Horse mania hits the beautiful Lincolnshire town of Stamford this week, as shops and businesses get involved in the second annual Best Dressed Window Competition, run by Defender Burghley Horse Trials in association with Shop Stamford. The competition challenges shops, salons, galleries and other businesses in Burghley’s neighbouring town to create a window that celebrates the world-famous equestrian event that takes place nearby each September. The window displays stay in place up to the horse trials (3-6 September).
Some two dozen windows were assessed by judges Andrea Hoskins, owner of The George Hotel in Stamford, Burghley Lifestyle Ambassador Alex Collins and “Notswolds” founders Laura Jekyll and John Simpson, with the Hindmarch & Co Garage emerging as the winner for its striking Burghley installation, set against a drawing of Burghley House by owner Jane Frank’s daughter.
As a lifelong supporter and attender of Burghley Horse Trials, Jane was thrilled to win her £500 first prize — and threatened to make her winner’s plaque into a medallion or a belt buckle.
“We do the window for our customers to see and to advertise to people ‘You’ve got to go to Burghley’ — Stamford IS Burghley,” she said.
“A garage may not be the most naturally creative space, but this was lovely, with many different elements, including bullrushes to give a suggestion of Burghley’s lake,” noted the judges.
Runner up was floral studio Ode to Joy, whose beautiful window included a rosette made of dried flowers.
“You just want to stop and admire it,” said the judges.
“We weren’t doing it for a prize, we just loved doing the window - and the dried flower rosette was our way of bringing in Burghley,” said Ode to Joy’s Alexandra Doherty.
In third was Age UK Stamford, with an attractive, autumnal window styled entirely with donated items, “which shows what you can do with thought and planning,” said the judges.
Highly Commended were last year’s winner Stamford Botanics, newly-opened hair salon Studio Seven and Pirrie Optometrists.
The judges were full of praise for the innovation, planning, style, detail and in some cases, humour worked into the designs, in windows both large and small. The Hambleton Bakery even created its own answer to Burghley’s Winner’s Avenue, while Pirrie Optometrists included a miniature Defender off-road driving experience in its window.
“The windows look lovely and spark up great conversations,” said Samantha Taylor who designed an elegant window for men’s tailors Brook Taverner.
New this year is a prize for the People’s Favourite window, with voting now open until midday on 28 August here – www.burghley-horse.co.uk/best-dressed-window
Martyn Johnson, Event Director of Defender Burghley Horse Trials added: “We are so lucky to have a town as vibrant and beautiful as Stamford right next door, getting behind our event. We hope this competition reminds local people to enjoy the sport, style and sociability of the horse trials, and to remind Burghley Horse Trials visitors to explore, shop and dine in Stamford while they are here.”
