The annual Abingdon Horse Show took place on Sunday, organised by the Berkshire Downs Riding Club, in Rye Farm Meadows by the River Thames. The club tooking over running this event in 2006 and their website says “The Club is renowned for being friendly and sympathetic!! We really are not tomorrow’s John Whittakers or Mary Thompsons and do not claim to be. What we can offer is a good grounding for you and your horse.”

The sun came out at times and the ice cream van was there along with a number of stalls, such as saddlers, more usually associated with horses….

2121 Squadron ATC Abingdon were there as usual to help set the fences and reset them when they got knocked down.

It is not an event that gets a lot of publicity locally. But there are tell tale signs to alert locals that something is happening: horse manure on town roads being one.

The Abingdon Rugby 7s competition day started back in 1956 at the Hayle’s Meadows Ground, still undergoing development at the time and due to be shared by rugby, hockey and cricket clubs. Abingdon Rugby are now well established at Southern Town Park. Abingdon Hockey play at Tilsley Park. Cricket and Football are at Hayle’s Meadow.

This year, 2013, saw the first ladies Rugby 7’s competition. Eight ladies teams competed for the George Dimond Cup in memory of one of the stalwarts of the club.

Radio Abingdon XTRA were broadcasting the proceeding from the back of a van, next to the club house. They had intended broadcasting from the clubhouse but it was too noisy.

In Rugby 7s there are far more tries scored than in the larger game with 15 players. Each team plays a number of short matches and the best scoring teams play off for the trophies.

Abingdon RUFC 7s can be seen here, in yellow and green, just about to score a try.

After scoring a try the player then tries to kick the ball back over the uprights from behind.

Rugby 7s has all the parts you would expect of a game of rugby: lineouts, scrums, offsides, tries etc. .

It just happens much quicker.