and puts such

a dampener on what was a lovely

show; you don’t think something

like that will happen,” she said.

“We will be handing out advice

sheets to people at our next show.

We urge riders to lock saddles in

their lorries and watch out for

anyone acting suspiciously; tell

someone if anything seems even

a little bit out of the ordinary.”

Devon & Cornwall Police are

investigating the incident.

Meg Carlton, who was

competing at Weston Lawns,

had two Devoucoux saddles

and a girth, and a Dy’on bridle,

stolen from her locker, which was

padlocked and chained to a stable.

“It looked like someone had

Saddles have

been stolen from

lockers at shows

in the last month

used a crowbar and ripped the

door off. The police think it was

targeted because it was only our

locker touched; it makes it worse

because you think someone has

watched,” Ms Carlton told H&H.

“One of my saddles has my

name engraved; I hope if I keep

track on sale sites, I might find

the saddles, but if they have gone

abroad the chances are very low.”

Ms Carlton said the theft was

“sickening”, adding: “There’s no

way I’ll leave tack outside stables

from now on.”

A spokesman for Warwickshire

Police, which is investigating the

incident at Weston Lawns, told

H&H police recommend covering

tack so it cannot be seen and

locking it in an alarmed vehicle.

The force has launched an

advice app which aims to improve

the response to rural crime by

providing functions including

location mapping. Officers will

be able to take photos and submit

information via the app and sign

owners up to Warwickshire Rural

Watch and Horse Watch.

“Officers also have information

on the app to advise owners

about crime prevention, security

marking and events where this is

available,” said the spokesman.

ByBECKYMURRAY

Riders have been urged to keep

tack locked in lorries at shows.

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