We are delighted to announce that The Countess of Carnarvon has accepted our invitation to stand as our Ambassador.
A long-time horse and PRE enthusiast, Lady Carnarvon of Highclere Castle (perhaps better known as the fictional Downton Abbey) couldn’t be better suited for the role, with her own PRE mare named Lara, and Frankie, an Hispano-Arab gelding.
Lara and Frankie are comfortably housed alongside a number of other horses in a range of beautiful Victorian stabling that lies adjacent to the distinctive castle, that will be immediately familiar to anyone who has watched the popular ITV series.
Lady Carnarvon first started riding as a child, and her passion for horses has remained a constant throughout her life and a relaxing escape from her hectic work schedule. With hundreds of acres of wood and parkland on the doorstep, there’s little excuse needed to tack up and take off for a few hours.
Highclere Castle Estate itself, also has an enduring association with horses, Highclere Stud was founded over a century ago, now run by Lord Carnarvon’s sister but Lord Carnarvon also enjoys riding and breeding with broodmares grazing in the Park near Lady Carnarvon’s Andalusians.
Highclere Castle sits in the centre of 1,000 acres of Capability Brown Parkland around which the farm and woodlands extend for a further 4000 or 5000 acres. It is all farmed in hand with a clear focus on sustainability and excellent farming practices. Lord and Lady Carnarvon have further developed a high-quality Horsefeeds Business (Highclere Castle Horsefeeds) supplying oats and haylage specifically for the equestrian market.