News from Ron Hull & Sons Farm

Lay-Soft & Horseshoe Distribution continue their close working partnership by taking delivery of a new, dedicated Lay-Soft Equine Bedding trailer:

Adding to their already extensive distribution fleet of forty vehicles, Horseshoe Distribution have taken delivery of a new dedicated Lay-Soft Equine Bedding trailer.

Watch out for the trailer running up and down the country delivering Ron Hull Farm's Lay-Soft - The Champions Choice for horse bedding!

Pictured above are Mark Whitham (Lay-Soft Sales) with Tom Goldthorpe of Horseshoe Distribution.

Expanding the field of Lay-Soft stockists, Carrs Billington - based in Gisburn, Lancashire - have just become Lay-Soft's newest stockist, with 19 stores across the U.K.

Supplying, Servicing and Caring for Britain’s Rural Communities,  Carrs Billington Agriculture (Sales) Ltd supplies the farming and rural communities with a comprehensive range of agricultural products and services, including equine and animal bedding.  visit their website at http://www.carrs-billington.com

A warm sunny day welcomed all the competitors and spectators for the Burton Hunt Hunter Trial held at Hackthorn Hall.

The joker fence - sponsored by Lay-Soft Equine Bedding - proved a jump too much for some competitors and their horses, choosing to bypass the fence adding a 3 second penalty.

Watch a short video of the day's events and see all the results and photo’s of the day by following this link.  www.burtonhuntertrial.co.uk/

Lay-Soft Equine Bedding will be sponsoring the Joker Fence at this year's Burton Hunt Hunter Trial,  taking place in the grounds of Hackthorn Hall, North Lincoln - a country estate dating from the early 1600’s and ancestral home of the Cracroft-Eley’s.

The Burton Hunt have worked hard to create a fun family day out with something on offer for everybody including a friendly course with classes for children, a dog show with some fun classes, car stands, electronic clay pigeon shooting, scenic walks within the grounds of Hackthorn Hall, and a barbeque where you can indulge with all things grilled from Oxleys of Gainsborough.

The Lay-Soft Joker Fence:  in every class there will be a Joker Fence. This will be a knock-down fence that will be higher than the other fences on course. It is completely optional and if you clear this jump successfully, you will save 3 seconds in the time section.

Come along and enjoy a day of fresh air and outdoor activity!  For more information see:  http://www.burtonhuntertrial.co.uk/

A warm sunny day was enjoyed by all at the Cheshire Game & Angling Fair on Sunday 7th August held in Peover Park, Cheshire.

The fair included an interesting range of displays for the spectators to view including dog obedience and agility, Lurcher racing, The Chariots of Fire Display Team, and Falconry.

Closing the show was the Puissance event sponsored by Lay-Soft Equine Bedding.  A group of 10 fearless riders and their horses jumped 2 fences with the last fence being increased in size after every round. With the knockout rules in place, any horse refusing or knocking down the fence was eliminated, a thrilling competition ensued with Martha Newall on Maddy (Cheshire Forest Hunt) showing great spirit, giving some of the larger horses and more experienced riders a run for their money. Vicky Willis riding Stan and Sam (Cheshire Forest Hunt) came joint first showing determination and great skill to walk away with Lay-Soft Equine Bedding to use in her stable. Well done also to Levi Critchlow on Bert (Cheshire Forest Hunt) coming third not before displaying quick thinking and great skill on how to dismount a horse in a hurry.

Congratulations to all the other riders not mentioned for taking part in a very exciting competition.

Pictured are Martha Newall on Maddy Winning Best Turned Out and Vicky Willis on Stan winner of the Puissance.

Click on the link to see more great photographs from the Cheshire Game & Angling Fair

Roninski showing good form won at Redcar in the Claire & Jessica Handicap on Saturday 6^th August.

Owned by Mr R Hull, Trained by Mr B Smart and ridden by Justin Newman – you can watch the race here

Mangham almost made it a double, making good ground to come second at Ayr in the Gas Sure & James Frew 100 Year Handicap also on Saturday 6^th August.

Owned by Mr R Hull, Trained by Mr A. G Foster and ridden by Luke McNiff – you can watch the race here 

Lay-Soft The Choice of Equine Champions!

Carlton West Bank, Selby, Horse & Pony Showing and Show Jumping Event -  July 31st 2011.

Congratulations to Christina Sawicki with her Black Welsh Cob TYCORNEL DARIUS winning the ring in hand champion.

Pictured is Christina with Tycornel Darius.

Congratulations to Beth Smart qualifying for the Horse of the year show in October, sponsored by Lay-Soft Equine and Animal Bedding

Born into a racing family, Beth has ridden from an early age.

Having learnt to ride on a variety of hairy ponies and joined the local pony club where she enjoyed rallies and mini camp Beth started riding in the show ring on a Welsh Section A pony called Twyford Mitre in lead rein Show Hunter Pony classes where she had a small amount of success and gained valuable experience. However, off the lead rein Twyford Mitre (nicknamed YoYo) was not so reliable and he would regularly buck Beth off! The next pony to arrive was Iceland Magic who was a Cremello pony – cream coloured with blue eyes and Beth started to compete in local show jumping and hunter trial classes where the pair enjoyed great success being really fast against the clock.

As Beth grew and Ice stayed the same size the search began for a bigger pony and the country was scoured far and wide until a chance conversation led to Wedderlie Marengo (Mario) being found turned out in a paddock at local producer Jerome Harforth’s yard. The Welsh Section B chestnut gelding had previously been shown in Scotland and had also been competing successfully in dressage competitions. Standing just under 13hh Mario was just a hairy Welsh pony but after a wash and trim he was transformed into a top class show hunter pony. Since Beth and Mario started showing together two seasons ago the pair have gone from strength to strength winning numerous classes including at the British Show Pony Society summer championship show and the Ponies UK summer championships. In 2010 they were placed 2nd at The Great Yorkshire show which qualified them for The Horse of the Year Show and they finished the year by being awarded the top 13hh Show Hunter Pony and Champion Show Hunter Pony overall in Area 3A of the British Show Pony Association.

In 2011 they started the season with a bang winning at Newark and Notts County show and going reserve champion. They also won and went champion in the Pretty Polly (home produced) show hunter pony class at North East Counties show and qualified for The Royal International Horse show in July. They also qualified for the 13hh SHP class at RIHS at Hambleton Show and the pair head down to Hickstead in Sussex later next month. At Midlands Counties Show in early June they won the 13hh SHP class and qualified for the Horse of the Year Show in October - a great achievement so early in the season!

The pair have one year left in the show ring before Beth’s age will preclude her from 13hh SHP classes and with this in mind two further ponies have arrived at the Smart’s yard in Hambleton.

Precious – a 6yo mare has already been competing in Novice classes and 5yo Olly is gradually learning the ropes ready to start his showing career next year. It seems that Beth will be very busy this summer riding and schooling her ponies and attending shows as well as being fully involved with the daily life of the racing yard!!

(Pictured is Beth with Mario)

Owned by Mr R Hull, trained by Mr G Foster and ridden by Lee Newman - Mangham showed a return to form with a convincing win at Musselburgh on Tuesday!

Watch the race here

"Roninski " - owned by Mr R  Hull, Trained by Mr B Smart , and Ridden by Justin Newman - had a win at Chester on Saturday.

Showing a great turn of speed to finish the race in First Place - you can watch the race here 

Lay-Soft  - The Choice of Champions!

The Newmarket Festival In-Hand charity show held on Sunday 9^th July completed the equine events in the Newmarket Festival.  

The event was well supported, with over 150 horses attending, and  many of the classes having a full complement of 20 horses. 

The Lay-Soft Equine Bedding Challenge Trophy was given to the winner of class 20 Best Turned Out Horse and Pony Handler, along with a complementary 9 bales of Lay-Soft Equine Bedding. 

Pictured is Mark Whitham presenting Yvonne Botham with "Bit of a Madam" - from Bury St Edmunds (photo courtesy of Eastern Light Photography - Nigel Baker)

A warm welcome from the show organisers was extended to Mark Whitham (Head of Lay-Soft Sales) and Nancy Ashcroft (Head Girl at Ron Hull & Sons Farm)  for the Yorkshire Sport Horse Show held on the 15th June 2011 at Carlton Husthwaite, near Thirsk.

The Middleweight Ridden Hunter, Class 15 qualifier for the Horse of The Year Show was sponsored by Lay-Soft Equine Bedding.   Congratulations to the winner Mrs P Duncan on Lowmoor Playboy who qualifies for The Horse of The Year Show.

Congratulations are also extended to Mrs Vicky Smart - a Lay-Soft Equine bedding user - on winning the Retrained Racehorses, with Chivola, and getting a second in the Retrained Racehorse Challenge, with Rogers Revenge.

Pictured left is Vicky on Chivola

Carlton West Bank, Selby, Horse & Pony Showing and Show Jumping  Event -  July 31st 2011.

A&M Events are holding a 1 day horse show, at Carlton Bank, Selby with classes for everyone including in hand and ridden showing.  There are also  7 showjumping classes.   Superb rosettes to 6th place are sponsored by Lay-Soft Equine Bedding and 2 championships.

For more details about this Equine Event please see www.ridingdiary.co.uk

All the hard work is coming together for Colleen and Kerry Salmon, organisers of the Newmarket Festival In-Hand Charity Show as the show date is almost upon us - July 10th 2011 .

Ron Hull Farm's Lay-Soft Equine Bedding Division are Sponsoring Class 20 Best Turned Out Horse/Pony and Handler , so even  if you have not already entered come along and enjoy the day events which promises excellent events within the this year's Equine Calendar!  

Good luck to all the owners, riders and horses from all at Lay-Soft!

For more information about the Newmarket Charity Horse Show, visit www.newmarkethorseshow.webs.com

Lay-Soft Animal Bedding provided the arena surface and arena boundary for the Regents Place Plaza Animal Extravaganza held between 31st May to 2nd June recently.

The Extravaganza provided the opportunity for Champions galore to demonstrate their horse riding and dog obedience skills to the public around Regents Place in London. Riders and owners alike wowed the crowds with their skill, agility and patience in training their respective equine and canine companions!

Paul Hayler and Ginny Oakley competed at advanced level in equine dressage, showjumping and eventing including International level - demonstrating the skills required to stay at the top of their game. Richard Curtis - triple Crufts winner - also demonstrated his talents with his amazing dog agility skills.

Mark Whitham, head of sales at the Ron Hull Group’s animal bedding business . . . Lay-Soft . . . has raised a thousand pounds for Cancer Research UK in an epic solo coast-to-coast bike ride.

Mark did the two-day 170 mile Morecambe Bay to Bridlington trip the hard way . . . on his own . . . on a twenty year old bike that he uses to cycle to work every day . . . and into the teeth of winds that on almost any sane weekend would have been behind him!

He was originally planning to do the challenge with a group of cycling friends but when they had to pull out because of other commitments he decided to do the two-day trip on his own.

He said: “Apart from the endless hills on the first day, the toughest part of trip was the wind. Like most people I went from the west coast to the east coast, which is an odds-on certainty to put the wind behind you, but I got a cracking easterly . . . and it did not let up for the entire trip.”

The cash for Cancer Research UK was raised through sponsorship by friends, family and workmates at both Lay-Soft and Ron Hull Group.

Mark said: “ I wanted to raise the money as a way of saying thanks to hospital staff in Rotherham and Sheffield who treated my wife Sue after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The support for the ride was tremendous, with everyone right the way up to the Chairman chipping in with sponsorship.”

Ron Hull director Nigel Hull said: “We’re very proud of Mark. He really has done brilliantly. He is very fit and determined, so we had no doubts that he would make it, but to do the challenge on your own and in tough conditions is pretty special.”

After the trip Mark arrived back at work on his bike, as usual, and he did a fun thirty mile run just three days after the coast to coast. He’s now mulling over the next epic, perhaps the John O’Groats to Land’s End ride.

Anyone who wishes to contribute to Mark’s ride sponsorship can do so through the Internet site www.justgiving.com/mark-whitham

Yorkshire Sport Summer Show at Carlton Husthwaite
Wednesday 15th June 2011

Lay-Soft Equestrian and Animal Bedding  is proud to be sponsoring Class 14 - "The Lay-Soft Middleweight Show Hunter Class" - this is a qualifier for the Horse of the Year Show.

Profits made from the show will be donated to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

For more information about the show, visit www.yorkshiresporthorse.co.uk/summer-show-e-12.html

Lay-Soft will be the proud sponsors for the Puissance event held at The Cheshire Game & Angling Fair on Sunday 7th August 2011

For more information about the event visit:  www.cheshiregameandanglingfair.co.uk

Prizes of bales of Lay-Soft Animal Bedding will be given to the top three equestrian riders at the show.   All at Ron Hull Farm (Lay-soft Division)  wish all the riders in the event the best of luck!

Lay-Soft - The Choice of Champions!

Congratulations to Saltre Stud with Saltre Sea Breeze (pictured) and Bardwell Regal Promise with another two successful show results:

East Midlands Welsh Pony & Cob Association Show - Champion Saltre Sea Breeze and Bronze medal winner

West Yorkshire Welsh Pony & Cob Association Show – Champion Saltre Sea Breeze (already a medal Winner) and reserve to her Bardwell Regal Promise & Bronze medal winner

(as each pony can only win 1 medal per year)

Congratulations from all at Ron Hull Farm's Lay-soft Animal Bedding.

Lay-soft are providing the bedding for Regent's Place Plaza Animal Extravaganza - for use on the arena floors .....

Regent’s Place Plaza in London’s West End is set to be transformed next week, with the temporary installation of a major events arena. From Tuesday 31st May to Wednesday 8th June the British Land estate will host a series of top canine and equestrian events.

During six free-to-attend lunchtime events, leading experts in their respective fields will showcase their talents to occupiers at the estate and members of the public.

From Tuesday 31st May to Thursday 2nd June, this year’s Crufts Champion Richard Curtis and other leading handlers will bring their unique canine freestyle display to the arena. Both heelwork to music and freestyle competitions are a highlight at the annual dog show and, during the demonstration, they will showcase the skills, training and dedication needed to attain such a high standard.

The following week, the arena will host three days of the highest quality equestrian events including the grace and elegance of dressage and the thrills and spills of Western Rodeo. Dressage is the ultimate test of the horse and rider’s ability to display both athletic prowess and supreme elegance and will be one of the most hotly contested equine events at next year’s London Olympics. Top riders Paul Hayler and Ginny Oakley will provide an in-depth introduction to this beautiful sport.

James Danby, Director of London Leasing at British Land said: “These events are an exciting prelude to our annual seven-week festival, where hundreds of occupiers, local people and other visitors enjoy lunchtime performances in the Regent’s Place Plaza. At Regent’s Place we aim to provide a wide range of inspirational activities and events for our occupiers and the wider community and I look forward to releasing further information about our upcoming summer programme.”

The fully managed, Regent’s Place estate currently comprises 1.5 million sq ft of office, residential, retail and leisure accommodation. It is served by four London underground tube stations with six different tube lines and has three mainline stations close by.

Currently home to nearly 10,000 workers, Regent’s Place provides a wide range of amenities, from cafés and bars, to the New Diorama Theatre. Public art and performance is a key feature of life at the estate, with a series of regular events held in the main public square, ranging from food markets to salsa dancing, as well as public art that includes works by Edward Hodges Baily, Antony Gormley, Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell and Liam Gillick. Recent additions include pieces by Julian Opie, Gary Webb, and Siôn Parkinson, as well as the Regent’s Place Pavilion created by award-winning architects Carmody Groarke.

For more information visit www.regentsplace.com

The Ron Hull Group's Lay-Soft Division (Ron Hull & Sons Farm) have added a new video to their website showing Nancy Ashcroft cleaning out a Racehorse stable at Ron Hull & Sons Farm in Tickhill, Doncaster.

This helpful video clearly shows the many benefits of using Lay-Soft Equine Bedding to clean out and prepare new bedding within a stable, and why Lay-Soft Equine Bedding truly is "The Choice of Champions!" You can see the Lay-Soft video (and other videos from the rest of the Ron Hull Group) on our You Tube page.

But don't forget that Lay-Soft is not only useful for horse stables, but can also be an excellent bedding for all types of animals to bed down and is popular for veterinary practices, Zoos and lots of Animal Parks and Centres!

Contact Mark Whitham on 01709 524115 or checkout the website (www.lay-soft.co.uk) and contact us with any enquiries through our contact us form.

Congratulations to James & Jenny Dods from Mill Myers Horse & Country Store in Biggar, Lanarkshire!

Jenny gave birth to Thomas Dods - weighing 8lb 5oz - on Good Friday April 22nd.

All here at Ron Hull's Lay-Soft Division wish them all well.

Saltre Simply Red, future champion sec b foal , was born on 'Lay-Soft' bedding to the Saltre Stud Stables.

Sally Walker of Saltre Stud is proud to announce the new arrival and endorse Lay-soft Animal Bedding as

 "possibly THE best bedding my mares have foaled on".

Congratulations to Saltre Stud!!

Born on the 20^th April 2011 at 4am Penny

She is the first foal to be foaled down completely on Lay-soft bedding and we were very impressed.  Even our vet from Rossdales commented on what good bedding it was for foaling down on - she remarked how stable it was - that it didn't move about when the mare was thrashing about and also when the foal attempted to get up. 

So meet our little "Penny":

Hopefully she should be able to go out tomorrow once she's had her bloods etc taken.

This filly is by the Cheveley Park Studs stallion "Virtual".

Colleen and Kerry (The Speech Partnership)Willow Stables & Stud. The Cotes Soham, Cambs CB7 5EP

One of our valued Lay-Soft Customers - Colleen Salmon, of the Willow Stables & Stud in Newmarket, is holding a Charity Horse Show, with all funds being donated to various charities.

The event is to be held at the Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, CB8 7UU on Sunday 10th July 2011.

Please see the horse show event flyer on for full details and how to enter.  The event is open to all breeds, ages and sexes and promises to be an excellent day!

One of our many satisfied Lay-Soft horse bedding customers - John Best Racing - have taken four horses out to race on the famous frozen lake at St Moritz in the Engadin valley in Switzerland: Halsion Chancer, Freeforaday, Chat De La Burg and Agent Archie.

Racing takes place on three consecutive Sundays, with Freeforaday coming second last week. Halsion Chancer and Chat De La Burg race this weekend.

John Best is out for all three weekends overseeing the preparations with Head Lass Anna and Stable Lad Kyle.

For more information about St Moritz from their website www.johnbestracing.com including video clips and a picture gallery.

Lay-Soft Animal Bedding - the true "Champions Choice"!

Cotswold Wildlife Park have been using Lay-Soft Animal Bedding for several of their animal enclosures, benefitting from the absorbant, smell reducing properties. Their keepers have this to say about the product:

"We have been using Lay-Soft Animal Bedding at the Cotswold Wildlife Park for most of our species instead of the wood shavings previously used. We have found it easier to live with it isn’t as dusty as other beddings we have used before, which makes a massive difference in some of our enclosures; it sits well, doesn’t blow around and creates less mess in the enclosures. It is very absorbent and has made a real difference with the smell in the enclosures; it reduces the ammonia smell compared to other substrates we have used."

"We are very pleased with the bedding and it has worked out to be very cost effective for us too."

Congratulations to Saltre Stud, with a homebred colt foal Saltre Lysander, who won a 1st prize at the Foal Of The Year Show held at Solihull Riding Club on 21st November.

If you bed your horse on Lay-Soft and have news of equestrian success at an event please contact us at lay-soft@ronhull.co.uk (with a picture) and we will add it to our Lay-Soft News Page!

Continuing on with their busy year, Saltre Stud have achieved reserve sec B champion at the NPS (National Pony Society) area 4 foal show on Sunday 14th Nov.

Also this week, Saltre Stud will be showing at the British National Foal of the Year to be held at Solihull this Sunday 21st November. Last year Saltre Stud got a reserve champion at the same show.

The Ron Hull Group, through their Lay-soft Farm division, have donated 2 pallets of Lay-soft Animal Bedding to the charity High Hopes Riding for the Disabled Group - a group dedicated to providing horse riding, care and knowledge skills especially to children and adults with physical or learning disabilities. High Hopes is based at New Holmes Farm, Barnsley Road, Thorpe Hesley in Rotherham.

The Charity is registered no: 1074146 and are always looking for volunteers to support them with stable work, supervision and fundraising – if you can help with any of these then please contact Mrs. Shirley Hudson, 281 Town Lane, Rockingham, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S61 4LW – telephone 01709 561598.

Congratulations to Saltre Stud!   

With Bardwell Regal Promise, on winning the Champion of Champions' Northern Counties Pony of the Year Show 2010, held at Uttoxeter, Staffordshire

Another Champion of Champions bedded on Lay-soft Animal Bedding!

Congratulations and Good Luck to Sally at Saltre Stud!

Ovington Young Pretender - a 24 year old champion sec A stallion has Qualified for Olympia 2010 in December.  The stallion is one of many champions owned by Saltre Stud, who are all bedded on Lay-Soft Animal Bedding.

Once again, Good Luck in December from all at Ron Hull & Sons Farm and Lay-Soft Animal Bedding!

Ron Hull & Sons Farm and Lay-Soft are happy to announce that the recent UK equestrian event - the Trailblazers Championship, held at Stonleigh Park in Coventry -  used Lay-Soft for all event entrants for bedding their horses on.

Lay-Soft has now been tested by the British Horse Racing Authority and we are on their list of recognised suppliers for equine bedding products.

Welcome to our new, updated Lay-Soft website - which gives you much more product infomation on our excellent animal bedding product, and also hints and tips on how to use it more effectively.

Lay-Soft animal bedding is not only perfect for bedding horses, but can also be used in a wide variety of animal bedding scenarios - from exotic animals at zoos and wildlife parks through to domestic pets such as guinea pigs and rabbits!  Browse our website and view our latest news and testimonials for more information on how Lay-Soft can help you and your pet!