What was Hayride?

The Hayride traditionally took place each year on the third Sunday in June,
a colourful procession of splendid heavy horses pulling ancient farm wagons;
superb light horses and vintage carriages.
The cavalcade, accompanied by hundreds of collectors in beautiful Victorian
costumes, left the stackyard and fields of Northlands Farm at 1.00pm.

Sadly, by 2006, the dwindling size of the procession and the logistics (plus
associated costs) of organising Hayride were a serious cause for concern.
Rather than allow the event to simply fizzle out the decision was made to go 
out in style. 2007 saw the 40th and last Hayride procession. 


Where did the procession go?
In the words of Ernie Teal:
 'The procession made its way through the village of Walkington and onwards 
to Bishop Burton, one of the most delightful villages in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
We stay awhile on the verdant Green at Bishop Burton to rest the horses and
sing those beloved songs of yesteryear, concluding of course with Land of Hope
and Glory (sung with great gusto and feeling by everyone, spectators included).

We left Bishop Burton and proceeded to Beverley's glorious Westwood to be 
greeted again by very enthusiastic crowds. We sang to them and dwelt awhile
before proceeding through the historic North Bar into the beloved old town of
Beverley - one of the highlights of the occasion.

We then turned homeward bound for Walkington and our valiant horses and
the collectors know it of course. We arrived back at Northlands Farm generally
at about 6.00pm, bouquets verbal and flowery were given out; pies and peas
were eaten; the horses fed and watered and yet another Hayride was over. '
 
Something to be proud of 

Our Victorian Hayride was absolutely unique, nowhere else in the length and 
breadth of Britain does such an event take place. In more than thirty years of its
existence, we have raised over £250,000 for charity, of which we are rightly proud.
Ernie Teal