Wendy's trip to see Frankel!
Wendy got in touch with Willberry's Wish team about how she wanted to go and visit the famous Frankel. Willberry and his team got strraight to work, speaking to Victoria Murrell who works at Banstead Manor stud Juddmonte Farms Ltd where Frankel spends his days.. Willberry also managed to get a trip to National Heritage Centre For Horseracing & Sporting Art organised before their trip to meet Frankel.
Along came the 7th December, the day for Wendy's wish. The sun shone as everyone made their way to the museum. Wendy and Julie were lovely. By stroke of Willberry magic, the first person we bumped into at the museum was Bob Champion!! He was on his way up to Olympia but wished them a good day. The paintings of the race horses were magnificent and the silks from the jockeys going back years in glass cases were extraordinary.
The RoR have a small yard at the back of the museum where they can keep up to 8 horses for the start of there re training. They gave a demonstration of their work which Wendy and Julie (Wendy's daughter) went and watched. We had to be sure to keep an eye on the time as we definitely could have spent longer at the museum.
After lunch was finished at the museum we got back in the cars and headed out of Newmarket town and into immaculate countryside to arrive at Banstead Manor Stud. Despite a quick sat-nav error and arriving at the mares unloading bay they arrived through the high metal gates up the drive to a beautiful manor house and the offices.
Wendy and Julie went with a lovely man from the yard and grabbed a seat in the sun as the 5 stallions were paraded out for them. Wendy said she'd had a brilliant time and was even lucky enough to give Frankel a carrot!!
What did Wendy think of her wish?
”What a wonderful Willberry Wish my daughter, Julie Hurst, and I had when we visited Newmarket in December in beautiful sunshine! The Museum in the morning was very interesting and the live demonstration of the Retraining of Racehorses quite fascinating. They do such a good job. After a delicious lunch there Julie and I progressed to the main event of meeting Frankel and the four other stallions at the Juddmonte Stud. It was such a privilege to have all the stallions paraded before us as we sat on our 'director's chairs' and then to be able to pat and feed Frankel with carrots was oh so special! We will treasure the memory for ever. Our guide was so welcoming and knowledgeable, too. Very many thanks to him and the Stud. We also really enjoyed seeing all the beautiful and varied trophies that Frankel and the other stallions had won. Truly a day to remember!”
Willberry is so glad he managed to bring a smile to Wendy’s face.