Crusade to save the Shire

May 19 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

AN ENDANGERED species of horse which was once a familiar sight on every British street will be on show in Northumberland next week.

The heavy horse, in particular the Clydesdale and Shire breeds, was traditionally used for Co-op and brewery deliveries and to pull carts and ploughs on farms.

But as transportation and agricultural machinery developed, the horse was phased out and it now has endangered species status in Great Britain, with less than 300 Clydesdale breeding mares in the UK.

There will be a chance for the public to see competing heavy horse teams at the Northumberland County Show, supported by The Journal, next Monday.

Gawin Holmes, a prize winning competitor in heavy horse turnout competitions around the country, is the newly appointed secretary of the show’s heavy horse section following the retirement of Roger Buglass after 20 years’ service.

Gawin, a chartered surveyor and land agent, said: “With less public awareness and therefore demand, the breed is now in danger.

“Shows like the County Show are becoming the only place where you are able to see these magnificent creatures.

“The public are becoming less and less aware of them and therefore interest in keeping and showing them will ultimately wane.”

The heavy horse’s current status and ultimate future now lies in the hands of enthusiasts like Gawin.

He has four showing horses, three Clydesdales, one Clydesdale/Shire cross, and two retired shires, at his 68-acre farm near Beamish, in County Durham.

He lives with wife Marilyn, who also has a livery business on the farm and who Gawin credits with a large proportion of the day to day care.

He said: “Keeping horses like this is a very big commitment; you take on a way of life rather than just a hobby, and it’s all consuming and involves the whole family... I want to encourage brands, manufacturers, companies, local civil and governmental offices to find a way of using these magnificent creatures for auspicious ceremonial and marketing purposes.”

Gawin shows at many national events, travelling in a purpose-built bus with his horses and groom helpers.