Latest News

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