Holy crap - all the Kilbees (Pidgley) horses to be sold

Halfstep

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WOW. Credit crunch anyone?

Now, count the pennies and see if I can afford Spirit Freedom.....
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He could probably do with a cheaper one ! Construction is one of the hardest hit areas at the moment and Berkeley were at the luxury end of the market...read into it what you will
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Ditto Rambo. Every little cut helps and in such times Dressage is a luxury particularly on such a large scale.
 
Actually I heard a piece a while ago saying that of all the construction companies Berkeley was doing the best and had managed to protect itself from the worst of the downturn. Can't remember the details now though.

He was always happy enough to shell out on the horses until now, it just seems a very all or nothing thing to get rid completely. Surely she could have kept one or two.....
 
Wow! I'm shocked I really thought they were committed for the long-term in dressage . I don't mean that as a criticism just that I honestly believed they were part of the furniture!
 
I think there is something wrong with me as the whole set up seemed very over indulgent, I am quite happy with my two lovely horses and outdoor school and cannot understand why you would want to dilute the time given to your animals by having such a large operation?!
 
i havent read the article yet but i used to work for Berkeley and knew Pidgley and wife, I knew she was a bit ill at times so i hoped that hasnt forced it. I cant imagine they have been hit so badly that they are trying to raise a few grand from the horses which is all it will be. Hes a very clever man and theres likely to be more to it. Shame tho - I used to love going along on teh dressage days with clients - the only time i could mix my horses and work!
 
I dont expect this has anything to do with the credit crunch! People just like to think/assume it has.
Berkeley group are one of the only companies still buying land and their sharers are doing ok. He also gave himself a £15m bonus towards the end of last year.
 
Their shares or sharers are doing ok? Didn't realise the Pidgleys needed sharers for their horses - times must be worst than thought
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Would imagine this is connected in some way to the 'credit crunch' - even if Berkeley haven't done as bad as others so far, they are still in one of the most difficult sectors and not having an easy time of it.
 
Oh dear, how awful
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My OH always says that business people never admit if they are in trouble and always say they are doing well. Who knows... but cash in this climate is a valuable comoditiy. It does seem odd that they would sell up everything though, I would def keep a sneaky one or two for myself!
 
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Their shares or sharers are doing ok? Didn't realise the Pidgleys needed sharers for their horses - times must be worst than thought
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Sorry ! Due to the credit crunch im using the word sharer more than the word shares ! Typo !
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think there is something wrong with me as the whole set up seemed very over indulgent, I am quite happy with my two lovely horses and outdoor school and cannot understand why you would want to dilute the time given to your animals by having such a large operation?!

[/ QUOTE ]

I think their set up was lovely and ideal to produce serious competition horses in a lovely environment. They ran Kilbees Farm as a business!!
 
I would say that Sarah now has two very young children that she adores and wants to spend more time with them and they have taken the place of the horses.

It says she is selling 20 which is probably the ones based abroad and the ones she does not ride.

It does not say she is selling them all and I am sure she would now be happy with one or two of her favourites and let the rest go.

Good luck to both Sarah and Tony they are very nice people.
 
Shocked to see this, however I really do think there could be more to the article than what it states. It seems very dramatic and almost abrupt, to sell twenty high calibre horses in such a way. they surely would of been able to sell some of those horses very easily behind close doors (could be totally wrong) surely businesses that large and successful would have a security blanket to support it through hard times, thats just my view though, again could be totally wrong!
 
There's an article in todays London Lite reporting that the son...Tony Pidgeley Jnr's company has just been placed into administration. It also says he owns or owned a number of top polo ponies and an £18m equestrian centre in Berkshire
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He's blaming it on the collapse of the Icelandic Banks...

Possibly related to the sale by his father of the dresssage horses
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