Equifest unwanted guests

[billytuco]

Someone posted on Facebook that some dogs have gone missing from the showground last night. Does anyone know if they were found? Also our stables had been tampered with as our ponies stable doors had been unlocked and the lead ropes around were untied! Lucky that both were still inside as one was a d stallion. Sounds like we were lucky as apparently the police were out as Equifest had unwanted visitors last night. We were the end two boxes in the red area.

[mollymalone]

Glad o hear your ponies were unharmed.
Did you report the incident to a stable manager?

[fruity]

Gypsies apparently, of the less honourable type - the whole site went on lock down Saturday evening

[Wiltshire Man]

The crime of Gypsies around Peterborough is very high as I know my friend live there and they always lock up everything even pop out for 5 mins.

[sarah14]

there should be better security

[iluvmyponies]

No dogs were stolen. Travelers got on to the perimeter of the site & only intended staying for the night, they were swiftly moved on by Equifest security.
Jon Phillips wrote on Facebook
"There were no dogs stolen. The travellers
did not get into the actual Equifest site, they
broke into the perimeter area from the A1
they only intended to camp overnight but
were quickly moved on. The only way onto
the site was through the first gate you came
through when you entered. This was locked
and manned every evening. There was a full
security team on-site 24/7, they are
deliberately not high profile. The helicopter
was another police incident that was not
connected to Equifest - nor was it on the
showground. All damage done, cars driven
round, items stolen etc were as a result of
the actions of your fellow exhibitors."

[CarolineNelson]

Aug 20, 2012 17:32:01 GMT fruity said:

Gypsies apparently, of the less honourable type - the whole site went on lock down Saturday evening

Sarah14, the security was on to it and, in my humble opinion, were very pro-active throughout the entire show.

Those of you who don't live near the fens would probably not realise or appreciate the high volume of 'temporary residents' which seasonally pass through. Wiltshire Man is correct.

[fruity]

Aug 20, 2012 17:47:50 GMT sarah14 said:

there should be better security

Once equifest were aware their security was exemplorary. No one could get in the main gate without a pass and the security were adament about it whatever the situation. I had to personally go and vouch for one of my dinners guests on Saturday night because his car pass was on my lorry.

[SJD]

i never even knew this had happened untill i saw it on here......... so equifest must of acted on it fast - nice to know they did everything they could to make it safe for everyone & there ponies

xx

[springer]

I posted on the other Equifest thread about this. My daughter went out of Gate 14 to the right & the "Travellers" were parked on the corner. They had about 10 transit vans with horse trailers on the back. I was watching the Saturday Evening Performance & she rang me & told me to tell Betsy straight away which I did. Betsy got security on to it within minutes & they moved away. Very well organised & efficiently done so I don't think they will have had time to steal anything.

[moonhorse2]

I must say that my mum and I were a little concerned abut the lack of checks on horses leaving the showground, just something for the management team to think about next year perhaps, maybe check passports on the way out with a horse, or something that would identify the correct horsewas being taken?

[Tedddd]

Yes, I was in one of the cars waiting at the gate, we were told that it was something to do with gypsies but due to the gates being shut I dont think they managed to get on entirely. People we were with called the police and received a prompt response telling us which gate to exit and that the show security had everything under control. Security were checking every vehicle that pulled onto the premises. It is scary to think that people could pull on and be off with your horse same applies to any time of the day though. In the past I have known friends to padlock their stables (and admittedly myself). Especially on Saturday night when your in the EP!... the only worry is that if there were to be an accident no one can get in the stable!... so its a lose, lose situation! As for checking the horses passport in theory sounds great but when you have a few thousand wagons leaving on the last day this could create a huge back log of traffic and massive delays which in turn people would probably complain about.

[Deleted]

Unfortunately there WERE some "types" who were there as competitors.....

Often drunk from lunchtime onwards and wandering up and down the red horse lines, plus driving a buggy around acting drunk

Ditto leadropes dissapeared .

Nice people did massively outweigh the unwanted ones though and lots of smiley faces - still made it a good place to be