A VILLAGE TRADITION LIVES ON AS HORSES GATHER FOR HAVERING-ATTE-BOWER’S SPECIAL SUNDAY.
A much-loved English tradition celebrating horses and the important place they have played in rural life returned to the historic village of Havering-atte-Bower on Sunday, as horses and riders gathered on the Village Green for the annual Horseman’s Sunday celebration joined by the Romford MP Andrew Rosindell.
The event saw horses from local riding stables parade in front of St John the Evangelist Church, where a special service of thanksgiving was held in tribute to the horse.
The service was conducted by Rev. Geoff Clarke, with the traditional poem Ode to the Horse also read during the ceremony.
Following the service, rosettes were presented to the horses, by the Romford MP Andrew Rosindell who once again took part in the long-standing village tradition.
Mr Rosindell told the Havering Daily: “I was pleased to present the rosettes to the horses as MP for the village and congratulated the Havering-atte-Bower Conservation Society, known as HABCOS, for continuing to uphold the annual custom.”
Horseman’s Sunday has a fascinating history in Havering-atte-Bower.
The ceremony was revived by the Havering-atte-Bower Conservation Society in the 2000s after the tradition had disappeared during the 1970s. It was subsequently re-established as an annual celebration bringing together local horse riders, families, residents and the wider community.
The tradition has also previously made its way into Parliament.
Mr Rosindell added “In 2008, I tabled an Early Day Motion congratulating HABCOS for re-establishing Horseman’s Sunday and highlighting its role in bringing the community together, celebrating the horse and keeping local traditions alive. The motion attracted support from MPs from different parts of the country.
The event is not simply about horses and riding.
For the village, it is a celebration of community, heritage and the strong connection between Havering-atte-Bower and the surrounding countryside.”
The village has long been associated with equestrian activities, with riding stables and horses forming an important part of the character of the surrounding area.
This year’s celebration was also attended by Havering-atte-Bower Ward councillors Cllr Graham Edwards, Cllr Della Morton and Cllr Paul Sullivan, alongside Deputy Mayor Cllr Christine Vickery and her consort, Cllr Tom Vickery.
British Equestrian also attended the event, highlighting the organisation’s work promoting equestrian sport and activities across the country.
Mr Rosindell thanked British Equestrian for supporting the event and for its work throughout the year in promoting horse riding and equestrian activities.
For one Sunday each autumn, the Village Green becomes a very different sight as horses, riders and local residents come together outside the historic church.
And as the rosettes are handed out and the horses parade before the community, a tradition that could easily have disappeared into the pages of history continues to live on in Havering-atte-Bower.
It is a celebration of horses, heritage and community — and one that remains a very special part of the village calendar.
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