Latest News

April 2013 - New Carriage Launch - The Bennington Stealth

Bennington Carriages is delighted to announce the launch of the Bennington Stealth, a ground breaking new carriage that transforms the level of performance available to the competition driver. Combining revolutionary design and technological innovation, the Stealth has been developed with an absolute commitment to delivering maximum performance.

Unique to the Stealth is its independent rear suspension system which, when combined with its rear wheel steering, provides exceptional levels of steering accuracy and agility. The Stealth also introduces independent braking and a groom operated turntable brake which enables drivers to maintain the maximum possible level of momentum through obstacles.

Taking inspiration from a range of sources, including slow motion footage of Team Bennington and motorsport, designer Michael Mart has created a blueprint for the 21^st century high performance carriage. When combined with Bennington’s legendary quality and commitment to customer service, the Bennington Stealth is the ultimate carriage for the discerning competition driver.

For further information please visit the Stealth web page or contact Sue Mart at Bennington Carriages on 01400 281 280 or sue@bennington.co.uk.

May 2013 - 'Have a go at Carriage Driving'

Bennington was delighted to host its latest ‘Have A Go At Carriage Driving’ event on Saturday 25^th May. Smiling faces, lots of laughs and good weather were the order of the day.

Judging by the hugely positive feedback, the goals of all those attending were more than met. Students were given an introduction to the fundamentals of Carriage Driving and then introduced to the Bennington Fun Bug carriage – the perfect carriage for the newcomer. Those attending then learned how to ‘put to’ and then enjoyed getting behind the reins and driving a carriage for the first time.

Some pictures of the fun can be found here and we were also delighted to receive such positive feedback:

• ‘Have a go – it’s more fun than you can imagine!’
• ‘Better than riding!’
• ‘A wonderful day – even for the complete novice’
• ‘I had a great time - it gave a real flavour of what Carriage Driving is about. Lots of fun!’
• ‘Well worth coming as I’ve learnt something new and had a lot of fun driving ponies. Brilliant ponies too!’
• ‘A very enjoyable day – worth the money – with very helpful and friendly people.’
• ‘The course gave a great insight into this exciting sport’
• Due to arthritis I can no longer ride – but this taster session has really given me the enthusiasm to learn more about Carriage Driving’

Another event is scheduled for Saturday 3^rd August – do please do get in touch via e-mail (sue@bennington.co.uk) or call us on 01400 281280 to learn more.

April 2013 – Students from Brackenhurst Equestrian Centre enjoy a Carriage Driving Experience at Bennington Carriages

We were delighted to host a group of final year students from Brackenhurst Equestrian Centre, Nottingham Trent University.

Lead by Sue Mart, Bennington's UKCC Level 3 coach Sue Mart and her team, including David Veasey and Sue's sister Wendy Palfrey, the group of 10 enjoyed an overview of Carriage Driving, including driving our experienced ponies, long reining, putting harness on and off a horse, rein handling and driving a cones course.

Photos of the day can be viewed here

March 2013 - 'Have a go at Carriage Driving'

A bitterly cold day did little to cool the spirits of the 40 or so newcomers who attended the latest ‘Have a go at Carriage Driving’ session on Saturday 30^th March.

We were delighted to have such a wonderful group in attendance and whilst it was terribly cold, the students were able to try their hand at Carriage Driving for the first time in the safe surroundings of the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy. As ever, the event focused on providing a clear overview of the fundamentals of carriage driving as well as getting our enthusiastic crowd behind the reins for the first time.

If you haven’t tried Carriage Driving and fancy a go, why not call us on 01400 281280 or visit our ‘Have a go’ web page to learn a little more. However, we do hope that the sun and some warmer weather will be attending our next session on Saturday 25th May 2013

Some photos of the day can be found in our Photo Gallery and some feedback from those who attended is shown below:

• It’s better than driving a car !!
• Fantastic day, very informative & friendly. The team were very welcoming and encouraging
• The experience was an excellent introduction for my ‘non-horsey’ partner who was so pleased …. Looks like I might have a new carriage driving enthusiast – Yay!
• Great fun for all ages, Fun for all the family, Great experience
• Excellent short introduction given with clarity, patience & friendliness
• A great introduction to a fabulous activity
• A really enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Excellent introduction to driving by friendly & knowledgeable people.

March 2013 - “What the driven dressage judge wants to see” with Sarah Garnett

Bennington Carriages was delighted to host Sarah Garnett who gave a wonderful and well received presentation on what the driven dressage judge wants to see. Sarah, a highly experienced competitor and former national pairs champion, is a national judge and spends significant amounts of time providing practical help to drivers of all levels.

Despite the amber weather warnings, over 40 enthusiastic carriage drivers attended – from novice to national competitors. The presentation was both fun and informative, with Sarah displaying a DVD of a driven dressage test for the group to review and mark – which resulted in much conversation and debate from both drivers and backsteppers alike.

The clear message from the evening was that to get the best dressage performance from both horse and carriage, obtaining open and honest feedback is essential. The group fully understood the importance of suitable training and whilst the current weather may stop things for a few days, the group finished the evening with a clear desire to put the knowledge gained to the test.

Fingers crossed we’ll get some warmer weather soon!

Some photos of the evening can be found in our Photo Gallery

February 2013 - 'Have a go at Carriage Driving'

Bennington Carriages were delighted to hold the first of their 2013 ‘Have a go at Carriage Driving’ sessions on Saturday 23rd February. Despite the extremely cold weather, spirits were not chilled and a keen group of newcomers joined us at the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy for a wonderful day.

As ever, the sessions were fun, exciting and informative, focused on providing a clear overview of the fundamentals of carriage driving as well as getting our enthusiastic crowd behind the reins for the first time.

If you haven’t tried Carriage Driving and fancy a go, why not call us on 01400 281280 or visit our ‘Have a go’ web page to learn a little more. However, we do hope that the sun and some warmer weather will be attending our next session on Saturday 30th March!

Some photos of the day can be found in our Photo Gallery

We’ll leave you with some of the feedback from the last session…

• “Come and have a go, always worth a try you might just like it. All very helpful and friendly. A lovely day…
• “Great course for beginners, very friendly and helpful family run establishment…"
• “Friendly, secure environment where you feel confident to have a go”
• "Really enjoyable first driving experience…”
• “Very informative and everything explained clearly and a very fun day…”
• “Very friendly and welcoming. A lovely experience…”
• “Super day – one to recommend…”

February 2013 - Carriage Driving Magazine

We are delighted to be featured in - and on the cover - of February's Carriage Driving Magazine.

The photo is of Team Bennington driving their Bennington Blaze at Sandringham. Inside is a lovely article on the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy which can be viewed here.

January 2013

Evening talk at Bennington Carriages - Friday 22^nd March

“What the driven dressage judge wants to see” with Sarah Garnett

Sarah Garnett is an entertaining speaker and extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of carriage driving. A national judge and former National Champion Horse Pairs driver, Sarah will deliver an informative and fun evening, providing practical advice and tips to improve your dressage performance for the coming season.

During the evening video footage of driven dressage tests will be shown and Sarah will encourage interactive discussion and healthy debate. Whether a newcomer, club or national driver, the evening will provide an invaluable start to the season. Whether driver, backstepper, trainer or supporter, all are welcome to join what promises to be a fun, informative and interactive night.

Date and Time: Friday 22^nd March 6.30 pm for 7pm prompt start. Tea and coffee available

Cost: £5.00 per person - please telephone to book as places are limited.

Bennington Carriages, Moor Lane, Long Bennington, Newark, Notts. NG23 5GA Tel : 01400 281 280

Note - if using Sat Nav, please enter Moor Lane, Long Bennington.

Have a go at Carriage Driving !

The Bennington Carriage Driving Academy will be holding a series of taster sessions that will provide a unique opportunity to experience the equestrian sport of carriage driving.

This new initiative has been designed to provide real, hands on experience proving how easy it is to get involved and of course, how much fun can be had! Aimed at the novice, you don’t need to have previous carriage driving or riding experience to participate.

Each session will last for 2 hours and cover a range of carriage driving fundamentals, including long reining, harnessing up, examining different types of carriage and their purpose, and of course, driving! Our extensive facilities and indoor arena also allow us to hold the events even if the weather is inclement. Each session only costs £20 per person.

The initial dates for these fun filled sessions are as below:

• Saturday 26th January 2013
• Saturday 23rd February 2013
• Saturday 30th March 2013

Each day will have two sessions as below:

Morning Session: 10am – 12pm Afternoon Session: 1.30pm – 3.30 pm

To book, please telephone or e-mail us, stating which date and whether you would like to take part in the morning or afternoon session. For further information contact Bennington Carriages on 01400 281280, e-mail us at sue@benningtoncarriages.co.uk

December 2012

Read our new Winter Newsletter ! Christmas gift ideas, news and much more ........

Winter 2012 - Newsletter

September 2012 - Carriage Maintenance Class

Bennington Carriages is delighted to announce the third of its highly successful Carriage Maintenance classes. If you would like to learn more about how your carriages works – from changing oil seals and brake pads to practical advice on how to keep your carriage in top condition, our next course on Saturday 20^th October is ideal.  For more information please contact us or click on the link – Carriage Maintenance Class

September - Michael and Margaet's charity road trip Blog

Michael and Margaret Mart are on their epic tour of the British Isles to raise money for the Peter Le Marchat Trust. Their blog and latest exploits can be found here.

FEI World Para - Equestrian Driving Championships

Congratulations to team GB on their Bronze Team Medal at the FEI World Para - Equestrian Carriage Driving Championships held at Breda Netherlands on 29th August - 2nd September.

Team GB Deborah Daniel, Mick Ward and Lucy Barclay all driving Benningtons. read the blog on BHDTA for full report.

August 2012 - Joseph Adams winner of Bennington obstacle

August 2012 - National Carriage Driving Championships 7th - 9th September 2012

Why not visit the Bennington Carriages stand at the National Carriage Driving Championships on 7th - 9th September 2012. The event, held at the Queen Victoria's Review Ground, Windsor Great Park, Berkshire (just off the A332 Windsor to Ascot Road), is always a great opportunity to see exceptional carriage driving in beautiful surroundings as well as visiting the Bennington stand!

Bennington will be showcasing a selection of pleasure and competition carriages from their extensive range including the new Bennington Spirit, Bennington Blaze, Bennington Overlander and Bennington Fun Bug.

The full range of Zilco harness will also be on display along with a wide range of driving accessories.

A warm welcome awaits from the Bennington Team.

For further details regarding the event visit www.windsordriving.co.uk

July 2012 - Michael and Margaret Mart raising money for Charity

On the 11th September, Michael and Margaret Mart will embark on an epic journey to raise money for the Peter Le Marchant trust - a charity that organises boating day trips and short holidays for disability and care groups. The trust recently won the prestigious Queen's Award for Voluntary Groups and is a wonderful charity. Further information can be found at http://www.peterlemarchanttrust.co.uk/.

The trip is expected to be approximately 1800 miles in total and uniquely, will be driven in Michael's beloved 'other' carriage - his 1930 Ford Model A called 'Phoebe'. The route will see Michael, Margaret and 82 years old Phoebe leave Long Bennington, head to John o' Groats, travel south to Lands End and then back to Long Bennington - all without using any motorways!

Michael and Margaret are aiming to raise £10,000 for the trust - so please do sponsor them and keep your fingers crossed that Phoebe will be as well behaved as Michael's other carriages.

Donations can be made simply via his Justgiving page http://www.justgiving.com/Michael-Mart. If you need any further information, please give us a call.

We will feature regular updates on progress in our latest news section.

July 2012 - The Lindsey Trail

Bennington Carriages was delighted to help in the promotion of the Lindsey Trail - one of Lincolnshire's best kept secrets. Using a Bennington Funbug and Billy, our life size display horse, we were delighted to help promote this idyllic, 69 mile route through the Lincolnshire Wolds at the recent Lincolnshire County Show. Suitable for carriage drivers, horse riders, cyclists and walkers, the Lindsey Trail presents the ideal opportunity to escape and relax in this designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

For further information please contact us or visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/countryside

June 2012 - BHS Members enjoy a Carriage Driving Experience at Bennington Carriages

We were delighted to host a group of BHS members from the East Midlands area. The day was arranged by Sally Andrews, the East Midlands BHS development officer, who regularly organises different equine activities for the members to try.

Lead by Sue Mart, Bennington's UKCC Level 3 coach Sue Mart and her team, including David Veasey and Sue's sister Wendy Palfrey, the group of 15 enjoyed an overview of Carriage Driving, including driving our experienced ponies, long reining, putting harness on and off a horse, rein handling and driving a cones course.

The members thoroughly enjoyed the day and gave the following feedback which we re delighted to share:

• Thank you for a brilliant day and for looking after the BHS members so well. Attention to detail and content of the day was excellent and everybody thoroughly enjoyed all aspects. The organisation ensured that everybody was either occupied or engrossed. Well done and Thank you.
• Really interesting and enjoyable day. I have not driven before and it was an amazing experience. Ponies well trained and obedient. Very enjoyable, entertaining and educational experience.
• Most enjoyable day. Very informative and lots of 'Hands on' experience.
• A good balance of activities, very welcoming, thoroughly enjoyed the day.
• Very interesting and educational driving day. Hopefully I will be back again
• Fantastic day, very informativeDriving with Bennington Carriages was an amazing day out
• Fantastic place to learn and have a go at Carriage Driving with a friendly helpful team
• Relaxed but informative, covered all basics in a fun and friendly way. Great for beginners.

Some photos of the day can be found in our Photo Gallery

Other, similar days are being arranged throughout the year and can be designed to accommodate specific requirements. Please contact Sue Mart or Wendy Palfrey at Bennington Carriages for further dates and details. Tel: 01400 281280  

April 2012 - Driving Back to Sport - Session 5

Whilst the current Driving Back to Sport initiative has come to an end, a new chapter begins for our students who leave with the knowledge, skill and the passion for progressing their enthusiasm for Carriage Driving.

The day began with cones and was followed by the fundamentals of Long Reining, held in the indoor academy. The group then put theory into practice by 'putting to' with a real horse and carriage - rather than our life size model horse!

Lizzi from Sport England then gave a Sport Makers workshop, expanding on how the Driving Back to Sport initiative is part of the Olympic Legacy and how the students can promote greater interest and inspire involvement in the sport. Thought provoking, the students were given a wealth of ideas to progress and share their new enthusiasm for Carriage Driving.

The group then had an opportunity to 'Ask The Experts' about anything they wished. Lots of laughs were had and hopefully a little wisdom was shared. Students finished the course with a completed portfolio and a set of agreed action points and goals to progress, ranging from 'helping out at a local club event' to 'qualifying for the Horse of the Year show'! Each student was also assigned a buddy whose goal is to be the focal point for providing motivation and advice and to keep the passion for Carriage Driving well and truly alive.

The end of the day was marked with a celebration party which was joined by local drivers who shared their stories over a buffet dinner.

Sue Mart explained "I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and could not have achieved it without the support of my fellow UKCC coaches. Our mission was to deliver high quality coaching and embrace the sport, making it fun and encouraging the group to progress their new found love of carriage driving. When Linda Swain from British Driving Society asked "How many of you are going to take up the sport of carriage driving?" she was met with a unanimous show of hands. I view this as 'mission accomplished'!

I'd like to thank my sister Wendy, another Director of Bennington Carriages, for her support and her little boy Charlie who has kept the group thoroughly entertained. I feel our collective efforts have given the group the confidence and motivation to follow their dreams and I'm already looking forward to the reunion!

We've already heard a number of fantastic stories and look forward to the reunion where we are sure we will hear the updates on how everyone in the group has progressed towards their goals. Until then, we'll share a few quotes that we think summarise the event rather well...

• 'A wonderful experience and are opportunity to meet new people and try new skills. An eye opener!
• 'A fantastic experience - the most exciting event I have attended in years. I will miss coming'
• 'Best course I've ever been on - I really enjoyed it. Desperate now to find the right horse so I can take what I learnt further!'
• 'This has been the most fantastic journey and experience for me. From knowing absolute zero about Driving Trials I now have confidence and knowledge to begin the next stage of my journey towards competing'

From everyone at Bennington Carriages, we extend our most sincere thanks to all who participated. Exceptional students, wonderful coaches and passionate volunteers resulted in a remarkable course and we truly hope that everyone found it as rewarding and stimulating as we did.

Click here for our Photo Gallery.

April 2012 - Indoor Carriage Driving Championship

Congratulations to all the Bennington Drivers who competed at the Indoor Carriage Driving Championship at Keysoe.

It was wonderful to see so many Bennington customers at the event - from enthusiastic newcomers to the seasoned competitor. Whilst of course it's the 'taking part' that counts, it was also great to see so many awards and classes being won.

It was also fantastic to see some new faces from our recent 'Driving Back to Sport' group who were keen to learn more and become actively involved in our wonderful sport.

Some photos from the day can be found in our Photo Gallery.

March 2012 - Driving Back to Sport - Session 4

The mist cleared and revealed a beautiful spring morning - perfect for the fourth Driving Back to Sport session at Bennington Carriages.

The latest installment saw continued development of topics covered previously and the introduction of new disciplines, including essential carriage maintenance, marathon timing and obstacle driving.Bennington's Sue Mart and Angela Flanagan, both UKCC Level 3 Coaches, led the group through the fundamentals of obstacle driving with Sally Moreton heading a group of stewards. At the end of the session and after swapping roles, students understood the principles, including driving, understanding the gate sequence and how to time the obstacle.

Simon Clarke, Bennington's carriage maintenance expert, gave the group a presentation on carriage maintenance fundamentals, including the best approach to checking carriage function and safety, including key areas such as wheel bearings and brakes. Simon also shared his invaluable tips on the best tools to keep in the carriage toolbox.

UKCC Coach Teresa McLeod gave the group an informative session on calculating marathon timings from the documentation provided at the start of event and also provided some invaluable, real word advice on what to wear, what to pack in the marathon kit and the essential role of the backstepper.

Coffee and lunch was aided by DVD's of leading competitors driving obstacles, providing real inspiration to the group. Feedback was, as ever, fantastic and all the Bennington team are delighted to be able to share their passion.

As one of our students offered "Another excellent day, everyone has really progressed with confidence and the great thing is that there is a real team spirit between the group. There is already talk of us organising a reunion in a years' time, so they can bring their own turnouts and show how they have progressed".

As ever, photos of the day can be found in our Photo Gallery.

March 2012 - Driving Back to Sport - Session 3

Another great Driving Back to Sport...

Whilst the day began with a cold wind, the sun soon came out and cast a warm glow over the Bennington Driving Back to Sport students.

Activities today were varied as ever, including walking the cones course and a hilarious "against the clock" assembly of a set of Tedex harness. The students also tackled the basics of long reining and spent some time reviewing DVD performances of cones driving at the World and National Carriage Driving Championships.

Driving again made up a significant proportion of the day. Learning to drive cones accurately was the focus and after driving a practice drive, the students were all timed through the cones course. Jane Kempton was the fastest of our lady drivers and Fred Connell was the fastest of our gents.The students are developing their skills and becoming a wonderful group to teach. Lead coach Sue Mart offered "It's great to see the group enjoying their tuition so much and having lots of laughs along the way. This of course is as a result of our wonderful coaches and volunteers who make the events so successful and I'd like to thank them personally for their continued commitment to sharing our love of the sport with enthusiastic newcomers'.

"The enthusiasm of the group is seemingly irrepressible. Sally Moreton has a Bennington group of Driving Back to Sport students learning the role of stewarding under expert guidance at Sandringham. A number of students have already booked their horses with professional trainers to be broken to harness and one driver has already purchased their own turnout. Ultimately this is a great result for the sport and the Driving Back to Sport initiative, which is clearly meeting its goals and getting a large number of new and enthusiastic drivers interested and participating in our wonderful sport."

Watch this space for the next installment...!Some photos of the event can be seen in our photo gallery.The next session of the course is being held on March 22nd and we look forward to another wonderful session !

February 2012 - Driving Back to Sport - Session 2

Bennington Carriages was delighted to hold the second 'Driving Back to Sport' event. Building on the success of the initial training day, the latest session incorporated exciting new areas for the students, including the pre Novice dressage test, marking the dressage arena and walking the dressage test.

Led by our resident UKCC Level 3 coach Sue Mart and assisted by leading coaches Angela Flanagan, Teresa Macleod and Jane Smith who were supported by Gael Newby, Sally Moreton and Wendy, the day also covered additional topics such as stewarding, harnessing up, putting to and of course, driving and back stepping. The mix of theory and practical 'hands on' tuition seemed to be just the ticket for the day, which was finished with a light hearted fashion show of what (and what not...) to wear during dressage competitions.

Overall, it was another wonderful day with excited and passionate students who are enjoying learning the fundamentals of Horse Driving trials in a fun, supportive and relaxed environment. Our students, however, do a much better job of sharing what they thought of the day than we ever could...

"For a total beginner such as me, it is a brilliant course"

"Lots of advice and support, what a great day, really enjoyed the driving"

"Very informative and broken down into elements which help you to remember what you had been taught by very knowledgeable people"

"Enthusiastic coaches helped get everyone up and running and made for an enjoyable day"

"Bennington Carriages have been amazing in their organisation of this course"

"Brilliant just not long enough day!"

"I can see why driving can become addictive"

"The mystery of dressage was explained in such a way that a complete novice like myself could understand"Some photos of the event can be seen in our photo gallery.The next session of the course is being held on March 8th and we look forward to another wonderful session.

February 2012 - Driving Back to Sport - a great success!

Bennington Carriages was delighted to host the first 'Driving Back to Sport' initiative on Thursday 9th February. Despite freezing conditions, 30 enthusiastic new carriage drivers spent the day learning about the fundamentals of the sport and of course, taking the reins for the first time.

The first in the series of five sessions included overviews on harnessing up, the three phases of Horse Driving Trials, carriage fundamentals, a factory tour and driving a range of Bennington Carriages in the indoor arena.

Led by our resident UKCC Level 3 Coach Sue Mart and supported by Angela Flanagan (another Level 3 coach), Teresa Macleod, Michael Mart, Wendy Palfrey and Gael Newby, the event was a roaring success and it was a wonderful opportunity for Bennington Carriages to share its lifelong passion for Carriage Driving with so many keen participants.

Some photos of the event can be seen in our photo gallery.The next session of the course is being held on February 23rd and we look forward to another wonderful session - hopefully without the snow!

January 2012 - Bennington Carriages was delighted to hold its second Carriage Maintenance Class

Bennington Carriages was delighted to hold its second Carriage Maintenance Class which was enjoyed by all who attended. We'd like to extend our thanks to all who came and found themselves changing oil seals and brake pads - and of course learning a lot more about how their carriage works. We will be holding further Carriage Maintenance Classes later in 2012.

For more details about future classes or to reserve a place please call the Bennington Team on 014002 81280.

Driving Back to Sport

Bennington Carriages is delighted to be supporting an exciting new initiative from Sport England. 'Driving Back To Sport' is focused on the introduction of 200 mature adults to carriage driving with a goal ofsustaining their long term interest.

Led by our own UKCC Level 3 coach Sue Mart and assisted by a team of experienced, locally based coaches, the initiative has been designed to inspire new participants to Carriage Driving, helping them learn and turn ambitions, whether to compete or become an official, into reality.

'Driving Back To Sport' will be run over 5 weeks as a series of 5 full day sessions. The course will include driving ponies, including driving through cones and obstacles, to interactive sessions and workshops that cover key topics such as basic horse care (for beginners), how to harness up and how to build a cones course fit for a competition.

At the end of the course each participant will be allocated a 'buddy' to support them on their journey within the sport of Horse Driving Trials and help them achieve their ultimate goals.

The first 'Driving Back To Sport' session will be on 9th February and will be held at the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy. For further information please contact us on Tel: 01400 281280 or visit www.horsedrivingtrials.co.uk

November 2011 - Sue Mart qualifies as UKCC Level 3 Coach in Driving

We are delighted to announce and congratulate Sue Mart on achieving her Level 3 UKCC Coaching Certification. After many months of continued assessment and training, Sue passed her final assessment with flying colours. The final assessment involved both a driving and non driving lesson in front of assessors and the development of a coaching portfolio for two drivers over the year long assessment period.

Sue said 'I am delighted to have achieved this qualification which now allows me to provide the highest level coaching to carriage drivers and back steppers of all levels. It was a pleasure to work with my students during the portfolio phase and helping them achieve their goals and I look forward to doing the same with new students here at the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy'

For further details or to discuss any aspect of coaching, please call Sue Mart at Bennington Carriages on 014002 81280.

October 2011 - Bennington Carriages was delighted to hold its first Carriage Maintenance Class

Bennington Carriages was delighted to hold its first Carriage Maintenance Class which was enjoyed by all who attended. We'd like to extend our thanks to all who came and found themselves changing oil seals and brake pads - and of course learning a lot more about how their carriage works. The session worked very well and the initial feedback was extremely positive. Consequently we are holding our next Carriage Maintenance Class on Saturday 28th January.

For more details about the Class click here or call the Bennington Team on 014002 81280.

2011 - National Carriage Driving Championships

Congratulations to all Bennington drivers who competed at the 2011 National Carriage Driving Championships. As ever, it was a pleasure to meet so many of you at our trade stand and of course, watch the successes of Bennington drivers, winning 6 classes over the event.

Bennington successes included:

• Jock McFarlane: Winner - Advanced Single Horse Class
• Janet Pilling: Winner - Advanced Single Pony Class
• Nigel Chandler: Winner - Open Single Horse Class
• Roger Campbell: Winner - Open Single Pony Class
• Matt Were: Winner - Intermediate Horse Class
• Teresa MacLeod: Winner - Novice Horse Class
• Mark Bell: Winner - Pony Tandems Class

As ever, the event was highly popular and saw hundreds of visitors over the three days. The weather was far from perfect but the heavy shower failed to dampen the spirits of competitors and visitors who enjoyed the beautiful surroundings of Windsor Great Park and the spectacular views down to Windsor Castle.

We were pleased to welcome customers new and old to the Bennington Trade Stand and to share some of our latest carriages and products. The Bennington Blaze and Bennington Spirit proved very popular as did our new heated waistcoats which are ideal for keeping snug as the colder weather arrives.

We were also delighted to be joined by Chrissie from Airowear who measured many drivers and backsteppers for Carriage Driving Body Protectors. Chrissie gave customers a fantastic opportunity to try on an Airowear Body Protector and then sit in a Bennington Carriage to try it for size. Bespoke marathon colours proved very popular - so keep a look out for everyone's fantastic, eye catching colour combinations at future competitions.

We were also delighted to award an Airowear Carriage Driving Body Protector and body base to Alice Stables for achieving the lowest marathon score in the Novice Horse / Pony classes. Expertly fitted by Chrissie, Alice chose her own marathon colours of Black and Red and will soon be receiving her bespoke body protector.

Our Owners Gallery competition proved very popular, with visitors to our trade stand voting for their favourite photo. This turned out to be Number 3 - Ruth Martin driving Gypsey on the cliffs near Tantallon Castle. Many people voted for the picture of Ruth and Gypsey, including Emma Fenwick who was picked at random from our trusty bowler hat. Both Ruth and Emma will receive a Bennington Gift Voucher in the post.

Whilst the event marks the end of the competitive season, Autumn brings many opportunities for training and exercise as well as the start of the Indoor Carriage Driving season. We will be busy with Try Driving at the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy and Sue will providing her expert tuition to novices and experienced drivers alike. We are also looking forward to delivering our first 'Carriage Maintenance' class in October. Keep checking back for all the latest news!

To see the 2011 National Championships photo gallery click here 

August 2011 - National Carriage Driving Championships

Why not visit the Bennington Carriages stand at the National Carriage Driving Championships on 9th - 11th September 2011. The event, held at the Queen Victoria's Review Ground, Windsor Great Park, Berkshire (just off the A332 Windsor to Ascot Road), is always a great opportunity to see exceptional carriage driving in beautiful surroundings as well as visiting the Bennington stand!

Bennington will be showcasing a selection of pleasure and competition carriages from their extensive range including the new Bennington Spirit, Bennington Blaze, Bennington Overlander and Bennington Fun Bug.

The full range of Zilco harness will also be on display along with a wide range of driving accessories.

A warm welcome awaits from the Bennington Team.

For further details regarding the event visit www.windsordriving.co.uk

August 2010 - USA agent Jean Kinsella retires

After 30 years of loyal and committed service, Jean Kinsella, Bennington's American sales agent, has decided to retire. Jean has decided to focus on enjoying an active and fun filled retirement and we will sorely miss Jean's expertise and peerless knowledge of American carriage driving.

The Mart family are indebted to Jean and her late husband Frank for their tireless work with Bennington over three decades. Jean has been instrumental in our continued successes in both America and Europe and we have forged a deep and long lasting friendship.

We will remain in touch and wish Jean an extremely happy, relaxing and well earned retirement and look forward to welcoming her back to the UK in the very near future.

Sue Mart (Bennington Carriages Managing Director) will manage all aspects of USA sales and can be contacted as per our Contact Us page. 

August 2011 - Supplier Open Day

Bennington Carriages was delighted to host a Supplier Open Day last weekend to celebrate the completion of our move to new premises at Moor Lane, Long Bennington.

The day was fabulous and we were joined by approximately 50 suppliers - many of whom have been supplying Bennington for decades. A 'behind the scenes' tour was led by Michael Mart, with Team Bennington explaining and demonstrating their roles. It was a wonderful opportunity to share with suppliers how their products are used and what they are turned into - watching nuts, bolts and lengths of straight, raw aluminium being transformed into a beautiful carriage.

An opportunity was also given for everyone to have a go at Try Driving, which was taken up with gusto. From the feedback (and photo's) it was clear that everybody thoroughly enjoyed it.

To end the day a BBQ with local produce from the village butchers and Limehaus, the local deli Limehaus, whose Chocolate Brownies and flapjack were the perfect end to a perfect day!

Thank you to everyone who attended to make it such a special event.
Some photos of the day can be seen on the following link.

Supplier Open Day photo gallery

August 2011 - Bennington Carriages Sponsors Obstacle at Holker Hall BHDTA Premier Event

Bennington Carriages was delighted to sponsor an Obstacle at Holker Hall - a BHDTA Premier event - and would like to extend its congratulations to all who competed.

We are delighted to award a £100 voucher to Tracey Fletcher (Fastest Single Pony) and to Jeff Bannister (Fastest Single Horse) who recorded fastest times through the Bennington obstacle.

We look forward to them redeeming their vouchers on our extensive range of quality carriage driving accessories. This was the final of the four BHDTA Premier events.

July 2011 - Bennington Carriages Sponsors Obstacle at Erddig BHDTA Premier Event

Bennington Carriages was delighted to sponsor Obstacle 8 at Erddig - a BHDTA Premier event - and would like to extend its congratulations to all who competed.

We are delighted to award a £100 voucher to Nicola Blandin (Fastest Single Pony) and for the second time to Ian Bertram (Fastest Single Horse) who recorded fastest times through the Bennington obstacle.

We look forward to them redeeming their vouchers on our extensive range of quality carriage driving accessories. The same prize will be offered at the final BHDTA Premier event - Holker Hall. Best of luck!

July 2011 - British Driving Society (BDS) Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire drive

Bennington Carriages was delighted to host the British Driving Society (BDS) Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire drive on Sunday 17th July. Organised by Joy Beard, the group assembled at the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy.

Once congregated and basking in glorious sunshine, Sue Mart driving Dillon, and accompanied by her father Michael, lead the way. Turnouts included Linda Swain and John Jackson, both area commissioners. Unsurprisingly - at the furthest point from home, the heavens opened. The downpour was so intense that the planned stop off at the pub was foregone to allow a brisk journey back to shelter and a hot cup of tea. Thankfully, the last half mile of the drive saw the sun shining! Once back, Joy Beard presented the drivers with a well earned rosette whilst a number of drivers took the opportunity to drive the Bennington cones course.Once all the horses were taken care of, everyone congregated in the Bennington showroom for tea and delicious cream scones made by Margaret Mart. Conversation was engaging, with the common topic being the love of carriage driving.

Sue Mart added "It brought back many happy childhood memories, with Wendy and I being involved with driving rallies, driving our pair of Shetlands, lead by Frank and Sandra Lowe. It was a great opportunity for my father to give his bowler hat an airing and to drive him along the route. A very big thank you to everyone who attended and made the afternoon such a pleasure"

For pictures of the event, visit the Bennington Carriages Gallery.For further information about the BDS visit www.britishdrivingsociety.co.uk or contact the Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire:

Area Commissioner: Malcolm Salter Tel: 01777 248210Assistant Area Commissioner: Joy Beard Tel: 01777-817-679

June 2011 - Model Bennington Carriage on display at Prince Philip: Celebrating Ninety Years

To celebrate the ninetieth birthday of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, an exhibition to celebrate his early life and naval career, his marriage to and support of The Queen and his wide ranging interests and achievements is being held at Windsor Castle.

Bennington Carriages was delighted to see a beautiful one eight scale model of The Duke's Bennington Landau on display. Made by the Guild of Model Wheelwrights, the model was presented to him in February 2009 in celebration of his continued support of and participation in Carriage Driving, a sport he took up in 1972.

For more information, including opening times of the exhibition, please click the following link.

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/microsites/princephilip/MicroObject.asp?item=3&themeid=1933&object=68425&row=3&detail=about

June 2011 - Kentucky Fried Carriage!

We were delighted to hear from Debbie Murden who decided to take her Bennington Backstep to the Drive-Thru...

Taking her stallion Rhyfel Dago to McDonalds, they were told that they would not be served. Furious yet undeterred, they popped next door to KFC who were delighted to serve Debbie and Dago. The patrons were also delighted to see a Bennington whilst they tucked into lunch! Why not have a look at Debbie and Dago in action on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvRM_UnjJoE

Debbie noted 'I absolutely love my Bennington Backstep and am glad I saved up to buy it. Nobody believes me when I tell them it is 24yrs old, but I just say 'you have to pay for quality'. We couldn't put it better ourselves and are delighted to hear that Debbie's Bennington is bringing as much pleasure now as it was 24 years ago.

If you have any Bennington related stories that you think might be of interest, we'd love to hear from you. Send an e-mail and any photo's to sue@bennington.co.uk

May 2011 - Bennington Carriages Sponsors Obstacle at Hopetoun BHDTA Premier Event

Bennington Carriages was delighted to sponsor The Bennington Triangles (Obstacle 6) at Hopetoun - a BHDTA Premier event - and would like to extend its congratulations to all who competed.

We are delighted to award a £100 voucher to Tracey Fletcher (Fastest Single Pony) and to Ian Bertram (Fastest Single Horse) who recorded fastest times through the Bennington obstacle and look forward to them redeeming their vouchers on our extensive range of quality carriage driving accessories.

The same prize will be offered at the remaining BHDTA Premier events - Erddig and Holker Hall. Best of luck!

May 2011 - Bennington Carriages Sponsors Obstacle at Ashfields BHDTA Premier Event

Bennington Carriages was delighted to sponsor an obstacle at the first BHDTA Premier event of the season and would like to extend its congratulations to all who competed.

As well as sponsoring obstacle 5, Bennington Carriages was delighted to offer a £100 voucher to the fastest Single Pony and Single Horse through the obstacle. Winners were Sue Denny (Advanced Single Pony) and Matt Were (Intermediate Horse) who both receive a £100 voucher to spend on the wide range of carriage driving accessories available from Bennington Carriages.

The same prize will be offered at the rest of the BHDTA Premier Events - Hopetoun, Erddig and Holker Hall. Best of luck!

March 2011 - Boyd Exell Training at the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy

Bennington Carriages is delighted to announce that Boyd Exell will be at the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy on Wednesday April 13th.

World Champion Boyd Exell will be offering one hour training sessions to help drivers improve their skills and knowledge to help them achieve their carriage driving goals and ambitions. Places are strictly limited and being booked quickly, so for further details and the opportunity to be coached by one of the World's leading carriage drivers, call the Bennington Team now on 01400 281280.

November 2010 - Bennington voted BHDTA Carriage Driving Supplier of the Year

Bennington Carriages was delighted to have been voted '2010 Carriage Driving Supplier of the Year'. It came as a great surprise and is a great honour.

It is of course as a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our staff whose priorities are simple; to design and manufacture exceptional carriages and deliver outstanding customer service.We extend our sincere thanks to those customers who took the effort to vote for us and provide wonderful feedback and of course to our exceptional, dedicated, customer focused team.

Some of the wonderful comments received:-

• 'fantastic service'
• 'not only do they supply great carriages but their after sales service is second to none - doing everything they can to 'get you back on the road' quickly'
• 'great after sales service and personal attention'
• 'helpful & useful advice. Excellent after sales service. British manufacturing & engineering that should be supported'
• 'good after sales always willing to help'
• 'always going the extra mile to help out'
• 'always great friendly service and advice'
• 'they are always helpful and efficient'
• 'affordable, good website, approachable representatives'
• 'always on hand to offer advice and support and very approachable'
• 'good value for money, friendly service'

October 2010 - Dame Kelly Holmes CBE tries a Bennington Blaze

Sue Mart, Bennington Carriages resident Level 2 UKCC coach, has just returned from the British Equestrian Foundation Coaching Convention held at the National Agricultural Centre. Continuing Bennington's commitment to promoting the sport of Carriage Driving, Sue, complete with a Bennington Carriages display which included the new Bennington Blaze carriage, further raised awareness of Carriage Driving to the 200+ delegates in attendance that represented a wide range of British Equestrian Federation organisations.

The highlight of the event was a visit from Dame Kelly Holmes CBE who was keen to understand more about Carriage Driving and its profile within the U.K. Sue was on hand to provide an overview to Dame Kelly who was eager to try out a Bennington Blaze for herself. Speaking after the conference, Sue noted that 'the conference provided Bennington with a unique opportunity to promote the sport and continue growing its popularity. Having Dame Kelly visit and try out the Blaze was a fantastic bonus and like Dame Kelly, we will to continue to champion our respective sport. Our continued commitment, including UKCC approved tuition and our increasingly popular 'Try Driving' sessions, offers novices and seasoned competitors alike the best possible opportunity to try carriage driving for the first time or further develop their skills.

For further information on UKCC approved coaching or Try Driving, please contact Sue Mart - Try Carriage Driving 

October 2010 - Simple System Open Evening

Thursday 30th September 2010

An informative evening was held at Bennington Carriages' new showroom to introduce horse owners to the benefits of high quality feed from Simple System, rehabilitation from Flawborough Equine and Equine massage from Equi-Therapy UK.

Jane van Lennep from Simple System educated the audience with an entertaining talk entitled 'Bucket to Barrow', complete with some very interesting props! She explained how the Simple System feed has been developed to suit a horse's digestive tract, resulting in a healthy gut and enhanced performance and wellbeing.

Emma from Flawborough Equine explained how rehabilitation helps horses. Flawborough Equine specialise in hydrotherapy spa treatments for a wide variety of injuries and conditions, wounds being a speciality. She works closely with the veterinary profession and is highly respected.http Flawborough Equine :

Gilliyan from Equi-Therapy UK specialises in equine massage for post injury aftercare and also for the everyday horse owner. She runs intensive courses which aim to improve the overall performance and maintenance of the horse.

An interesting and successful evening was held with a lively question and answer session, with refreshments being provided by Limehaus of Orston and donations being made to the local Air Ambulance.

2010 - National Carriage Driving Championships

Congratulations to all the Bennington drivers who competed at the 2010 National Carriage Driving Championships. We were delighted that there were so many success stories for Bennington drivers and thrilled to watch our carriages help win 7 classes!

Bennington successes included:

• Mark Bell Winner - Pony Tandems Class
• Ian Bertram Winner - Advanced Single Horse Class
• Naomi Harbach Winner - Open Single Pony Class
• Graham Heath Winner - Intermediate Horse Class
• Jock McFarlane Winner - Open Single Horse Class
• Charlotte Snow Winner - Novice Pony Class
• Matt Were Winner - Novice Horse Class

As ever, the event was highly popular and saw thousands of visitors over the three days. The weather was far from perfect but the showers failed to dampen the spirits of competitors and visitors who enjoyed the beautiful surroundings of Windsor Great Park and the spectacular views down to Windsor Castle.

We were pleased to welcome customers new and old to the Bennington Trade Stand and to share with you some of our latest products including the Bennington Blaze and Bennington Spirit which provided very popular.Whilst the National Championships marks the end of the competitive season, Autumn brings many opportunities for training and exercise. We will be busy with Try Driving at the Bennington Carriage Driving Academy and Sue will providing her expert tuition to novices and experienced drivers alike.

To see the 2010 National Championships photo gallery click here

September 2010 - National Carriage Driving Championships

Why not visit the Bennington Carriages stand at the National Carriage Driving Championships on 10th - 12th September 2010. The event, held at the Queen Victoria's Review Ground, Windsor Great Park, Berkshire (just off the A332 Windsor to Ascot Road), is always a great opportunity to see exceptional carriage driving in beautiful surroundings as well as visiting the Bennington stand!

Bennington will be showcasing a selection of pleasure and competition carriages from their extensive range including the new Bennington Spirit, Bennington Blaze, Bennington Overlander and Bennington Fun Bug.

The full range of Zilco harness will also be on display along with a wide range of driving accessories.

A warm welcome awaits from the Bennington Team.

For further details regarding the event visit www.windsordriving.co.uk

Charlie - the latest (and youngest) member of Team Bennington!

We are delighted to announce the arrival of Charles Stirling Palfrey, the newest member of Team Bennington. Charlie, who arrived over 4 weeks early on 26th July 2010, spent 2 weeks with the wonderful folks at the Special Care Baby Unit at the QE2 Hospital in Welwyn Garden City. After much pampering, he was given a clean bill of health and is now at home with ecstatic parents Wendy and Andy.

Charlie has a lot to live up to and we are pleased to report that all members of the Mart family have plans to coach him into being the next World Champion. Whilst he has yet to get behind the reins, his eagerness to get into his pram suggests he will soon be placing an order for a baby funbug!

Golden Wheel Cup Winner

Congratulations to Henrik Hoeper, winner of the Golden Wheel cup - Single Driving 2010.

Henrik is a leading Danish carriage driver who, we are very proud to say, drives a Bennington XL Carriage.

For further information on the Golden Wheel event, visit www.thegoldenwheel.eu

Bennington Carriages takes 'Try Driving' to Belton Horse Trials

Many new 'fans' of carriage driving were recruited at the recent Belton Horse Trials on Sunday 18th April, when Bennington Carriages went centre stage with its 'Try Driving' campaign.

With an arena located between the two show jumping rings and surrounded by trade stands, the Bennington Team had a very busy day as people of all ages booked in for the 10-minute 'Try Driving' sessions. With instruction from Amanda Saville and husband John Nisbet, and using well-trained and very patient ponies, the new drivers spent time learning the aids and practising driving through a series of cones before attempting a short competition course.

A board was maintained throughout the day to record everyone's times in what turned out to be a highly competitive event. 14 year-old Jess Bailey ran out the victor - at her very first carriage driving experience. She so enjoyed herself that she has booked further lessons at the Bennington Carriages Academy.

At the end of their session, each driver was presented with a copy of the 'Try Driving Trials' DVD, kindly donated by the BHDTA.

The Bennington Team were delighted to work with Belton Horse Trials organiser, Stuart Buntine, and for giving the opportunity to promote carriage driving. The trade stand provided a wonderful showcase for their range of carriages and was an information point for future carriage driving enthusiasts.

The next 'Try Driving' weekend at the Bennington Driving Academy takes place on 15 and 16 May - sessions are tailored to individual needs; own turnouts are welcome. Alternatively, Sue Mart can offer lessons for all levels with their own or her outfit. Sue is a qualified UKCC Level 2 Coach.

For further details contact Sue Mart at Bennington Carriages on 01400 281 280

Take a look at the 2010 Belton Horse Trials - Try Driving Gallery

Bennington winners all the way at Keysoe!

Wendy Peckham uncovers the 'Bennington Effect' at the Carriagehouse Insurance British Indoor Driving Trials Championships. The following article appears in the May 2010 edition of Carriage Driving magazine. For pictures of the event, visit our Gallery.

The 'Bennington Effect' rose to the top - literally - at Keysoe with six class winners driving the British-made vehicles, including the Supreme and Reserve Champions!

Supreme Champion Phillip Reeves only took delivery of his brand new Bennington Blaze the day before the championships - at Keysoe. The carriage, taken directly from the workshops, was driven down to Bedfordshire in time for Phillip to have a quick drive to ensure all was well before the competition began.

He was over the moon with his Blaze - launched barely five weeks previously at the Bennington Open Day. "It was absolutely fantastic, brilliant," he enthused. "The turntable brake made such a difference round the obstacles." Driving Jimmie, his 14 year-old Welsh Cob, Phillip didn't realise he had won the top accolade until asked by Dick Carey to bring him back into the arena.

Reserve Champion Nicola Blandin - driving a Bennington Spirit - bravely fought off illness to win the Open Pony Class, despite forgetting her test! "I was really ill but Troy was an angel. Normally he's very naughty," she said of the Welsh x Thoroughbred on loan from Pippa Jarman. "He's so comfortable in his carriage and I could get him really tight to the posts. It's a very good outdoor vehicle that really comes into its own indoors. I'm delighted with it."

Driving Allen, her daughter's 9.2hh Shetland gymkhana pony to a Bennington Mini 4-Wheeler, Amanda Valderas was thrilled with her win in the Small Pony Class. "It's Allen's first season indoors and his original carriage was too heavy, so we bought the Bennington. It's the best move we made as he really flies round now."

The Bennington Team offer their congratulations to all Bennington drivers who competed at Keysoe. Other 'Bennington' class winners were Michael Hodgson (Tandem), Charlotte Snow (Senior Juniors) and Louise Kaiholm (Intermediate Pony)

Try Driving at the 2010 Belton International Horse Trials

Bennington Carriages is delighted to be taking their highly popular Try Driving to the 2010 Belton International Horse Trials on Sunday 18th April, which will be held in the beautiful National Trust grounds of Belton House, near Grantham, Lincolnshire.

Whilst normally held at Bennington's purpose built Carriage Driving Academy in Long Bennington, Sunday 18th April will see Try Driving at the Belton International Horse Trials. During the day, we will be offering 10 minute taster sessions (£10) and 20 minute enhanced sessions (£25) that also include the basics of rein handling and also our popular cones challenge - complete with prizes for the fastest competitor. We will also be holding our version of the Pony Club Games - which is set to be highly entertaining for all the family. Who will you support - Eventers or Showjumpers?!

No experience is necessary and during each Try Driving session, attendees will be given an overview of carriage driving, including pony, harness and carriage. Once completed, attendees will then take the reins and drive a Bennington Fun Bug carriage whilst receiving one to one tuition from leading carriage drivers.

The emphasis is on fun and safety and aims to demonstrate how accessible the sport is. At Belton, Bennington will be displaying the latest carriages and carriage driving accessories and will be supported by members of Team Bennington, who will be happy to answer any carriage driving questions.

We look forward to seeing you at Belton!

Indoor Horse Driving National Carriage Championships

Best of luck to Bennington owners who are competing at the Carriagehouse Insurance British Indoor Horse Driving National Championships on the 9th - 11th April 2010. The event will see a wide range of competitors from all over the UK compete at the College Equestrian Centre in Keysoe, Bedfordshire and will undoubtedly see lots of carriage driving thrills. Boyd Excel will be also driving his four-in-hand to help raise money for Team GB.

Further details can be found at www.indoordriving.co.uk

Let Bennington manage the sale of your pre-owned Bennington Carriage

Bennington is pleased to announce that from January 2010 a pre-owned sales facility will be offered. Why not let Bennington display your pre-owned carriage in our new showroom and remove the stress, hassle and inconvenience of selling it from home?

Further details can be found in the Pre Owned section of our website.

Team Bennington appear on front cover of Carriage Driving Magazine

Team Bennington were thrilled to appear on the cover of the January 2010 edition of Carriage Driving. Taken at the FEI World Pony Championships in Greven, Zac, Sue and Wendy can be seen giving 100% which resulted in Team Bennington being the highest placed British Team of the event.

For further details about Carriage Driving magazine, visit http://www.carriage-driving.com/

September 2009 - National Carriage Driving Championships

Congratulations to all Bennington owners who competed at the 2009 National Carriage Driving Championships held in the beautiful surroundings of Windsor Great Park. Success was abundant for Bennington owners, with many owners taking Champion and Reserve Champion places. Owners should be suitably proud of their successes at the end of a most challenging season.

Bennington was pleased to welcome customers old and new to our trade stand, sharing stories of the season and also receiving further congratulations on our success in Greven. Thanks to all of you for your kind words. Windsor also saw the launch of the new Bennington Spirit - our new lightweight carriage designed specifically for the small pony.

Bennington was delighted to present a special prize to the highest place Bennington owner in each class who drove a Bennington carriage in all three phases. Winners were:

- Novice Pony - Rosanna Walter-Symonds - Class Winner
- Novice Horse - Sonny Hillier - Class Winner
- Intermediate Horse - Lorraine Davis - 2nd place
- Intermediate Pony - Frank Campbell - Class Winner
- Open Pony - Janet Pilling - 2nd Place
- Advance Pony - Liz Rowe - 3rd Place
- Pony Tandem - Mark Bell - Class Winner
- Open Horse - Judy Hilditch - Class Winner
- Advance Horse - Ian Bertram - 2nd Place

Take a look at the 2009 National Carriage Driving Championship gallery.

September 2009 - National Carriage Driving Championships

Why not visit the Bennington Carriages stand at the National Carriage Driving Championships on 11th - 13th September 2009. The event, held at the Queen Victoria's Review Ground, Windsor Great Park, Berkshire (just off the A332 Windsor to Ascot Road), is always a great opportunity to see exceptional carriage driving in beautiful surroundings as well as visiting the Bennington stand!

Bennington will be showcasing a selection of pleasure and competition carriages from their extensive range including the new Bennington Spirit and Bennington Fun Bug GL. The full range of Zilco harness will also be on display along with a wide range of driving accessories.

A warm welcome awaits from the Bennington Team.

For further details regarding the event visit www.windsordriving.co.uk

August 2009 - Try Driving

Fresh back from the successes of Greven, the Bennington Team held another fully booked Try Driving weekend over the weekend of the 22nd & 23rd August. Check out our Try Driving Latest News page for further details!

August 2009 - South Notts Pony Club

Bennington Carriages were pleased to meet the South Nottinghamshire Pony Club at their annual Summer Camp at Newark Showground. The club, headed by Judy Simpson, provides a fantastic opportunity for youngsters to become involved in the equestrian sport and the Bennington team were thrilled to meet so many budding young drivers! Try Driving had never had such a young and enthusiastic audience!

Sue and Wendy, recently back from competing in the World Pony Driving Championships in Germany, gave a demonstration of harnessing and answered a sea of questions before giving everybody the opportunity to take the reins and take Dillon for a drive. Everybody enjoyed themselves as the photos in the Try Driving Photo Gallery clearly show!!!

July 2009 - Team Bennington to represent Great Britain at World Pony Championships

Sue Mart, head of Team Bennington, has just received fantastic news that she has been selected to compete at the FEI World Combined Pony Championships to be held in Greven, Germany.

The event, held from August 13th - August 16th 2009, is the pinnacle of World Class carriage competition and comes as testament to the level of effort and dedication made by Sue and the Bennington Team.Competing as an individual competitor, an excited Sue Mart added "I am absolutely delighted for the whole Bennington Team - the dedicated team of family, trainers, friends and supporters who have made this possible. It's been our common goal for the last 3 years and our pony Steppers Viceroy, known as Zac, is in great form and will have his moment of fame. It will be a memorable event for the whole team and are thrilled to be heading to Germany"

Further updates will be posted on the Greven 2009 page on the Bennington website during the competition and more details of the competition can be found on:

FEI World Combined Driving Championships official website

Horse Driving Trials website

July 2009 - Try Driving welcomes visitors from Red Oaks Care Home

Our July event was another roaring success - and very much enjoyed by visitors from the Red Oaks Care Home. For more information, please visit: Try Driving Latest News

July 2009 - Free Carriage Health Check - Catton Park

Bennington's Free Carriage Health Check at Catton Park was a roaring success, with 17 carriages checked over by Bennington's expert team (Simon, David & Mac). Thankfully the Bennington team didn't find any problems that couldn't be solved on the spot and Bennington Customers left delighted that their carriages were all given a clean bill of health.

Bennington will be offering a similar Health Check later in the year at a venue to be decided. Please keep checking the Bennington Carriages wesbite for further details.

July 2009 - Free Health Check for your Bennington Carriage at Catton Park Driving Trials

The Bennington Team will be attending Catton Park Horse Driving Trials on Thursday 9th July to offer Bennington owners a free 15 minute Carriage Health Check. During the 15 minute inspection, our experienced team will check all major components to check that everything is in correct order and if necessary, advise what work should be carried out.

Our specialists will check:

• Wheels
• Tyres
• Springs
• Turntable (if applicable)
• Brakes (if applicable)
• Delayed steering (if applicable)
• Extending axle (if applicable)

Booking is essential, so please contact a member of the Bennington Team on 01400 281280 to reserve a space for your carriage. Spaces are offerred to competitors and non competitors alike on a "first come first served" basis.

We look forward to seeing you (and your carriage) at Catton!

May 2009 - Try Driving & New Carriages Officially Launched

The weekend of May 16th / 17th saw another highly successful Try Driving event held at Bennington Carriages purpose built facility near Newark. Further details can be found in Try Driving Latest News and photo's of the event can be found in the 2009 Try Driving Gallery.

May 2009 - Bennington Launches New Minature Carriages

Bennington Carriages is delighted to announce the launch of two new Bennington Carriages designed specifically for Miniature Horses and small equines. Designed with the assistance of the European Miniature Horse Association, Bennington Carriages is pleased to introduce a new 2 and 4 wheel carriage.

The new 2 wheel carriage combines trademark Bennington features including light weight (only 39kgs /86lbs), ease of balance and adjustment and of course, Bennington's legendary engineering and quality of finish.

The carriages will be officially launched on Saturday May 16th at Bennington Carriages. This event will also feature a wealth of other activities including Try Driving sessions, long reining, harnessing up, carriage maintenance and a driven dressage display.

For further details please contact Louise Bossence via e-mail at samlara@btinternet.com or Sue Mart at Bennington Carriages on 01400 281 280.

April 2009 - Try Driving becoming increasingly popular!

The second Try Driving event of 2009 was successfully held over the weekend of 25th / 26th April. For more information, please visit: Try Driving Latest News

March 2009 - 2009 Try Driving is a hit - again!

The first Try Driving event of 2009 was successfully held over the weekend of 25th / 26th March. For more information, please visit: Try Driving Latest News

March 2009 - Bennington Carriages on TV - again!

At Bennington, we're very proud of our heritage - making the finest carriages in our Nottinghamshire workshops for over 45 years. We've proudly held our Royal Warrant since 1979 and continue to combine the very finest craftsmanship with the latest technology.

We've just returned from filming a fantastic TV programme that celebrates the very best of British manufacturing and look forward to providing you more details in the coming months. All we can say at the moment is that Sue, Dillon, the Fun Bug and a very well known TV personality had a lot of fun filming! Watch this space for further updates...

February 2009 - Bennington Sponsor TV Programme

To further promote the sport of Driving Trials, the BHDTA has commissioned the production of a new programme entitled “Try Driving Trials”. Sponsored by Bennington Carriages and Zilco Harness, it will show that Driving Trials is a fun and friendly sport.

“With interviews from the doyen of the driving world George Bowman to newcomer Chris
Ainscough, everyone is keen to “big up” driving trials!” said Jackie Herd of Cavewood
Productions. At Bennington we’ve been enjoying the sport for years but think it’s the best kept secret in the equestrian world! As such, we’re sure that this programme will capture the interest of many people who might not have thought about Driving Trials before.

Further details, including programme times, can be found at: www.horsedrivingtrials.co.uk

February 2009 - Transmission Time for "Try Driving Trials" TV Programme

Bennington is pleased to announce that the first transmission of "Try Driving Trials" will be aired on Horse & Country TV (Sky Channel 280) on Wednesday 4th March at 9pm.

The programme will be repeated on Wednesday 4th March (1pm, 9pm), Thursday 5th March (5am), Tuesday 10th March (8am, 4pm, 12am), Saturday 14th March (10.30am, 6.30pm) and Sunday 15th March (2.30am)

January 2009 - Royal Warrant Extended

Further reinforcing Bennington's position as Britain's leading Carriage Manufacturer, Bennington is delighted to have received a further 5 year extension to their Royal Warrant - Carriage Builders to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

The Royal Warrant, held by Bennington since 1979, is a mark of recognition to companies who have supplied goods and services for at least five years to various members of the Royal family. Warrants have always been regarded as demonstrating excellence and quality, and are highly prized.The latest extension is received with pride, and continues to unite us with other warrant holders who share a common commitment to the highest standards of service and excellence.Further information about Royal Warrants can be found at www.royalwarrant.org