High praise for brand new Brash sculpture

Peebles' globetrotting Olympic hero Scott Brash is now a permanent fixture in the town, thanks to a breathtaking new sculpture.
Photographer Ian Georgeson, 07921 567360
pIC: Chris Cassidy and son Ross 2
Tribute to Olympic Showjumper Scott Brash MBE by KPAXTON Blacksmiths situated on Edinburgh Road, PeeblesPhotographer Ian Georgeson, 07921 567360
pIC: Chris Cassidy and son Ross 2
Tribute to Olympic Showjumper Scott Brash MBE by KPAXTON Blacksmiths situated on Edinburgh Road, Peebles
Photographer Ian Georgeson, 07921 567360 pIC: Chris Cassidy and son Ross 2 Tribute to Olympic Showjumper Scott Brash MBE by KPAXTON Blacksmiths situated on Edinburgh Road, Peebles

Local artist Kevin Paxton and his Artfe Smiddy team pulled out all the stops to make the sculpture of the London team gold-medallist on Hello Sanctos out of recycled horseshoes.

The statue – which seems to defy the laws of gravity, with horse and rider captured in mid-jump over a beautifully decorated fence – was put in place by Edinburgh Road last week and it has been widely praised.

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It marks the end of a mammoth £25,500 fundraising task by the volunteers at Bonnie Peebles and an epic 1,000 hours of beating old horseshoes – with the cash being raised and the sculpture built within the year.

08/08/2012,  TSPL, Scotsman Publications, London Olympic Games 2012. Equestrian Individual Jumping, Greenwich park., Scott Brash, GBR comes over the last jump on Hello Sanctos.  Pic Ian Rutherford08/08/2012,  TSPL, Scotsman Publications, London Olympic Games 2012. Equestrian Individual Jumping, Greenwich park., Scott Brash, GBR comes over the last jump on Hello Sanctos.  Pic Ian Rutherford
08/08/2012, TSPL, Scotsman Publications, London Olympic Games 2012. Equestrian Individual Jumping, Greenwich park., Scott Brash, GBR comes over the last jump on Hello Sanctos. Pic Ian Rutherford

Bonnie Peebles co-ordinator Avril Murray couldn’t be happier with the finished product.

She told The Southern: “It is looking absolutely great. Kevin’s artistic bent takes off now and again and it certainly has done here.

“He is very good at what he does, and he’s been a delight to work with on this project.

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“It is a beautiful sculpture, and it is thoroughly deserved for Scott, for all that he has achieved.

08/08/2012,  TSPL, Scotsman Publications, London Olympic Games 2012. Equestrian Individual Jumping, Greenwich park., Scott Brash, GBR comes over the last jump on Hello Sanctos.  Pic Ian Rutherford08/08/2012,  TSPL, Scotsman Publications, London Olympic Games 2012. Equestrian Individual Jumping, Greenwich park., Scott Brash, GBR comes over the last jump on Hello Sanctos.  Pic Ian Rutherford
08/08/2012, TSPL, Scotsman Publications, London Olympic Games 2012. Equestrian Individual Jumping, Greenwich park., Scott Brash, GBR comes over the last jump on Hello Sanctos. Pic Ian Rutherford

“We had to do lots of fundraising, which was accomplished through some fantastic race and bingo nights, as well as several donations, including a grant from the common good fund.”

Artist Kevin, who included some of Hello Sanctos’s own shoes in the sculpture, returned the praise on the Bonnie Peebles Facebook page.

He said: “We applaud the efforts put in by the Bonnie Peebles team in fund raising the financing of this project.

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“It was a delight to work with such enthusiastic, welcoming and decent people.

“We hit bits of hot metal, you guys made it happen. Take a bow and be proud of yourselves.”

And Scott himself is delighted with the statue, and said he can’t wait to see it for himself.

He shared photos of the artwork on Facebook, saying: “I am extremely overwhelmed and grateful to the community of Peebles, Bonnie Peebles and Artfe in creating this statue in recognition of our achievements.

“I have always been very proud of where I came from and the community of Peebles have impressed me yet again.

“I can’t wait to see the statue when I next make it home.

“Thanks to all involved.”

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