- Sep 20, 2021
- 4 min read

HRH Princess Anne came to Formby last Friday for a royal visit to Bowlers Riding School

The royal helicopter landed at Woodvale Airport last Friday 17th September and HRH Princess Anne was driven to Bowlers Riding School who are celebrating 80 years in business this year.

Mary Bowler herself was absolutely thrilled! Bowlers Riding School is also home to the Formby Branch of the RDA (Riding for the Disabled), making horse riding lessons accessible to all.

The Princess joined Riding for the Disabled (RDA) as its Patron in 1971, later becoming President in 1985. RDA provides riding and carriage driving to children and adults with disabilities to around 28,000 people each year, offering therapy, achievement and fun.

HRH The Princess Royal presented Mary Bowler with a beautiful framed picture of a horse with an inscription which said: ‘Presented to Mary Bowler by HRH The Princess Royal for her lifetime contribution to her local community’.

Mary Bowler told Formby Bubble: “What a day, what an honour! HRH Princess Anne visiting our Riding School. I can’t praise her enough, she was absolutely lovely. She shook hands with us and she didn’t just hold your fingertips, she held your whole hand with a firm handshake. When she spoke to you, she looked you straight in the eyes as if she was really interested in what you were saying.”

“The Princess put everyone at ease straight away. She took time to talk to everybody and has a great sense of humour. She made everyone feel really special. She was here for an hour and a half and she was absolutely lovely. She spoke to every single disabled person and their carers, every single volunteer who help out with the RDA and also every single member of staff.”

Mary went on to say: “The Princess didn’t just shake hands and move on, she had an individual word with everyone she met. I don’t know how she does it, she’s a fantastic woman she really is. She was dressed in a lovely summer dress and white jacket with flat shoes. So informally dressed and so lovely.”

“When she was introduced to me, I said to her, I would curtesy mam but I’d probably fall over and she replied, ‘well we can’t have that can we?’ At one point I was presenting certificates to long time members of the RDA and I dropped my stick on the floor, the Princess bent down and picked it up for me. How many people could say the Princess Royal had picked up their walking stick for them? She went on to ask me how the stables had started so I told her all about the history and how it all began (please see below).”

“I also met her Lady In Waiting and she was telling me that the princess does fifteen visits a week and she is 71 years old! I just can’t say how nice she was with everybody. I felt tremendously proud to have her visit. I am 88 years old next month. The riding school has been going for 80 years. The first lessons were five shillings an hour that’s 25p. If I had my life over again I would do exactly the same.”

Her Royal Highness is kept informed about all aspects of RDA’s work and takes an active role in helping to shape the future direction of the charity. With a schedule of activities that takes her all across the UK and abroad, the Queen’s 71-year-old sister has remained one of the royal family’s busiest members.

Her Royal Highness is well-known for her love of horses and an equestrian career that included competing in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, and she is involved in riding for disadvantaged organizations all throughout the Commonwealth.

History of Mary Bowlers Riding School.

Back in 1941 in the early years of World War II, a local man, Mr. Tom Bowler bought a pony called Titch for his daughters. Being a keen horseman, Tom was eager for them to learn to ride properly and began giving them regular lessons. Local people began to take notice and with a respect for Tom’s teaching method, he was asked teach the other children around the area with great success. They were learning to ride their beloved ponies safely and correctly.

As demand for Tom’s lessons increased, so did the number of ponies. So he decided to buy more of them so that more children could learn to ride and thus Bowlers Riding School was born. One of Tom’s daughters Mary, followed her fathers passion for horses and as she grew up began to teach lessons herself, eventually taking over the business. She has lived at the site all her life but has seen many changes to the stables, which was originally surrounded by fields and farmland (RAF Woodvale was only just being built in 1941), and also seen many horses come and go.

Mary has now handed the reins over to Karen Southeran and Pat Armfield, who have been running the business since 2006, and have made an ongoing commitment to the future success of Bowlers Riding School.

Horse Riding should be accessible to all, so that is why at Bowlers Riding School we have a number of horses and ponies that are extremely quiet and can be used by people who have a range of disabilities. We are home to the Formby branch of the Riding for the Disabled Association who, through charity funding are able to provide specialist equipment and horses for use in the school. The group also provides volunteers so that both children and adults are able to ride in a safe and supervised environment. We have a wheelchair ramp that can be used by people with limited mobility to get onto the horse, and special equipment to aid in riding. Lessons can be arranged either through the RDA group or by us personally. For a private lesson, it is best to give us a ring and a member of staff can discuss the rider's needs over the phone, or if preferred you can drop in, have a look around and ask us some questions.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any further information on Tel: 01704 872 915

Mary Bowlers Riding School

35 Brewery Lane

Formby

L37 7DY

Est. 1941