21st March 2012

BRIDPORT: Pensioner is back in the saddle with top invention

A BRIDPORT pensioner has scooped a top prize for his saddle invention.

Simon Hurdley of East Road won the top prize for innovation in saddles at last week’s British Equestrian Trade Association Show at the National Exhibition Centre with his colleague, Peter Sajic.

The pair developed a method of altering the shape of the saddle to match the horse’s shape after working with one of Britain’s oldest saddlers, Barnsby, based in Walsall.

Mr Hurdley, 69, said his first equestrian experience was patting the milkman’s dray horse in 1940s Birmingham where he grew up.

He said: “The saddle must fit both the rider and horse, important particularly at higher levels of the sport.

“Traditionally making alterations is costly and time consuming, involving dismantling the saddle. Adjustments are made to set sizes and unless exactly right the whole procedure has to be repeated.

“Visitors to the trade show were genuinely amazed by our achievement.

“In an industry where age-old techniques and craftsmanship are valued, this is a truly ground-breaking development.”

Simon thinks that because he and Peter had no preconceived ideas they could truly “look outside the box”.

The adjustable saddle tree they developed is made from a thermoplastic carbon fibre, which can be manipulated under heat.

It is hoped that production of saddles incorporating the iTree will be available from June.

Mr Hurdley said: “I would like to thank family and friends who have been bored to tears with his talk of saddles.”

He added: “I would also like to thank the following local companies for their practical advice and help: Simon Scott, Don Townsend, Graham Ackerman, David Tattershall of Digitec, Stephen Grier of X-IT Services, Bob Hardwick of LeanEnergy and Don Page-Smith of R.D.S.”

PICTURE: INVENTORS Simon Hurdley and Peter Sajic with their iTree saddle invention

BRIDPORT: Pensioner is back in the saddle with top invention

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