The Horsington Blog

Our exclusive racing correspondent Winterborne Longjohns has sent us a dispatch. Sadly nothing for Wincanton on Monday, but nevertheless, some useful pointers for Saturday at Aintree

Sickness and an absence of reliable stable information from the Harry Fry yard has prevented Winterborne from participating in any meaningful way in the racing game since early January. Indeed it was only on the final day of this years Cheltenham, which was incidentally, surely the best ever, that he ventured to bet !

Should you be curious those bets were , two winners, MIKAEL GORBACHOV and YOUKNOWWHATIMEANHARRY  and two fallers, CUE CARD and LIMINOS, for which believe it or not he is still awaiting payment from a credit bookmaker. A character going by the Trollopian name of “Major TipToe” has made some offers to take over the onerous task of providing racing copy for this occasional column but there is something about the fellow, who lives near Bridport, that I don’t altogether trust.

Having got that out of the way, let us turn to Saturday’s Big Race. Onward and upwards as no doubt every remaining jockey facing Beecher’s for the second time round will doubtless be thinking. First in line for a recommendation is THE LAST SAMURAI trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by the excellent jockey David Bass currently at 12/1. Next comes Oliver Sherwoods’s last years winner and this years favourite MANY CLOUDS at 8/1 and likely to be shorter on the day. Next we have HOLYWELL, low weighted and trained by Jonjo O Neill, priced at 14/1 and much respected by many a good judge. Then we have ST ARE, currently 16/1, and at much greater odds of 33/1, KRUZHININN , either which could readily run into a place, while the curiously named THE DRUIDS NEPHEW should not be left out also at 14/1, giving Winterborne’s followers six to follow in what may well be a forty runner race.

Most bookmakers will pay out each way bets on the first five places so leave one out at your  peril and above all be lucky.

RESULTS

 

Oh dear, we seem to have upset Mrs Badger.

Dear Mr Editor,

Yet again your careless journalism and lack of fact-checking has resulted in my name being traduced in the parish of Horsington, where once I had a respectable reputation.

To suggest that I might be behind, or even partake in,  a sensationalist and gratuitous naked art  exhibition or “installation” as you call it, is a travesty of the truth. I have not, and would never, appear naked in public. While my late husband and I enjoyed our moments “natura vult ut nudi”, these were strictly in private. My dear husband would have been firmly opposed to it.

Even as a young actress on the London musical stage in the late 1960’s I remained modestly draped at all times, as many a keen young Stage Door Johnny will testify.

I believe, Mr Editor, that you have fallen for an age-old April Fool trap. I think you deserve a slap on the wrist for your stupendous gullibility, and that I deserve a fulsome apology, perhaps coupled with a nice dinner at Plumber Manor.

I am prepared to let the matter drop if these conditions are met. Otherwise I shall have to consult my solicitors.

Yours,

Amelia Badger (Mrs)

We apologise to Mrs Badger. We were sent a press release which we published in good faith- with Mrs Badger’s name on it, it had to be genuine -Ed.

Original post

Regular activities (Village Hall unless stated).

Mondays         Pilates 6pm
Tuesdays         Upholstery 10.30 am , Badminton 8pm,
Wednesdays  Adult tap dancing 10am
Thursdays      Art 10.00
Fridays            Art 10.00

Other Events
Mon 4th      Ladies Lunch Group  Red Lion, Babcary
Wincanton races – Horses for courses 1200 – 5.10pm
Wed 6th       Music Night  Half Moon Inn 8.30pm
Thurs 7th      W.I .  Talk by Commander Holt.  Village Hall 7.30pm
Thurs 3rd      Wincanton Races.  Coors Day  11.30-16.50
Tues 12th      North Cheriton Gardener’s Society
Wed 13th- Sat 16th    
 Milborne Port Opera – The Sorcerer  Gilbert & Sullivan Book here

 

 

Friday 15th Talk on the TUSK Trust by Dan Bucknell, executive director. Village hall 7. 30. £10, in aid of TUSK and the church. POSTPONED
Sun 17th       Wincanton Races . Children’s day  12.30 – 17.10.
Wed 20th       Film: SPECTRE  King Arthur’s School 7.30pm

St John’s Church services
3rd April        9.15am Holy Communion with Sunday School
10th April       11 am  Morning Prayer
17th April       9.15am  Holy Communion
24th April       8.30am  Holy Communion (BCP)

 

Milborne Port Opera presents The Sorcerer by Gilbert & Sullivan………..                          April 13th – 16th at 7.30pm at Milborne Port Village Hall. Click HERE to buy tickets on-line

A newly built world-famous mainline steam locomotive will be passing through various stations in Somerset and Dorset this weekend. The LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado will be setting off from London Waterloo at 8am on Saturday, April 2 and will pass through  Templecombe at 11.05 am on its way to Exeter.

Unfortunately it will have to slow down to cross over onto the double track, but this will give spectators an excellent view.
The engine was rebuilt over at 14- year period at a cost of £3million.
Thanks to Nigel Matravers in Hong Kong for the tip off -Ed

The Tusk Trust, based in Gillingham, supports 67 field projects in 19 African countries that not only work to protect wildlife, but also help to alleviate poverty through sustainable development and education among rural communities who live alongside the wildlife.

Dan Bucknell, executive director , will be giving a talk on the charity’s work on Friday 15 April 7.30 in the village Hall. Suggested donation of £10, to be shared  between Tusk and the Horsington Parish Church (Currently undergoing restoration).

It seems that your reporter consumed too much of Mr Tarling’s excellent (and very strong) Timothy Taylor’s “Landlord” bitter at the pub quiz on Easter Sunday and became muddled.

A casual slip of the pen resulted in what started as a pleasant Bank Holiday  lie-in turning into a right old lambasting for the poor soul, who was only trying to report what he thought was the truth.

A closer examination of his notes reveals that he got the WRONG RESULT.

Sorry everyone.

The correct result is:

1 The Moonies

2=   We’re thinking about it
The Jesters

4 The provisional Ted Banks Appreciation Society (Don’t ask, its too complicated -ED)

The Wooden Spoon went to 3 small 1 tall, who came a very honourable last, and won a bottle of bubbly for their trouble.

Perhaps someone else could take on the onerous task of reporting these events. The old git is clearly past it. (Surely not -Ed)

Original story

The award-winning Milborne Port Opera performs Gilbert and Sullivan’s third comic operetta, “The Sorcerer”, at the  Milborne Port Village Hall from 13^th-16^th April. At 7.30 pm. It should be a great show, featuring a 14 -piece orchestra and some great performers, including the regular duo from Horsington, epic cyclist and champion quizzer Chris Bailward and Richard Gaunt, sometimes known for organising karaoke evenings in the pub.

Once again MPO will transform the village hall into a theatre. The innovative MPO has given Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic tale a fresh new look for this new 2016 production. The show is set in Milborne Port itself, in the year 1958, at the start of the Rock n’ Roll and the “teenage” eras. The company hopes that everyone will enjoy watching an alternative and very funny  take on rural life in Somerset.

A big society wedding is due to take place at  Milborne Port’s premier mansion Ven House. The bridegroom decides to engage the services of a “Family Sorcerer” to enchant the whole village into falling in love with the first person they see, chaos ensues and some highly unsuitable relationships are formed.  It’s social engineering as you have never seen it before.

The show has wonderful music and great comic and dramatic scenes and twists. Just for good measure, they’ve spiced it up with a couple of extra characters and some new Sullivan numbers from other works.  The  award-winning company, and its 14-piece orchestra – under the musical direction of Caroline D’Cruz – is sounding fantastic in rehearsal – don’t miss this amazing show!

Tickets this year are available online (www.mpopera.co.uk) as well as from The Tippling Philosopher, Wayne’s and the Post Office in Milborne Port.

The Half Moon is organising a coach party on  Thursday 14th April. Some places available. Contact Andrew or Philippa – 01963 370140

The Half Moon’s traditional Easter Day quiz attracted 9 teams of considerable talent, who battled it out in a difficult quiz, set by Terry Loader, from Templecombe. Difficult, that is, unless you knew the name of the band which eventually became U2, and the names of the men who eventually became known as John Wayne and Pol Pot, among other tricky questions.

The winners were a very depleted Moonies, down to just 2 men, who scored 104 points. Were they economising on entry fees?

Second Equal were “We’re thinking about it” and the “Jesters”. Third were “3 Small 1 Tall”.

Entry fees and raffle money went to the church, and St Margaret’s Hospice.

Well organised, Terry.

Correction published

Congratulations to our broadband campaigner Penny Nagle. Thanks to her tireless energy, those who registered with her for rural broadband, and have current internet speeds of less than 2 Mb/s, now have a £500 voucher waiting for them. The voucher can be used for connecting to  a non-wired provider of a faster broadband service.

Penny is now searching for a supplier which can meet the needs of an enlarged group, which could include Stoke Trister, Cucklington and Buckhorn Weston, who have all shown interest.

If you have slow internet speeds and would like a better service, it is not too late to get involved, without obligation. Contact Penny Nagle.