A weekend of beauty, blooms & breathtaking horses
Sunshine, smiles and plenty of countryside charm. What more could you want from a weekend at the Devon County Show? We were absolutely delighted to be back this year and proud as anything to sponsor the 2025 Festival of Heavy Horses.
The festival got off to a great start on Thursday morning when actor and countryside advocate Martin Clunes officially opened the event. A long-time fan of heavy horses himself, Martin cut the ribbon in front of a cheerful crowd and a few TV cameras. He spoke warmly about why these breeds matter, and it was a perfect way to begin the celebrations. The backdrop to the ceremony was a stunning floral display by Sophie Flowers. Her work was full of seasonal British blooms and soft movement, all inspired but the Heavy Horse design. With the sun shining and petals catching the breeze, it couldn't have looked better.
Meet Sophie Flowers!
Sophie is a floral designer based in North Cornwall. She is known for creating wild, garden-inspired arrangements with real character. For the Devon County Show, she built a large floral installation beside the heavy horse area. It was a mix of fresh flowers, foraged foliage and thoughtful detail. Seed heads, grasses, soft colour and natural movement gave the whole thing a sense of life and place. Visitors stopped all weekend to take it in, and many took photos beside it with our photo frame next to the gentle giants.
Sophie is passionate about sustainability. She works with local growers and avoids using floral foam. She also donates part of her profits to wildlife and rainforest conservation, which makes her work even more special. If you are planning a wedding or an event which deserves a floral celebration, Sophie is there for you! You can find her at www.sophieflowers.com or follow her on Instagram @sophieflowers.studio
Highlights in the ring
One of the big moments of the weekend was the HOYS Driven Two-Wheeled Cart Class. Entrants came from all over the country to take part. The class was eventually won by John Goodwin, who earned a well-deserved ticket to Horse of the Year Show.
We also hosted the Whistlefish Heavy Horse Display, which featured David Mouland’s four-horse team of North American Belgians, John Goodwin’s Shires, Martin and Claire Kerswell’s Percherons, Ness Morris’s Suffolk Punches and cart teams from Sarah Dovey, Zoe Meek and Karen White.
With expert commentary from Peter Clarke and David Mouland, the display was full of life and energy. It showed not only the strength of these horses but also the care, time and training that goes into working with them. Whether you are horsey or not, it was a joy to watch.
At the Whistlefish stand
Over at our stand in the Countryside Area, we met so many friendly faces. Children proudly collected their heavy horse stickers. Families entered our photo competition, with winners to be announced soon. Plenty of people stopped to measure themselves against our life-size horse chart. Most of them laughed at how small they felt next to it.
Sophie’s floral archway sat proudly beside us. It drew people in with its gentle scent and natural texture. We heard so many kind comments about it, and we are thrilled that people felt drawn in by her flowers.
A weekend to remember
The Festival of Heavy Horses has become a highlight of the Devon County Show. It brings together brilliant people, beautiful animals and a shared love of countryside heritage. From the show ring to the heavy horse village, there was a real sense of care and pride throughout the weekend.
We were proud to play a part in this year’s event. We want to thank everyone involved, including the amazing Diana McFeat and the heavy horse community. And of course, a big thank you to Sophie Flowers for adding her magic to the celebration.
Until next year...
To everyone who visited us, chatted with the team, admired the horses or simply enjoyed the sunshine, thank you. The Festival of Heavy Horses 2025 was a joy from start to finish. It helped raise awareness of rare breeds and celebrated traditional skills, all while bringing smiles to thousands of faces.
We will be back next year and we hope to see you there. In the meantime, we kindly invite you to support the Clydesdale Horse Society.
We look forward to more horses, more flowers and hopefully more sunshine in 2026.
