A professional horse clipper has unveiled her latest creative cut to raise money for a cancer charity.
Melody Hames, who works as an equestrian clipper in Lancashire and is known as the Horse Barber, has trimmed her Welsh Section D, Romeo, to feature gingerbread men, cupcakes and coffee to raise awareness of a coffee morning being held this weekend (Saturday 10 March) in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
Melody wanted to support the coffee morning and Macmillan after recently losing her close friend, Robert Ainsley, to cancer in the new year.
Along with a coffee morning, which is being held at Lancashire competition centre, Croft Top, a Just Giving page has also been set up for those who can’t attend the event.
All money raised by the event and online will go towards Macmillan Cancer Support.
Melody first started clipping aged nine as the owner of a pony with PPID (formerly known as Equine Cushing’s) who needed clipping throughout the year and has refined her craft ever since.
Now a professional clipper, Melody often travels to America to showcase her methods at horse fairs.
Romeo – aka the gingerbread horse – is owned by Melody and has been her clipping partner for the past three years, regularly sporting creative clips.
Melody says: “As well as a traditional clipper, I’ve also become known for my creative clips. Romeo sports a creative clip each year, which he shows off to the maximum – he knows when the camera is on him!
“This year, Romeo’s clip features gingerbread men, cupcakes and coffee to draw attention to the coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. This is in tribute to the recent loss of a good friend, Robert Ainsley, and also in memory of those who have lost their battle to cancer.
“All my work is freehand and over the years, I’ve refined my craft and learned a lot along the way, teaching myself and developing my clipping skills.”