In 1968 a group of Show Jumping enthusiasts met to establish a club which would run shows for the benefit of riders in the South West and help with the education of their horses.  It was decided that Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset would be the area covered, (hence the Four Counties Grade C Championship which runs to this day), all those riding or owning horses competing at Club Shows must be members of the club. A Council was formed, comprised of representatives from the four counties, elected by the members of the Club, to oversee the running of the Clubs affairs on their behalf.  The Club to be non-profit making with all surpluses being ploughed back for the benefit of the membership, no payment to be made to any Council member.  Council members to serve for 2 years and then to stand for re-election at the AGM which is now held at the August Show when all members can attend and put forward their views.  These principles of voluntary service have never changed and form the basis of the successful Club we have today.

In the early years one day Shows were held in each of the four counties, with the help of members living locally.  They were one ring shows relying on local sponsorship to help with the finance.  Cornwall had several sites including Fraddon; in Devon, Haldon Racecourse, Alphington and Clyst St Mary were venues; in Dorset, Bridport and Somerset, at Ilminster, Yeovil and Shepton Mallet. We also used to run the day after an established one-day show using their facilities.  Castle Carey, Exmouth and Woodbury come to mind. A wet April (what’s new!) in 1975 caused an emergency move to Bicton for a one day show.  Out of this move grew the idea of having a four day show at Bicton over the 1976 Easter weekend as members were finding it increasingly expensive to go Hickstead.  Browsing through the Minute Book, the first mention of this was in June 1975.  It was proposed as a joint venture with Clinton Estates with the profits shared 50/50 and indeed the Easter Show remained in this format until 1978.

The Council set about making the arrangements for the Show.  It must be remembered that in 1975 the only facilities at Bicton were a railed Arena and a hard road running from the entrance to the top of the field with two hard tracks running off this road to the Arena.  All that the club owned was a caravan and a set of Show Jumps.  To think of running a 3 ring, four day show was quite an undertaking, but the Council set to work with a will hiring in the necessary equipment. The Minutes read that 175 temporary stables were booked from Woodhouse, 2 Portaloo caravans at £25.00 each were hired, the P.A. system was £25.00 and 2 caravans for judges boxes, and 1 for Secretary £40.00.  It was decided to charge £2.00 per night for parking caravans and lorries with living accommodation. 

A water jump was constructed in the Arena on a half share basis with the estate.  The Council entered into an agreement with the BSJA to purchase 20 pairs of wings and cups for £700.00 paying a 25% deposit with the rest interest free in 3 annual instalments.  Four members of the Council stood as  guarantors.  The Estate undertook to build a two story wooden building at the Arena for a Secretary and Judges box.  In the event this was not completed in time for the Easter Show and caravans parked on the bank were used, much to the consternation of the judges who were worried that they could finish up in the Arena themselves!  During the winter and the run up to the show it became clear that, due to road widening at Alphington, the ground there would not be available until later in the year.  At this point the Council decided that all the Devon shows should, in future, be held at Bicton, the Estate charging £50 a day to hire the ground.  According to the Minute Book the Easter Show was a thundering success, resulting in a surplus of some £1800, the only complaints received were from the East Devon District Council concerning the catering and the state of the toilets! 

Thus Bicton was born.

It is interesting to read that 3000 copies of the programme for the Easter Show were printed. Such was the interest in Show Jumping in those days, fostered by the coverage on national television, that riders at the top level were household names, and the public flocked to see them at local shows and Bicton attracted the best of the top riders.

During 1976 three further one day shows were held and in September the Estate told us of their intention to erect a Toilet and Shower Block if planning permission could be obtained.  We asked that a telephone booth be added to the plans.  During the winter the Council sanctioned the funds to build a Derby Bank and Devils Dyke.  Collecting Ring Boxes were also purchased, one being paid for by the very active Junior Committee we had at that time.  The Council also allocated £5000.00 - £5500.00 for prize money for the 1977 season.  In March the Estate constructed 50 benches around the Arena and the Toilet Block was finished, complete with public telephone. The Minute Book noted that the telephone was much used, but that nobody had had a shower, so it was suggested that instructions be pinned up on the wall on how to use the facility!  By July shelters had been provided for arena parties and it was noted that the water jump was being overused causing the approach to break up and it was decided that a further water jump be built in an outside ring.  In the September it became possible to purchase the P.A. equipment which we had been hiring for £550.00.  In January 1978 the Council agreed to rail the two top rings at a cost of £700.00 and had made enquiries about the possible purchase of the ground (year 2000 and we are still enquiring).   In July the Estate announced a rent increase to £180.00 a day for 1979.  Early in 1978 a Sub Committee was formed to run Show Pony Classes to help with the expenses and these classes were very popular.

After the ’78 season it became obvious that more office accommodation was needed and during the winter £500 was spent on an extension for the Secretary, (now the Treasurer's Office), and the original office used to entertain sponsors (the present day rosette store). During the year the Council had been in negotiations with the Estate over the provision of permanent stables.  Planning permission having been obtained these were constructed and 120 boxes were ready for the 1979 season.  By the end of the season plans were afoot to replace the judges caravans with permanent judges boxes.  Spillers kindly donated one box and the other, together with the outside Timing Displays, were paid for by the club with the help of a fund set up in memory of a long time supporter of Bicton. The eighties saw the establishment of a fourth ring with the Club erecting the Sponsors Pavilion and the Estate the Raleigh Building, which doubled as a potato store during the winter.

The policy set in the Club’s first five years at Bicton continues to this day.  Improvements made and equipment purchased as and when funds are available.  We are lucky to have had foresighted members in the early days who laid the foundations for us, and even more lucky that our build up came when show jumping was a fashionable sport to sponsor and televise.  We were able to weather the recession in the eighties and start expanding again in the nineties to accommodate the increasing number of competitors who want to enjoy Bicton.  We welcome them all and especially the second generation, the children of the original junior members of the club. This increase in itself causes problems, not only trying to fit a quart into a pint pot, whilst finding the money to keep up with the Health and Safety regulations, but ensuring that the unpaid and purely voluntary helpers needed, from the Judges, to the Collecting Ring Stewards, Ground Workers, Office and Stable Staff are not taken advantage of and expected to cope with working longer and longer hours on their fellow members behalf.  Much time is spent trying to solve this problem, for solve it we must if we are not to get to that last straw.  .  .  .  .  .