Equestrian Life May 2018 Issue

usiness profile
When one door closes...
As told to Equestrian Life Magazine
Another one opens… is certainly a
cliché that certainly applies to me,
says Rachel Western the proprietor
of JUST POLES + Show Jumps.
After being made redundant three times in
three years it seemed as if life was was not
going to plan and with Rachel’s confidence
at rock bottom the future was not looking
particularly rosy!
A chance conversation on social media with
an old riding friend was to change all that.
“Do you still make your show jumps?” was the
question that started it all. At the time she
did not, but after a little research, the idea of
doing jump poles again whilst Rachel decided
what path her future was to take, seemed a
great opportunity to do something she knew
and enjoyed, and so JUST POLES was born, as
Rachel was going to do JUST POLES.
It may seem a strange business for a woman
to get into, but if we go back to the late
eighties it was what Rachel did, working with
her late father in his business, M C Western
Show Jumps, they had four sets of show
jumps and a set of working hunter fences
which were hired out, every weekend. Rachel
rode showjumpers in Switzerland for Bruno
Candrian and Rudolf Lette and was previously
a BS course builder. So, show jumping is well
and truly in the blood as it were.
So, JUST POLES was born, with their first
order being new poles for Badgworth
Equestrian centre in Somerset, Pierre Baber
(whom Rachel holds solely responsible
for this idea) and Kirsty Pierce. That was
in 2013, by October that year they were
suppling poles for the HORSE RADAR fence
for HOYS.
That was to be just the beginning, with
several former customers returning to
purchase their jumps from Rachel and
additional items being added. Her Dad
was still with her then and she jokingly
referred to him as her ‘Technical Advisor’
says Rachel “he taught me how to make the
stands, wings and fillers etc which we now
manufacture”.
Now many of the regions show and training
centres are clients, we have supplied jumps
to Hartpury College, Wayfarer Eventing,
Kings Sedgemoor, Lincombe, Moores Farm,
Summerhouse, Mendip Plains, Pontispool,
with the latest centre to join the JUST POLES
family being Bissell Wood Equestrian Centre.
Our customers now range from Chorley in
Lancashire to Pyecombe in Sussex and all
points in between.
Along with the show centres we are also
the choice of many top riders, in particular
the eventers. This year many, who use or
train over our fences will be competing
at badminton, not just in the 4*but in the
Mitsubishi Cup too, and several top trainers
including Carl Belson, the under 18 BE event
trainer. Customers like our products because
we specialise in supplying the types of fences
our clients need, we manufacture to order,
to the size, type and colourways chosen by
them. Whether it be a light weight fence for
a young child and her pony to full training
sets, top flight competition fences and
purpose-built sponsors advertising fences,
for which we offer a full design and build
service, we supply what they choose, our
clients are in complete control.
We have made several advertising fences
for companies including Hartpury College,
Ruggles Rugs, Phoenix Equestrian and
Lincombe Equestrian centre, but have to
admit our proudest moment came in 2016
with the production of the ‘CLIPPERMAN’
fence for Jessica Balmer for the Liverpool
International Horse Show at the Echo Arena.
Currently the order book is full and we seem
to be going from strength to strength in
2018, which just goes to show that you never
know what is just around the corner.
If you are interested in finding out more
about what we can offer, you can follow our
page at https://www.facebook.com/JUST-
POLES-show-Jumps or call 07871 920544
16 May 2018 Equestrian Life