Latest news with #BadmintonHorseTrials
Forbes
02-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Marcus Fairfax Fountaine Of Fairfax And Favor On His British Countryside-Inspired Label
Campaign imagery Established in 2013 by childhood friends Marcus Fairfax Fountaine and Felix Favor Parker, lifestyle brand Fairfax & Favor celebrates all things British. Drawing inspiration from the countryside, the label is loved for its handcrafted tall boots, accessories and outwear that combines practicality with field-to-town fashion. Having built a loyal customer base, the brand likes to keep busy with events in the U.K. and abroad, most recently at the Badminton Horse Trials and The Defender Kentucky, and this year slo announced Zara Tindall as an official ambassador. xx Marcus Fairfax Fountaine, co-founding director of Fairfax & Favor discusses the evolution of his brand, and what's next for British lifestyle label. Marcus Fairfax Fountaine: My business partner Felix and I have always been passionate about footwear. My mother would always tell us that girls judge boys on their shoes, so creating the highest quality and uniquely stylish products is something that has always resonated with us. We both come from a British rural background and found it frustrating that when you were out in the countryside, wellies really were the only practical option. There was just not any option for looking stylish and being practical at same time. So it just seemed obvious to us that there should be something that let you look the part, feel great but be practical for a rural way of life. This is where Fairfax & Favor was born. What started in 2013 with our iconic boot, the Regina, has since evolved into an award-winning luxury lifestyle brand of quality, timeless and versatile footwear, accessories and outerwear designed for modern rural living. Campaign imagery MFF: Fairfax & Favor is a luxury lifestyle brand. We are aspiring to create effortlessly stylish pieces that blend both heritage and modern rural style - timeless, elegant products with a contemporary take. We very much design the full silhouette for a rural lifestyle but with both town and country living in mind. The great thing about this is that at Fairfax & Favor we are, to a certain degree, designing for ourselves, we are our own customer. Where this might begin is thinking of concepts around problems that we could be trying to improve. So for example, our Explorer Boots were born out of conceptualising our super stylish suede Regina to make elegant yet practical and waterproof boots. We are a rural British brand so will often look to heritage, nature, our equestrian roots and the countryside as inspiration for our collections and colour palettes. After concept, the next stage is sketch and from there we will work with our factory partners to get the product development and any technology in place. In the case of the Explorer, we worked with Sympatex who manufacture the waterproof lining and produce first samples. We'll receive leather swatches with the boot and this process is repeated until we have achieved the final sample. Our products go through rigorous testing to include BLC testing for durability, compliance and safety. Our team will be on site at the factory in Portugal to sign off every individual product that comes off the line. The finishing and packaging of the product is as important to us as its development. As a B-Corp registered company, it's crucial that our materials and factories are all ethically sourced and compliant. The essence of the Fairfax & Favor brand is Rural Vogue, creating luxury heritage pieces but with a contemporary take. We take time to engage with our customers whether that is through research of our Facebook community to understand their needs and what they are looking for. We are a young company with a fresh and modern outlook and keen eyes on seasonal trends that we seamlessly entwine with our quality classics. Campaign imagery From our and a customer point of view, our most important pillars are quality, longevity and timeless style. We want people to invest in products that are not going to be in and out in one season, but are timeless in their design and luxurious in their quality. We work with the best factories in Portugal to handcraft artisan products that will stand the test of time – we want customers to wear our products for years to come. The second is delivering a unique experience for our customers. Whether that's an in-store experience in one of our nine U.K. stores where you're offered a glass of bubbles as you explore the range or a one-on-one private appointment where you can order products in advance and have the exclusive attention of one of our fabulous store team. At our show stands, we love to bring the brand to life. We have a saxophonist and a free bar when you try something on that all adds to the unique experience for the customer. The third would be our excellent customer service. We have a fantastic customer service team that we really invest in because we want our customers to feel reassured and special. It's very much what you'd expect but if you have a great experience, you'll tell those you know and you'll come again. We reflect this service ethos that across all parts of our business. There is such a broad range of customers for Fairfax & Favor as we are truly cross generational. We have a wide range of ages that shop with us and this has expanded from a quite young age base when we first started the brand and as the range and our offer has developed. We are predominantly a female led brand, although our men's share is growing. I'd say ultimately our customer is anyone with a passion for style and adventure. They don't buy into fast fashion, they buy better and so they seek something with longevity and comfort but without compromising on style. Campaign imagery My favorite piece is probably our Mini Windsor handbag. Zara Tindall has worn this many times. It's a really versatile crossbody bag, which is so popular because it is so versatile, beautiful and functional, it has just always been a staple. We're proud to have recently announced Zara Tindall as a brand ambassador. Zara has worn our products for many years and I believe she has a genuine appreciation for our values as a brand - quality, longevity and distinctive styles. We feel very honoured to be working with her. In the last six months we have opened another three stores in the U.K., which now takes us to nine. We know how important it is for customers to be able to see, feel and try on products and so we invest in offering them a multi-channel experience with physical stores and of course our easy to use website. We have just finished Badminton Horse Trials which is one of our biggest events of the year. We had a grand stand with a saxophonist, engaging team and a free bar when customers tried on any item as well as an exclusive lake side area where guests could immerse themselves in the action of the event. Oliver Townend of Great Britain aboard Cooley Rosalent on day four of the MARS Badminton Horse Trials 2025 at The Badminton Estate, Gloucestershire. Picture date: Saturday May 10, 2025. (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images) In the U.S. we have just exhibited at Defender Kentucky which is a huge event in the Fairfax & Favor events calendar. We're now getting ready for the next big shows, The Game Fair, an event that was pivotal in our business growth, and The Defender Burghley Horse Trials where we will be paying homage to some of our most iconic pieces. We are expanding well in the U.S. and now have a store located at the Tryon International Equestrian Centre in North Carolina and a presence this year at 23 shows. Our U.S. share of global sales has grown from 3% to 10% in two years, testament to our dedication to nurturing our U.S. consumer and we are very excited to see where this growth takes us in the future.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Woman 'loves' new horse rescued from motorway
A yard owner who helped rescue a horse after it was spotted running across two motorways says "everyone has fallen in love with him". The loose horse was found by Jade Plummer, who works at Blossom Hill Equestrian centre near Gloucester, on the M32 in Bristol at about 20:00 BST on Thursday. After seeing the horse, she manoeuvred her car to block traffic from potentially hitting the animal. Ms Plummer said: "We didn't really think at the time. We just did it because we didn't want the horse to get hurt or people to get hurt." More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire Ms Plummer said the "worst bit" was when the horse reached the M4 slip road, where cars were travelling fast. "I had to use my car to get him up and down on to the hard shoulder, that was probably the worst part of it," she said. Avon and Somerset Police arrived and closed the road so the animal could be captured safely, and Ms Plummer agreed to take care of the horse, who she has now called Dash. It is still unclear where Dash came from or how he managed to reach the M32. Since taking him in, a vet has said Dash is four years old. She said: "But if you were to look at him you would think he is 18 months old. He's quite skinny, you can see his hip bones and you can feel all his ribs." She added Dash is "a lot brighter in himself" but "he's still got a long way to go". "At the minute, he won't drink water," she said. "We're having to feed him certain feeds which are quite hydrating to get as much water into him as possible. "We're having to syringe water into him regularly to keep him as hydrated as possible." She added: "He will be a permanent addition. Everyone on the yard has fallen in love with him, he's only been there for a couple of days." Dash is now in need of vet treatment as he as a range of medical needs such as skin tumours, and Ms Plummer has set up a crowdfunder. It has so far raised more than £1,100. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Badminton Horse Trials: Putting on the show Woman still riding at 100 with no plans to give up Bonfire night 'catastrophic' for horses and zoos Avon and Somerset Police
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Gloucestershire in Pictures: Matson fountains and showjumping
It's been another sunny week across Gloucestershire, but some homes in Matson got an accidental soaking after a water main been celebrating the long-awaited reopening of a road in Nailsworth and planting thousands of trees in we have the usual stunning sunsets and floral displays to keep us entertained. Water bursts: This photo shows the scale of the water burst in Matson this week. This white house was damaged throughout Wednesday whilst thousands of gallons of water covered it. And there was also a second water burst on Thursday in a different area of Gloucester. It never rains - but it pours. Just pretend: University of Gloucestershire students were involved in a simulated clash between demonstrators and counter-protesters this week which has challenged the skills of students working under pressure. Peaceful settings: This orange sky was gorgeous as the sun set in Dursley this week. This stunning image was taken by weather watcher AndrewB. Stately: The Badminton Horse trials came to an end on Sunday, closing off days of equestrian challenges in the sunshine in front of tens of thousands of spectators. Community celebrations: There were cheers in Nailsworth this week to mark George Street being accessible once again - after it was unexpectedly closed for four weeks due to a gas main line being hit. Tree-mendous: The team at Stroud Valleys Project have been looking back with pride at their work, which has seen nearly 20,000 trees planted in the area over the past five months. Funky flowers: Thanks to weather watcher Beaky for taking this picture of these gorgeous pink flowers in the sunshine in Woodmancote.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canter wins Badminton Horse Trials for second time
Olympic gold medallist Ros Canter won the Badminton Horse Trials for the second time in her career on Lordships Graffalo. The pair, who claimed the title in 2023, regained it following a clear round in the showjumping. Britain's Canter was second after the dressage and cross country elements behind compatriot Oliver Townend, who won the 2009 event. But Townend, last out on board Cooley Rosalent, knocked down a rail in the showjumping finale to slip to second overall. Canter, who was part of the British eventing team to win gold in the Paris Olympics last summer, dedicated her victory to her coach and mentor Caroline Moore, who died two months ago. "This was for Caroline Moore, she was by my side my whole career," Canter told Horse and Hound. "I'm so pleased I managed to make her proud. It's the first time I've done anything without her. Not only was she my trainer and mentor, but also the best friend."
BBC News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Canter wins Badminton Horse Trials for second time
Olympic gold medallist Ros Canter won the Badminton Horse Trials for the second time in her career on Lordships pair, who claimed the title in 2023, regained it following a clear round in the Canter was second after the dressage and cross country elements behind compatriot Oliver Townend, who won the 2009 Townend, last out on board Cooley Rosalent, knocked down a rail in the showjumping finale to slip to second who was part of the British eventing team to win gold in the Paris Olympics last summer, dedicated her victory to her coach and mentor Caroline Moore, who died two months ago."This was for Caroline Moore, she was by my side my whole career," Canter told Horse and Hound."I'm so pleased I managed to make her proud. It's the first time I've done anything without her. Not only was she my trainer and mentor, but also the best friend."
