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• Jeff Osborne - Managing Director of Osborne Refrigerators - and his passion for Driving 

 
Osborne Refrigerators have, for many years, been major sponsors of equestrian events covering a wide spectrum of the sport. When you have heard the commentator announce the next class in the main arena is the Osborne Refrigerators musical drive of the heavy horse, Osborne Refrigerators Double Harness Scurry, Osborne Refrigerators Cob Hack or Riding Horse, the list is endless; you may have wondered exactly what Osborne Refrigerators is all about?
Osborne Refrigerators Ltd have been established at their West Sussex base for more than 45 years and are the leading British manufacturer of refrigerators designed for the chilling and storage of wines, beers, cold beverages and foodstuffs for leading breweries, drinks manufacturers and leisure companies across the world with an enviable reputation for quality and reliability. Manufactured on site at the factory in West Sussex, they also include a range of chillers designed specifically for domestic use. They come in all shapes and sizes customized in any livery. Osborne Refrigerators can be found in Europe, the Far East, USA, South America, Australasia and indeed behind the bar of most of your local pubs and restaurants.

Managing Director Jeff Osborne and his wife Sally, a Director, have a very much 'hands-on' involvement with their company and combine their busy life with an active interest in the equestrian world, where they are equally well know as competitors in double harness scurry, private driving and showing competitions as they are as sponsors.

Jeff started his career in competitive sport with motor cycle racing, his current passion for double harness scurry driving at first thought seems a million miles away from motor cycles, but when you step back and consider the speed and adrenalin rush that scurry racing gives you the comparison seems much closer.

Jeff's sporting activities since motorbike scrambling and racing have ranged from skiing on snow, as well as water, to flying his own plane in an aerobatic team called the Red Sparrows.

It wasn't until he was in his late 30s that Jeff was persuaded by wife Sally to join their children in their riding lessons, so began Jeff's equestrian competitive career. In usual style, Jeff raced through a variety of equestrian pursuits, from Hunting, to Show Jumping then on to showing Working Hunters, Hacks and Cobs, with long term head groom Alison Tucker, a top showing competitor in her own right, at Jeff's side every step of the way. Jeff has not only ridden his own competition horses but has sponsored other riders along the way both to ride his mounts and their own. Jeff currently sponsors top Horse Driving Trials competitor David Matthews Junior himself (as was his father before him) an ex top Scurry Driver.

Jeff has more recently taken a keen interest in Private Driving and sponsors the BDS National Show in which of course he competes himself, with his superb, very successful Hackney, Haemeworth Lochnagar.

Jeff's collection of carriages is ever growing and his most recent acquisitions are two trade vehicles, a Milk Delivery van which is pulled by a traditional cob 'Charlie Naylor' and a Fishmongers vehicle also pulled by a traditional cob called 'The Poacher'.

Charlie Naylor, having gained experience in exercise classes went on last year to win the 4-wheel class at Hickstead and then took 3rd place at the National Championships at Towerlands. The Poacher, also after doing exercise classes started his competition career to the Fishmongers vehicle at the end of last season and will have his first full season in trade classes this year.

Just like many of the scurry competitors it was seeing the Double Harness Scurry Driving at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) that drew Jeff to it, at first thought as a sponsorship opportunity followed very closely by a second thought, this looks like fun, and the rest is History.

Due to a split in the Scurry world three years ago, there are now two separate Scurry groups, The Scurry Driving Association, and The Osborne Scurry Group, created by Jeff after the split happened so that those who wished to could still compete throughout the summer at all of the major County Shows and the Hickstead events, for the eleven places in each height class to go forward to the Horse of the Year Show to battle it out for the ever coveted title of Osborne Refrigerators Scurry Driver of the Year. Jeff has been competing in Double Harness Scurry Driving for over 25 years now and has made it to the finals at HOYS for most of them, but the title still eludes him, all of the other competitors are willing him to win as the party if he does get the crown will certainly be worth waiting for, but scurry drivers being the very competitive breed they are wont give an inch, even for the thought of drowning in champagne!!!!

Source: http://www.osborne-ref.co.uk/osg

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