Marlborough: centre of a big equestrian industry and home to Keyflow Feeds
The jump down to the water in the main arena is probably the most watched obstacle on Barbury International Horse Trials' famous cross country course - it's in prime position for spectators and it is sponsored by Keyflow Super Premium Horse Feeds.
Appropriately enough, Keyflow's range of equine feeds was launched at the Barbury Horse Trials in 2012. They’ve been there every year since and will again occupy their stand this year in prime position with great views of the competition and a cold Pimms never far away – everyone is welcomed.
The company is run by New Zealander Cam Price who lives in Marlborough - and the company has its head office just behind the High Street.
Cam has worked in the equine nutrition business for over ten years. He headed up Australian feed giant Mitavite's operation first in New Zealand and then in Britain. With the recession and unhelpful currency movements, Mitavite decided to close its European export arm - and Cam spotted an opportunity to launch a innovative new range of products designed to give riders what their horses need in the best way possible.
New Zealand's most successful event rider, Sir Mark Todd (now based just over the downs at Badgerstown) is a Keyflow founder, shareholder and remains as an involved director. Cam told Marlborough News Online: "He is a very switched on businessman - as well as a great horseman."
Sir Mark Todd at Luhmuhlen"We went to the riders first and analysed what their horses nutritional needs were." He went to the Whitaker show-jumping family and designed a mix specifically for them: "And then we did the same for Mark. We started with the riders and horses rather than in the lab - then we met in the middle."
The 'lab element' came with Keyflow's two renowned nutritional consultants: Dr Catherine Dunnett founded Newmarket-based Independent Equine Nutrition - an international consultancy. And Australian Dr Ray Biffin who was responsible for Mitavite's very first proprietary feed in 1987.
In 2013 two Keyflow products earned British Equine Trade Association Innovation Awards - Whitaker Bros Jumpmix won and Mark Todd Maestro competition mix was runner up.
As well as the elite British show-jumping Whitaker brothers (John and Michael - and now young Jack Whitaker who is the latest show-jumping prodigy in the dynasty) and Sir Mark Todd, Keyflow have a list of Key Riders. These include Cam's brother Tim and Tim's wife Jonelle and Canadian Rebecca Howard - all based at Mildenhall.
Keryflow at Marlborough marketAt present Jonelle is fifth in the international eventing rankings - and Tim is ninth.
Probably only people in Marlborough with a definite interest in Keyflow products will have noticed this business in their midst. But for six weeks last winter Cam took a pitch in the High Street's Saturday market - just to get the name a bit better known. However, his main aim is to keep in touch with Keyflow users.
"I love building horses with the right nutrition for what they do. If you're selling ploughs you meet a famer once in ten years. With horse feed it's an everyday relationship - they open your bags of feed every day,"
So he does a lot of travelling to stables to help people with their horses' nutritional needs - usually spending two days a week on the road.
Keyflow’s feeds are put together by a production partner in East Anglia using ingredients sourced in Britain and some specialist ingredients from abroad. The feeds are then distributed from a warehouse in Corby.
One of Cam's current tasks is building up a nationwide network of stockists: "It's a very competitive market - it's not so much the number of companies, more the vast number of products most of them produce - the market gets a bit swamped. It's a very squeezey market - many retailers are short of space."
Watch this space for an announcement soon in the development of that network of stockists.
At the Barbury International Horse Trials (9-12 July), while Cam and his team will be spreading the word about Keyflow, they will also be keeping an eye on their Key Riders. Success in competition helps boost Keyflow's reputation but also proves that their products perform.
Jonelle and Cloud Dancer Last weekend they were watching the leader boards at Luhmuhlen's four and three star eventing competitions. The Luhmuhlen premier or four star competition was won last year by Tim Price.
On Sunday (June 21) Jonelle Price and the little grey Faerie Dianimo secured second place with 32.80 points just behind Ingrid Klimke's 32.70. Jonelle was very pleased with the result: "Give us another six to 12 months and I might be able to find that point one."
In all three Keyflow Riders were in the top ten with Mark Todd (fifth) and Rebecca Howard (tenth.) And then Jonelle took Cloud Dancer to fifth place in the three star competition - coming down the leaderboard a little as rails went down in the show jumping.
What successes will Barbury bring for Marlborough-based eventing riders - and for Keyflow?
Click on images to enlarge them