A history of the Bicester and Finmere Show
The Bicester and Finmere Show was started in 1960 by a group of local businessmen and well wishes to raise funds for a local 17 year old girl (Sally Haynes MBE) who had been paralysed in a point-to-point fall, hence the show has always held on to it's links with the racing world.
Through the show and with her ties to Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Sally’s aim was to introduce sport to the disabled and was in fact the force behind the English Paraplegic Sports Association, which has now been superseded by the Paralympic Games.
The Bicester and Finmere Show has been running for 54 years this year, raising money for spinal research and sports for those with spinal injuries. Over £580,000 has been donated over the years and the charities are once again The Back-Up Trust (www.backuptrust.org.uk) and Spinal Research (www.spinal-research.org).
As always the most unique competition in the country is the Celebrity Jockey's High Jump, which proves always to be such a spectacle!. This is supported by all the famous names from National Hunt and Flat racing and has been won in the past by Richard Dunwoody, Richard Johnson and Carl Llewellyn to name just a few.
The admission fee is just £7 per adult and children under 16 go free, which offers great value for a fun packed family day out. There is a VIP lunch marquee, public bar, funfair and so much more.
With over £18,000 of prize money to compete for this year, Bicester and Finmere Show hopes to attract an audience of over 3000. and is proud to be associated with so many loyal sponsors, without whom it would be impossible to stage such an event.
The feature show jumping competition is the Area Trial, which will attract most of the country's leading show jumping riders. This is one of the largest competitions in the country and is considered to be the most prestigious National class.
INTRODUCTION – 1959 - THE FIRST TEN YEARS
Thursday, 23rd April, 1959Grafton Hunt point to point, Pattishall, near Towcester, Northants.Penultimate fence fall of Nicholas IV, ridden by Sally Haynes. Sally immediately taken by ambulance to Northampton General Hospital suffering serious head injuries and suspected rib/collar bone fractures.
24th April - Shattered spine at vertebrae T9/10 diagnosed. Spinal surgery performed, during which the spinal cord was severed and permanent paralysis the outcome.19th JuneSally transferred from Northampton to The National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury for treatment and several months follow-up rehabilitation. During this time family friends got together with the idea of organising a local benefit horse show for her.
Tuesday, 18th August - A particularly hot day. In Ward 5X at Stoke Mandeville Sally sat up in bed for the first time, for just one hour. Rehabilitation had begun...On that same day THE SALLY HAYNES JUMPING SHOW AND GYMKHANA took place in a field at Hill Leys Farm, Finmere. It featured a unique showjumping class and donkey derby contested by Grand National winning jockeys.
Committee responsible for arrangements: Tom Tredwell (Chairman), Jane Tredwell (Secretary), Rosemary Lines (Treasurer)Bertie Allen (Hill Leys), Alec Cubitt, Frank Roads, Jeff Tredwell, Jan Ridd, John Lombard, Derek Ancil, Barry Brazier, David Gertler, Alan Tredwell, Mildred Tredwell, Christine Markham, Fizz Robarts.
The Show was a fantastic success and raised over £2,000.00.Following this success the committee volunteered to organise another benefit Show for the next year; the idea being to expand its fund-raising appeal.
Sally had by this time become aware of the importance of wheelchair sport - finding it to be some replacement and competitive compensation for what she had lost. She suggested any money raised from then on should be used to send a strong team of paraplegic athletes to Rome, to compete in the INTERNATIONAL Stoke Mandeville Games, due to take place there immediately following the Olympics.
The Stoke Mandeville Games, founded by Doctor Guttmann in 1948 and held within the grounds of Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, with 16 competitors, had become an annual event. Most of the contestants were ex.service men and women having sustained spinal injuries during the war.
The first Finmere Show
Tuesday, 23rd August, 1960 FINMERE JUMPING SHOW AND GYMKHANA in aid of The Stoke Mandeville Games Patron H.R.H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (featuring one of the first ever sponsored showjumping classes) The Finmere Open sponsored by Ind Coope to the value of £200.001st George Hobbs (Royal Lord) 2nd Miss Valerie Clarke (Knight of the Wold)3rd Alan Oliver (Red Admiral) Grand National Winning Jockeys showjumping competition, won by Gerry Scott with the silver rose bowl presented by Sir Gordon Richards.
Derby Winning Jockeys Donkey Derby including Lester Piggott but won by Harry Carr.Grand Draw for Lambretta scooter, presented by boxer Percy Lewis.A Dance was held in the evening to the Melochords Dance Band.
The 1960 Show raised over £3,000.00 to assist in sending a paraplegic team to compete in the first overseas International Stoke Mandeville Games held in the host Olympic Games country ROME It was a Hard Act to follow but shortly after the 1960 Show it was announced that Finmere Show would become a firm annual event and at the request of the NH Jockeys, would take place on the second Tuesday of each August to slot in with their racing calendar – thus enabling their continued support for the cause.
It was to be a dual-purpose show - apart from raising funds the organisers wanted it to be known as a ‘competitor-friendly’, high-class jumping show in its own right:-15th August, 1961 FINMERE JUMPING SHOW AND GYMKHANA Organising committee included : Lionel Vick (Chairman), Lord & Lady Masham, Mr. & Mrs. J.Tredwell, Bertie Allen, Derek Ancil, Dick Francis, David Gertler, Peter S. Hastie, Jim Haynes, Sally Haynes, John Lombard, Pam Morris, Jan Ridd, Joan Scruton, Ted Stacey, Josephine Templer, Capt. Webber
Extract taken from the Show Brochure FOREWORD written by Doctor Ludwig Guttmann, Director National Spinal Injuries Centre:
‘The great success of the 1960 Show enabled us to send a large team to Rome to take part in the 1960 International Games, which were held immediately after the Olympic Games and under OLYMPIC Games conditions’. ‘Encouraged by the great success in Rome, our Australian friends are organizing the first Empire Games for the Paralysed, which will take place in Perth, Western Australia in 1962. Once again the Finmere Show committee have taken up the challenge and are organizing another Show to enable us to send English, Scottish, and Welsh teams to Australia’.
*Contribution from Finmere Show: towards the cost of the 1961 International Stoke Mandeville Games, Aylesbury
14th August 1962 - Chairman: Bertie Allen, Vicechair: Sally Haynes, Treasurer: Lionel Vick
*First Empire and Commonwealth Paraplegic Games PERTH, Western Australia13th August, 1963
*International Stoke Mandeville Games, Aylesbury11th August, 1964
*International Stoke Mandeville Games, TOKYO
10th August, 1965 - President: Bertie Allen, Chairman: Sally Haynes, Treasurer: Jim Briggs
Extract taken from the Show Brochure: a message from Tim Brookshaw (NH Jockey, who before breaking his back at Aintree rode regularly in the jockeys showjumping at Finmere and following rehabilitation was a weightlifting competitor at the 1964 Tokyo SMG) ‘In the years prior to my accident I rode in the Jockeys Jumping events to help the Sports Movement of the Paralysed. My inspiration to do this like many others who were strong and healthy, was to help a very worthy cause. It was not until I became paralysed myself that I realised just how important the Sports Movement really is’.*International Stoke Mandeville Games, Aylesbury
9th August, 1966 - Taken from the Show Brochure: a few Words From Lady Susan Masham
‘In Yorkshire we now have the Northern Horse Show – started by the inspiration of the Finmere Committee. Throughout these two shows the same spirit is noticeable which shines out during the paraplegic games, that of enthusiasm and fellowship embodied in the motto of the Stoke Mandeville Games – UNITY, SPORTSMANSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP’.
*Second Empire and Commonwealth Paraplegic Games KINGSTON, Jamaica
15th August, 1967 - Extract taken from the Show Brochure FOREWORD, written by (Dame) Margot Fonteyn Arias:
‘As someone with personal experience of the work of Stoke Mandeville Hospital, I well understand the value of sport for the paralysed as introduced by Sir Ludwig Guttmann. I have seen how paraplegic and tetraplegic men, women and children gain a new interest in life through sporting activities and have seen how sport has changed their whole outlook’.
*International Stoke Mandeville Games, Aylesbury
13th August, 1968 - Extract taken from the Show Brochure FOREWORD by Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann:
‘The Paralympic Sports Endowment Fund has embarked on the unique venture in sport and humanity on building on the sports ground of Stoke Mandeville Hospital, the first National and indeed first International Indoor Sports Stadium for the Paralysed and Physically Handicapped, and it is to this great project that the proceeds of the next Show will be dedicated’.
‘If all continues well with the Fund’s Appeal, the Sports Stadium should be completed in time for official opening in July 1969’.
*Proceeds from this Show went to the Appeal launched to build the above Stadium
1969 – 1977: THE THRIVING YEARS
With the annual fund-raising show now well established and going from strength to strength under the Chairmanship of Stuart Hastie, MRCVS, from 1978. In 1981 the Show moved, at the kind invitation of the Tredwell brothers, from Hill Leys to Finmere Airfield, where, - with more available space, Show and Working Hunter and Private Driving classes were included.
The Jockeys jumping format was changed to a “Jumpkhana” team event - (each team consisting of a wheelchair archer, showjumping celebrity and NH jockey). The Finmere Open won that year by Caroline Bradley (Fieldmaster).
*All proceeds continued to go to the Stoke Mandeville Games Fund now known asThe British Paraplegic Sports Society1982 – 1983 Warwick Haynes as Chairman1984 – 1985 (Silver Jubilee year) James Briggs as Chairman 1986 - Graham Ecob as Chairman.
For the first time the Show Day was changed from Tuesday to Saturday, on a 2-year trial basis but reverted back to the regular Tuesday in 1988. HOWEVER a major change was to be made before long.FOLLOWING THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN SEOL, KOREA, THE STOKE MANDEVILLE GAMES FOR THE PARALYSED OPENED UP TO INCLUDE FIVE OTHER DISABILITY GROUPS, NOW RECOGNISED AS THE PARALYMPIC GAMES1991 In conjunction with the Rotary Club of Bicester.
The Show day went back to Saturday and the venue moved to Dymocks Farm, Bicester, by kind invitation of John G. O’Neill. The Organising Committee included Bicester Service Clubs, i.e., Rotary/Lions, etc. It was hoped this would produce an infusion of new support from Bicester town area.BICESTER & FINMERE CHARITY SHOWHeld on Saturday, 27th JulyIn aid of British Wheelchair Sports Foundation (formerly BPSS) and local charities.
A “Country Ring” was brought in and run by Rotary as an added feature. The Finmere Open became The Oxfordshire International Trial with £750.00 to winner1994In aid of The English Paraplegic Sports Society (affiliated to and under the umbrella of BWSF), Spinal Injuries Research and local charities.Sunday became the favoured day for the Show and it was flourishing again but in May 1996 encountered problems when the EC would no longer allow the use of “set aside” land for charity events. The matter was raised in the House of Lords by Davina, Baroness Darcy de Knayth (an ex-Stoke Mandeville Spinal Unit patient). In July the EC decided to ease the ban - a decision to the benefit of many other charitable functions too.
1996 - A hastily arranged one-off Show was relocated to Slade Farm, Bicester, entailing a lot of extra work but resulting in one of the best days on record.1997Following another very good Show back at the Buckingham Road showground Graham relinquished chairmanship and it was (rather reluctantly!) taken on by Derek Ricketts. Derek had been involved with the Show since its inauguration, initially as a competitor then as a committee member since 1980.
FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH 1998 – 2007
Sunday, 9th August , 1998 BICESTER & FINMERE SHOW
In aid of The English Paraplegice Sports Association and International Spinal Injuries ResearchChairman: Derek Ricketts , Co-ordinator: Sally Haynes, Treasurer: Ralph FollowellEntries Sec: Susan Meyerding, Committee: Joan Scruton, Anne Barstowe, Delia Ecob, Georgina Ecob, Graham Ecob, Nicola Fowler, Paul Freshwater, Pauline Hannally, Ian Mordue, Tim Price,Mark Seckington, Janet Selmes, Linda Smith
1999 - Remembered as the worst year on record for incessant rain, the showground was almost a washout but despite the terrible conditions all scheduled classes were completed. A glance at the show programme that day served to reminded what it was all about:
“Hi my name is Ella. I am 12 years old and I am tetraplegic as a result of a car accident. Now I am paralysed from the chest down. To help me deal with what happened I write lots of poetry. More than anything I want to walk again”.
STRANGE FEELINGS I CAN FEEL MY LEGS BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU, ITS HARD TO SAY. THEY’RE IN A POOL, A WARM ONE TOO SOMEONE’S PUSHING THEM TOGETHER BUT I DON’T KNOW WHO. WHEN I TOUCH MY LEGS THEY’RE NOT THEREIT’S LIKE I’VE GOT A SECOND PAIR. I KNOW WHERE MY LEGS ARE MY TOES AND MY FEET BUT WHEN I TRY TO MOVE THEM THEY’RE FAST ASLEEP. I TOUCH MY SKIN TO ME IT’S NOT REAL. I CAN TOUCH BUT I CAN’T FEEL.
It was only due to a hastily arranged Millenium Raffle organised following the Show that a miraculous £4,500.00 was raised.2000The 40th Anniversary Show2003Visit by Show Patron, H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, KG.,K.T
2005 - The English Paraplegic Sports Association advised they had regretfully decided to disband.They felt their work encouraging spinal injured people to become involved with sport now superseded by the Government-backed PARALYMPIC MOVEMENT. The EPSA portion of proceeds would now go to The Back Up Trust.
2006 - The show was extended to two days. Saturday confined to jumping classes only, Sunday remaining the public show day2009The 50th Anniversary of the show. Chairman: Derek Ricketts. Committee Members: Sally Haynes, Sue Ricketts, Susie Beecroft, Jo Williams, Valerie Barker, Phil Ashworth£13,500 raised for the two charities, Spinal Research and the Back Up Trust. This brought the index linked total donation to charity over the years to approximately £575,000.