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New Forest horse riders (Flickr Creative Commons - Wight Badger)Horse riders ask New Forest Show to stop renting car parking to sportives
Horse riders in the New Forest have pleaded with the organisers of the New Forest Show to stop renting out their showground as car parking for cyclo-sportive riders.
Equestrians in the area feel that there are too many organised mass cycle rides in the area, which often start and finish at the showground in New Park, Brokenhurst.
The New Forest Agricultural Show Society has said that it will consider the request at a board meeting in November, citing the cancellation of a pony drive last month due to the presence of the Wiggle New Forest 100 Sportive, organised by UK Cycle Events.
We reported how the event, which saw up to 3,000 cyclists descend on the area, meant that the New Forest Verderers made the decision to cancel the drift on safety grounds.
According to the Forestry Commission: "round-ups, or ‘drifts’ are held throughout the forest by the Agisters to treat any health problems the ponies and cattle may have, and to keep a count of the stock roaming the Open Forest.
Mares and foals are marked during this time – foals are branded and the tails of mares are cut in distinctive patterns – enabling the Agisters to see that the grazing fees have been paid and to indicate in which area their owner lives."
New Forest Equestrian Association chairman Tony Hockley told the Bournemouth Echo that the cancellation was the “last straw”.
He said: “The purpose of the society, which leases the showground from the Forestry Commission, is to ‘support agriculture and equestrianism’.
"The use of the showground as a car park for commercial off-site events involving more than 1,000 cars and thousands of competitors is making life even harder for a struggling equine community that is the backbone of the rural economy 365 days a year.
“Without the availability of the showground site, these cycle events would be restricted to a much more manageable size.”
New Forest Show secretary Denis Dooley said: “We obtained the lease of New Park in 2005 and since this time have offered a low-cost, flexible venue to a variety of different organisations.
“We have recently received a letter from the NFEA expressing their concerns over the identity and size of future events held at New Park and will look into these concerns at our next board meeting on November 20.”
Martin Barden of UK Cycling Events said that in the case of the Wiggle New Forest 100 sportive, due notice had been given of the event, which was planned last year.
He said: “Despite offers of altering our event and working with the drift to ensure it was safe and could continue, the Verderers have made the decision to move it to another day.”
“We hope that with better communication from the Verderers, future clashes can be avoided.”
The row is the latest in a series of clashes between cyclists and New Forest residents.
The Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive was subject to sabotage, with in excess of 1,000 signs vandalised, drawing pins scattered on the road and motorists driving slowly to form a kind of rolling road block. The event has been the subject of vociferous opposition from some locals.
It’s all part of an ongoing battle between horse riders and cyclists in the New Forest, which has seen accusations of spooked horses and blocked roads for locals.
In June Last month we reported how a woman whose horse had to be put down after it was frightened by a group of sportive riders in Sussex said that cyclists had no respect for other vulnerable road users.
Jo Flew and her daughter Joanna were out for a horseback ride on June 23 when they happened upon the route of the Etape de Sussex along Daleham Lane.
When they came across about 20 cyclists, Jo's horse kicked Joanna's in fear and broke its leg.
In Hampshire in May, we reported how local police were forced to issue a strongly worded warning ahead of a re-run of the Wiggle Spring Sportive, that they would not tolerate any attempts to disrupt the event, which on its first day was marred by bad weather and attempts by some local people to disrupt it.
Tips for riding around horses:
- Horses are often spooked by cyclists, especially when approached from behind.
- It's advisable to slow right down, and even be prepared to stop.
- Call out if you think you might not have been noticed, and pass with plenty of room to spare.
Latest Comments
- slc 48 min 52 sec ago
TBH the west (Barton Hill) part of the scheme looks like a much larger change than the east (Beaufort Rd) part. Some drivers living in the west...
- Rendel Harris 24 min 50 sec ago
If you bothered looking at the link you would see that it is not one of their reflective jackets, it is fluorescent with only a small number of...
- Owd Big 'Ead 7 hours 32 min ago
You need to get out of Derby then. Go somewhere else, because while not perfect, Derby is streets ahead of the vast majority of places I've lived...
- HoarseMann 9 hours 48 min ago
Driver injured after car flips onto its roof https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0g9rpp8x9o
- mark1a 10 hours 5 min ago
I don't think he wants to talk about it...
- Rendel Harris 10 hours 35 min ago
Ach, dinnae fret...
- Matt Page 10 hours 43 min ago
The Prevelo Alpha Three on the main feature image is 20".
- eburtthebike 10 hours 54 min ago
£100 bonus.
- chrisonabike 11 hours 3 min ago
To be fair if this is our usual revenant they've got form in rewriting history...
- chrisonabike 11 hours 4 min ago
"At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them ... we have to because some numpty destroyed the roll of names"....
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51 comments
These Wiggle events are pretty big. As per recent reports in Surrey, locals are getting frustrated by the lack of consultation or central management / coordination of these events, which means there can be very large numbers of cyclists on the road at one time, participating in events organised by companies with varying degrees of competence, across routes that may even cross or flow against each other..
The equestrians sound like NIMBY's, sure, but what they're asking for is simply the only way they can think to restrict such large volume events, in the absence of any regulation.
I think it is time these events were regulated/ licensed in some way, if only to help counter the often spurious arguments that NIMBY's come out with.
Cyclists are the only group of road user that participate in organised events in such large numbers on the road, I suspect (imagine 3000 horses - it would never happen!).
It's time we approached this with some common sense instead of considering it a 'them and us' situation with parties diametrically opposed.
I don't disagree with you, however logistics and market forces make it very difficult to implement.
At the moment, the Wiggle/UK Cycling Events rides are all insured by British Cycling so there is a degree of control and licensing there - British Cycling has the power to say "no, we won't insure your event on that day because..." But at the moment, an organiser being told "no" can simply wander off to a third party insurance provider and put the event on anyway.
Not saying that happens with Wiggle at all - as far as I can see they're one of the best in the Sportive market at the moment.
So it's incredibly difficult to control or licence them, the police don't have nay powers to stop them although you could argue that better dialogue within the venue to limit numbers would be a good thing - again that'd be up to the risk assessment, the venue and the organiser.
The New Forest and to a lesser extent Surrey (and also Pitlochry with the Etape Caledonia) all have very small but very vocal (and very well-organised and well-connected) groups of NIMBYs (for want of a better word) - while the vast majority of people either don't care one way or the other or are actively pro these events, unfortunately the "opposition" is sufficiently motivated to make life extremely difficult for all concerned. Not sure how this one is going to play out in the next year or two...
This Is right I'm afraid. Cycling is playing into the bigots hands by ignoring the fact that they do have a point. These honeypot areas like the New Forest and Surrey have too many events going on in them. Organizers should spread it around more - there are miles of country roads outside these areas.
Nonetheless the attitude in the New Forest is lamentable. Residents derive huge benefit in terms of planning protection fron the National Park status it enjoys - the trade off is that it then becomes, in effect, a designated leisure area - get over it!
I commute/train on various routes in the NF area and there is no month or week without a new "animal death" sign appearing on the side of the road.
Again, a bunch of narrow minded idiots is moaning about imaginary dangers and keeping quiet on the real ones in case they upset the motorised sacred cows.
Yawn...
I understand that earlier in the year the organisers of one of the events carried out a survey of sample riders - which suggested that over a third of participants had stayed locally. Sooo ... if they want the local tourist economy to be reduced ... so be it.
Er, quite, because tourism is probably far bigger than the equine economy they claim keeps the place going. Weren't we once told the countryside would face economic ruin if fox hunting was banned?
I was cycling through west Berkshire recently - massive equestrian area - when a helicopter passed overhead. Horses in adjacent field went nuts. Should helicopters be banned then? One has to ask if horses are scared by bikes, they must be terrified of cars, lorries etc?
The problem with bikes is they are reasonably fast and quiet. Cars are noisy so the horse has plenty of warning, but even then a fast car will easily spook a horse.
Horses have evolved to flee from danger, you are the silent hunter. A horse hears you, jumps and flees. Obviously you don't want a horse to do that! Common sense says let the rider know you are there, don't rush etc. Watch what the horse does as you pass.
I know the New Forest like the back of my hand. It was my cycling backyard as a teenager. My brother still lives in the Forest and we both enjoy cycling and have taken part in both the New Forest Rattler and the New Forest 100.
The nonsense about horses being spooked is tosh. Yes they damn well do get spooked by lorries, buses, vans, cars and motorcycles. What is more every year between 30 and 60 (last year 59) ponies are killed by motorists in the New Forest. None are killed by cyclists or as far as I know ever have been. I can imagine that a collision between a 600 kg pony and a 65kg (Ok 75kg) cyclist will only have one winner.
If they were concerned for the ponies they'd be asking for cars to be banned. What is more this is just a small vocal minority. And mostly affluent newcomers to the Forest. It's mainly not the real locals.
And just to reinforce the car v pony problem - http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10751235.Safety_call_after_pony_killed_i...
No mention of banning cars in the article.
I don't think they are trying to ban bicycles either if I understand the original article. Don't lose sight of the arguments.
They just want some understanding of their needs to run their horse events which they have had to call off and wish that there was a bit more coordination/limitation of events. If they are asking for anything else they are over-stepping things.
Drift wasn't cancelled it was postponed for a few days; walkers etc are advised to keep clear of drifts as they are 'dangerous'!
"Get orff moi land."
"Err, it's not your land. It's publicly owned."
"I said, get orff moi land."
I think that pretty much sums up athe attitudes of those residents in the New Forest complaining about cyclists. If they were to call for the use of large 4x4s to be banned, the number of horses killed on the roads in the area would be reduced significantly.
Having lived in the forest this is no big surprise they people complaining all seem to think it's 'their' forest but it's our forest. As ever there is always something for them to complain about but they would be buggered if no one visited the forest because it's full of unfriendly selfish NIMBYs.
I used to ride horses myself so know what it's like to be cut up whilst riding but what is it with some horse riders.
We were out on our club ride today and there were two horse riders going the same direction as us and two members of the local hunt coming down towards us chasing a hound that had gone stray. We dutifully held back to let the hunt riders through and give us room to ride around the horse riders that were going the same way as us.
Did we get a thank you. No. All we got was - I bet none of you have a bell on your bike ! (My reply was I bet you haven't got a bell on your horse either)
Even in a car I'd give a horse a wide berth and pass it slowly and quietly...I don't want it spooking and falling on the car. If cyclists expect cars to overtake by changing lanes, I think horse riders should be given the same respect. I'm sure most sensible cyclists would.
And can't these round-ups happen on week days?
it's really sad to read about bikes and horses coming into conflict down there as they should be on the same side. I live in an area myself with lots of people riding bikes and horses on the same roads but without these kind of problems. My experience shows that it is not inevitable therefore that bikes and horses can't get along, and added to the number of horses they run over in their cars every year it is, dare I suggest, possibly not really the safety of horses at all that is the main concern of the new forest folks.
Just more anti-cycling agenda rubbish / nimbyism.
As a civilised society whatever happened to sharing and live n let live. I truly can't understand why the Forest can't be used by all without the animosity.. Back in the real world now I keep forgetting as cyclists at best we are nothing more than second class citizens!!!!
The New Forest is a national park and it's remit is ;
To protect the existing environment and habitat.
To foster economic and social well being of the residents.
To promote enjoyment of the National Park.
http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/info/20038/about_the_authority
The Showground also hosts many other large scale events, shows and concerts with 1000s of visitors, so a cycling event is no different to these.
Also I would be interested in how Mr Hockley thinks these cycling events are "making it harder for a struggling equine community". Some explanation and facts would be handy here.
I guess, first question how many events are there? and then how much of a problem are these events?
It is established that the real issue for horses, as in what kills them, is cars. Bikes are quiet and are an issue in that regard, but i would ask whether some horses should be on the road at all. Some are very easily spooked, one rider i know has a horse that has issues with leaves!
I do suspect that the real issue is not bikes but more NIMBYism. Too many thinking it is their forest, and how many of these complainers are actually locals, and how many are commuters, second home owners and the like?
How much money is being brought to the area and how much is being lost?
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