Every year the Badminton Estate, home of the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort  welcomes riders from far and wide to take part in the Badminton Ride and enjoy riding over the same iconic turf as many famous international event riders do during the Badminton Horse Trials.This year despite the weather around 800 riders took part in this popular Ride and so doing helped raise much needed funds for the Avon Riding Centre for the Disabled. A huge number of volunteers are required to steward and run this event, many of them from the Beaufort Hunt and they are only too happy to give up a day to ensure all riders have an enjoyable time.The Duke of Beaufort is President of the Riding Centre and as he was unable to attend due to a prior engagement his wife the Duchess of Beaufort was delighted to attend instead.  The Centre reports that "Riders say it’s helped them to improve their balance, mobility and confidence; they say it gives them the chance to enjoy the outdoors and that they have had opportunities they wouldn’t have had without riding. We currently cater for almost two hundred riders with varying levels of disability, from people who just want to enjoy a ride around the woods, to those who want to challenge themselves to enter RDA competitions, such as dressage and show jumping. "

The Ride would like to give a particularly big and public thank you to Mole Valley Farmers for their generous sponsorship, once again, of the cost of the rosettes.

Photos are available from TTLVideos.com