News

In light of COVID-19, many of you are likely to be self-isolating and the reality of working from home will be setting in.  

A space that was previously a safe haven from the stresses of office life, and allowed you to maintain that work life balance, has now converged to be the epicenter of everything in your life. From your workout space, to the children’s playground; working from home can prove “challenging” in the current environment.  

To give you a little helping hand, we’ve collated a few tips to help you stay productive and, importantly, motivated while working from home. 

No. 1 | Exercise  

Mental wellbeing is paramount. Period. But during social isolation, your mental wellbeing is especially important. With gyms closed it is easy to slip out of your exercise routine.  But stick with it.

The Cheshire countryside that surrounds our homes is awash with an abundance of breathtaking walks, all right outside our doorstep, including one of the finest routes in the North West, the Sandstone Trail.  

No. 2 | Window Seat 

Book yourself a window seat. Exposure to light helps us to regulate sleep, boosts our mood and even raises our productivity levels.  

What’s more, making use of natural light reduces the need for us to turn on lights indoors, helping reduce energy bills. 

No. 3 | Eat Fresh 

It is no secret that food choices impact our mood, wellbeing and energy levels, so it makes sense to make healthy choices.  

Local food producers are working hard to ensure we stay fed and watered. More than ever it is important that we all stand together and support local. Where we shop matters. 

No. 4 | Get Social 

Make time to socialise (at a 2-metre safe distance!). Working from home doesn’t mean you have to work every hour of the day. Keep structure and routine; set boundaries in the form of clear working hours.  

Fancy a tea break? Why not jump on Zoom and have a video call with colleagues? Or why not phone a neighbour to check-in with them. 

No. 5 | Create A Workspace 

At a time where your home is becoming more multifunctional than perhaps you would like, ensuring a set working space is key.  

Design a home office space that maximises your productivity and allows your creativity to flow… ideally next to a window for that much needed natural light!  

On behalf of the Barbour family and all here at Bolesworth Estate, we hope you stay safe and well at this challenging time.  

We have been closely monitoring the status of the COVID-19 pandemic as events have unfolded Nationally and Internationally.  Following the Government public health guidance regarding social distancing, and the termination of non-essential travel, together with the statement that emergency services have been withdrawn from supporting mass gatherings, it is clear that events of this scale pose far too greater risk to continue for the foreseeable future.

We have therefore made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show which was due to take place from 9^th – 14^th June.

We would like to acknowledge that many riders, visitors and supporters will be disappointed by this news, and would like to reassure everyone that we are totally committed to planning a spectacular event for next year.

All pre-purchased tickets and Hospitality will be refunded in full.  Online bookings will be automatically processed within 28 working days.  If you booked Hospitality via our office, our team will be in touch shortly.

Nina Barbour said:

“Whilst we are very disappointed, our focus is to support the huge efforts being made by the government to keep us all safe.  The Bolesworth Elite Yearling Auction was also due to take place at Bolesworth on Friday 12^th June.  We are currently evaluating the feasibility of running this as an online auction on a similar date and are committed to supporting the industry in any way that we can under the current challenging circumstances.”

If you have any ticket related enquiries about CarFest United, queries not directly answered here, please feel free to email CarFest directly at tickets@carfest.org.

Any other queries please email info@carfest.org

• If I have a ticket for CarFest North, what do I do?

Nothing at the moment, we will automatically allocate you a ticket for CarFest United, you will receive this in the usual way through the post.

• I can’t make the new dates what are my options?

If you cannot make it to CarFest United this year, then you have the following options:

• You can transfer them to a friend or family member that may be able to attend
• You can transfer your tickets to 2021
• You can donate the money to charity 
• You can get a refund

For any other of the above queries, please email carfest.org with your reference number, details of your existing booking. Please bear with us, this is a complex process and nothing that we’ve ever experienced before.

• How can I get to the South? 

We are currently in the process of arranging alternative transport for all our CarFest North visitors. As soon as we have more information, we will contact you directly. Please make sure you keep checking the website, our socials and that you have signed up to the newsletter, as we will be using all these methods to keep you updated.

• I have booked both North and South – can I get a refund for North?

Yes of course. If you would prefer to transfer the tickets to friends or family to join you, we can also arrange this for you. Alternatively, you can also hold on to your tickets for CarFest North 2021.

• Are the camping arrangements the same as at CarFest North?

Yes, the pitches are the same size and all similar campsite facilities will be available.

• Will my CAMC Permit still be valid?

Yes, this will still be valid.

• Will we still get the same sized pitch in the south for my caravan/motorhome

Yes, you will.

• Will my Hotel Bell Tent or Tangerine Fields booking be automatically changed over?

Yes, they will. We are just in the process of managing this with both Hotel Bell Tent and Tangerine Fields. We will be writing to you in the next couple of weeks to reconfirm how the process will work. You will also receive communications from either Hotel Bell Tent or Tangerine Fields, to confirm your booking.

• When are you going to announce the line-up?

We will start announcing our guests and line-up throughout April and ahead of our 2^nd ticket release on 23^rd April.

• When is the next ticket release?

Our 2^nd ticket release will be on 23^rd April.

• Will tickets only be available on 23^rd April or throughout the period up to CarFest United?

We will continue to sell any remaining tickets up to the weekend of CarFest United, but we cannot guarantee which tickets may be available after 23^rd April.

For all enquiries relating to CarFest, please contact CarFest directly at www.carfest.org

*IMPORTANT UPDATE*

It is with great regret that we announce that the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show will not be opening for public access during the event.

A huge effort has been undertaken by the team throughout the build-up and with continued improvements site wide on going, however with the significant volumes of consistent rainfall we have experienced in the past 48hrs and with further significant rain forecast, we have had to take the difficult decision on the grounds of safety to close the event for public access.
Whilst we are preserving the site to best effect for the sport to continue all week on the all weather surfaces, the ground is not safe enough to allow public vehicles on and off the event site. There are also significant issues on the surrounding roads with standing water limiting access.

The sport schedule for June 12th remains unchanged and we will update all competitors later today on any further changes to the schedule ahead of tomorrow and the coming days. Sport can still be watched on the Livestream via: https://www.bolesworthinternational.com/live-stream

Full refunds for tickets including – general admission, season passes, membership upgrades, camping and parking will be provided via the ticket agent you purchased from within 10 working days.

Thank you for all your support to date, this isn’t a decision that we at the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show have taken lightly and we ask for your patience during this busy period whilst we continue to make provision for the sport aspects of the event to continue running.

This week will see the dawn of a new era for Bolesworth Estate in Cheshire as The Barbour family launch its much anticipated rebrand and vision to the public during The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show.

Their flagship event, The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show, is being held at Bolesworth Estate from 12th-16th June and will serve as the perfect platform from which to launch this exciting new phase for Bolesworth Estate.

Set in over 6,500 acres of Cheshire’s countryside the much-loved view of the Grade II listed Bolesworth Castle has been an admired and familiar sight in Cheshire for nearly 200 years, but this unique location is about so much more than equestrian sport and rolling hills. The Barbour family have steered this historical Estate and enterprise into the future through their investment in the place and the business. They have recently been praised by the House of Lords’ Select Committee on the Rural Economy and held up as a shining example of diversification of a rural enterprise.

Following a 12-month strategic process, with the help of The Juniper Company, Bolesworth have created a powerful new vision for the next 5 years:

‘To be brave, be different, be passionate;

In delivering world class events, creating amazing spaces and building an environment for success.’

The Estate has over 150 commercial tenants who between them employ well over 1,100 people. Highlights of the portfolio that Bolesworth has been instrumental in developing include the Chowley Oak Business Park, Gifford Lea – a luxury retirement village and even a 300-berth marina, all of which have been part of an ongoing policy of investment and expansion at Bolesworth.  The Estate is also home to well-known tenant, the Ice Cream Farm, a visitor attraction that holds the Guinness World Record as the largest ice cream parlour, employing over 70 people and supplying 1,000 pubs, restaurants and retail units with ice cream throughout the UK. It is listed as one of the ten most visited free to enter sites in England with visitor numbers of approx. 800,000 per year.

Jonathan Fell, the Ice Cream Farm, said:

“My family have worked closely with Bolesworth for the past few decades – their innovative and supportive approach has played a key part in helping us develop and achieve our vision here at the Ice Cream Farm.”

This new era will put Bolesworth on the map as an inspirational place, and stunning film location with the historic castle and its ancient subterranean cellars, hidden caves and panoramic views, as well as a leading business with a huge variety of development opportunities, commercial and residential space.  This unique and accessible venue is fast becoming a favourite for discerning promoters hosting large scale events including the hugely popular ‘Car Fest North’ organised by Virgin Radio DJ Chris Evans for more than 80,000 festival goers, as well as private parties and media launches on a grand scale.

Chris Hughes, Car Fest, said:

“Beautiful Bolesworth is the perfect fit for CarFest North – a world-class venue run by a top team – that’s why we keep coming back.”

With an agenda lead by an all-female dynamic trio of the Barbour family – Anthony’s eldest daughter Nina, her mother Diana and younger sister Cleo – the family are committed to continuing the Bolesworth legacy and to drive their ambitious vision forward whilst preserving the heritage of this incredibly special location.

Nina Barbour, Director of Bolesworth commented:

“My father set the bar high, changing Bolesworth through diversification from a dairy farming estate to the prospering commercial entity that is it today. We are dedicated to driving the business forward, developing our opportunities, and improving the relationships between our customers and local stakeholders. The rebrand process we have been through over the last 6 months has enabled us to change the culture throughout our organisation, and we are very excited about the next chapter.’

The freshly released www.bolesworth.com gives an overview of the vast opportunities that the Bolesworth Estate has to offer and there is still opportunity to attend the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show where key contacts will be available to give further background to the all the possibilities; tickets can be booked via www.bolesworthinternational.com.

Huge amounts of work and fund-raising have gone on behind the scenes to commemorate the Armistice Centenary which will be remembered in a series of events and projects to be held during the weekend of 11 November 2018.

 These will comprise a series of remembrance and legacy projects as well as celebrations, in line with the centenary anniversary of the end of The Great War.

As a taster, we publish a photograph of the newly positioned Commonwealth War Graves Commission signage which has been installed by Bolesworth Estate at All Saints Church, Harthill. Both St Alban’s Church in Tattenhall and St John the Divine Church in Burwardsley will have identical signage erected in advance of the Remembrance Weekend.

This national project is part of a programme to raise awareness that there are, in fact, many Commonwealth War Graves sited in local Churchyards, including our own locality.

Families had several options available to them at the end of the conflict — they could remember their relatives who died in conflict on a local War Memorial, on a family grave, on an official Commonwealth War Graves Headstone erected in a local Churchyard and, in line with government initiatives, as close to where they died as was possible. Some families chose all options.

Tom Kerridge’s food and music festival, Pub in the Park is coming to Knutsford! The laid-back summer celebration will be heading to The Lambing Shed from 7 – 9 September for three days of gourmet food, cracking music and lush vibes.

You can expect amazing grub from pop-up pubs including Tom Kerridge’s Michelin-starred The Hand & Flowers and The Coach, James Mackenzie’s Pipe & Glass, Yorkshire hero Andrew Pern with The Star Inn at Harome and Josh Eggleton’s Pony & Trap. Cooking demonstrations will also take place on the Chef Demo Stage from the chefs of the pubs involved at every festival as well as top cooking talent including Great British Bake Off 2016 Winner Candice Brown.

There will also be bars serving every tipple from Greene King’s refreshing pints and British bevs from Pimm’s to crisp cider from Westons and cocktails from Fentimans, amongst others.
Masterclasses and tastings will also be on offer throughout the weekend from Sipsmith and Dark Horse Wine, as well as lots of shopping from the Artisan Market and Shopping Village, and – of course – cracking music from household names including Tom Odell, Melanie C, Razorlight, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Squeeze and many more. Sounds like a lush day out!

Tickets are selling fast, grab them at pubintheparkuk.com

The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show returned this year, to record-breaking visitor figures over the five days.

With beautiful weather and top-class entertainment on offer, sporting legends and celebrities alike were spotted descending on Cheshire for the high-profile competition. With attendees including Olympic dressage riders and showjumpers, award-winning Pro Wakeboarders and one of Made in Chelsea’s most famous faces, Tiffany Watson, it’s fair to say that the event is celebrating its best year yet.

The show kicked off to an exciting start with CDI*** International Dressage taking place on Wednesday and Thursday, drawing an international field. This was followed by the much-anticipated CSI**** International Showjumping on Thursday and Friday, with the competition coming to an exhilarating finish on Saturday. A highlight of the show was the ever-popular Equitop Myoplast Puissance, one of the most famous show jumping competitions in the world, designed to push both horse and rider to their ultimate limits as they clear the huge red wall. Ireland’s Trevor Breen came out on top to bring the third day of the show to a close.

Additional notable winners include Eve Jobs, daughter of the late Apple founder, Steve, who had the biggest win of her career in the world of show jumping, as well as double Olympic dressage champion, Charlotte Dujardin, who enjoyed double success at the show.

This year also saw records broken at the exclusive Bolesworth Elite Auction, when a foal by Nick Skelton’s Olympic legend, Big Star, made £92,000 under the hammer. It is believed the sum is the highest price paid for a show jumping-bred foal in the UK with the British-bred youngster going to Saudi Arabia.

Made in Chelsea star, Tiffany Watson was spotted on Saturday enjoying the international showjumping and the CSI 2* Grand Prix, with her friends, in the exclusive VIP Hospitality marquee, to the excitement of show attendees. Tiffany was also seen enjoying the day with founder and president of Bolesworth International, Nina Barbour, and High Sheriff of Cheshire, Sarah Callender Beckett.

Also on Saturday, Sarah Callender Beckett was seen announcing the winners of the Ladies Day best dressed competition, with prizes including Pure Essence spa package for two at Leaf Day Spa and one night’s accommodation in a Luxury Suite for two at Park Fields Country House.

New for the show this year, was the International Water Festival, which took place on Saturday 17th June. The event saw some of the best wakeboarders in the world battle it out in a spectacular head to head style contest on a purpose-built, world class wakeboard park. UK born Liam Peacock was crowned number one in the final day of the Industry Pro Tour, to enthusiastic crowds.

The show’s chosen charity Brooke, Action for Working Horses and Donkeys, brought along successful North Yorkshire author Hannah Russell and her miniature Shetland pony, internet sensation Little Alf, much to the excitement of children on Thursday’s ‘School’s Day’, where Hannah read extracts from her best-selling book.

Nina Barbour, Founder and President of The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show comments:

“We have loved every second of this year’s show. It has been incredible to watch world-class sport once again taking place at Boelsworth. We are constantly expanding our offer at Bolesworth, notably this year with the Water Festival and leg of the pro- wakeboarding tour. We have witnessed a series of amazing firsts this year, including the record-breaking auction and with the support of sensational riders such as Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester, as well as the world class wakeboarders, this year is certainly one to remember!”

The next event to take place on the Boelsworth Estate, will be CarFest North 2017, between 28th and 30th July, welcoming stars such as Busted, Deacon Blue and Happy Mondays, as well as evening entertainment from the Kaiser Chiefs.

World-class show jumping, international dressage and high-end shopping and dining, where else – this year’s Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show.

Head to Bolesworth Castle near Tattenhall, Chester – June 14 to 18 for an event that offers a unique and thrilling experience, combines top-level dressage and showjumping competitions with great shopping, a host of thrilling water sports on the lake and fun family entertainment.

Set in beautiful surroundings, the show offers something for everyone from Grand Prix showjumping to the glamorous fashion of Ladies Day.

Besides the equestrian action there are a host of displays and attractions across the showground for all the family to enjoy.

New for 2017 and set to be a massive crowd-pleaser is the Spectacular International Water Sports Festival which includes an international competition focus and activity zone.

If you can tear yourself away from all the action, go and browse the many trade stands in the shopping village. From well-known equestrian brands to jewellery and home furnishings, there’s something for everyone in the selection of high-quality retailers.

After the thrill of the equestrian competitions and all that shopping, there’s plenty of choice for refreshments, with a whole host of food and drink options. From gourmet burgers and delicious food in the Bolesworth Bistro to fine dining in the VIP Hospitality Suite, you’re not going to go hungry!

The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show runs from Wednesday, June 14 to Sunday, June 18. Get 40% off gate prices if you pre-book your tickets online. General admission tickets are available at a pre-sale price of just £12 for the Thursday and Friday, and £20 for Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Under 12s can enjoy free admission, while a season ticket is at a not-to-be-missed pre-sale price of £40.

Major British and continental dressage stars are heading to this year’s Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show.

The new Bolesworth CDI*** runs on the first two days of the show, June 14 to 18, and has the fantastic added attraction of a masterclass with dressage legend, Carl Hester.

Having won the Invitational Grand Prix Freestyle last year during his first visit to Bolesworth, Carl said:

“The venue is stunning, the footing is stunning, and I’m delighted the team is developing the dressage in such an amazing setting.”

The extra investment in dressage means that the event is now a fully-fledged CDI*** show with international riders able to compete in what has quickly become one of the most sought after arenas to ride in.

As well as Carl and Britain’s golden girl, Charlotte Dujardin other leading names include Gareth Hughes, Richard Davison, Emile Faurie, Michael Eilberg and the inform Hayley Watson-Greaves, second to Carl and Barolo when riding Rubins Nite at Royal Windsor.

Carl is confirmed to compete in the CDI***, and will undoubtedly entertain spectators on the first afternoon of the show with a demonstration of his wealth of knowledge as both an internationally-acclaimed rider and trainer.

Following the demonstration there will also be a ‘Question & Answer’ session with Carl in the International Arena with the stunning backdrop of Bolesworth Castle.

Dressage fans can enjoy watching top horses and riders over the first two days of the show, with the competition focus getting underway on Wednesday, June 14 with the CDI*** Grand Prix at 2pm and the Inter 1 Freestyle at 6pm.

Thursday, June 15 promises a full day of thrilling competitions, with the Prix St George invitational event, the 5, 6 & 7-year-old Future Dressage Horse Competitions, which will be viewing trials for the World Breeding Championships, the Grand Prix Special – and then culminating in the early evening Freestyle Final.

The Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show runs from Wednesday, June 14 to Sunday, June 18. Get 40% off gate prices if you pre-book your tickets online. General admission tickets are available at a pre-sale price of just £12 for the Thursday and Friday, and £20 for Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Under 12s can enjoy free admission, while a season ticket is at a not-to-be-missed pre-sale price of £40