The Innovation Award for the best new saddlery and tack product at the recent BETA International trade fair went to the highly deserving Smart-Lock Bridle from LS Sales (Farnam) Ltd.

This new bridle is packed with innovative features but retains a traditional, best quality look and feel.

The smart-lock system bridle, made of Sedgewick’s leather, incorporates a revolutionary new fastener from the aviation industry where all components must withstand monumental vibration/movement. This system is a stainless steel pin which clicks into a neat rivet hole to hold the reins and cheeks securely to the bit. The system allows quick changing of bits and reins while giving you ease of cleaning and security. The system is neat and unobtrusive being hidden by traditional stitching on the snaffle and dressage style bridles. The jumper bridle has just one hole in a single piece of leather and no stitches. The Smart-Lock system replaces the need for awkward threading of billet hook fasteners.

The bridle also features the new fold-away flash, a simple and innovative noseband design that enables quick and easy conversion from flash to plain noseband, hiding from view the unsightly loop that usually remains on the front of the noseband.

The double bridle features a single, padded headpiece with the straps for the cheeks and throatlatch cut from the same piece of leather. This cuts down on bulky overlay of leather. The noseband is buckled on both sides of the head, removing the need to thread the top strap through the padded headpiece. There is a neat keeper on the reins that prevent them getting caught around the rider’s foot, while giving a neat appearance to the judges.

“This bridle has so much to offer for riders – everyone who sees it really appreciates that it makes life so much easier when it comes to changing bits, and the noseband idea is so simple. It was thought of by riders, for riders. I am delighted with the award,” says Leslie Sutcliffe, director of LS Sales (Farnam) Ltd.

The smart-lock bridle is available in dressage, cross noseband, or snaffle models. There are two price levels to make the bridle affordable by all. The ‘Sterling’ premium range in Sedgewick leather from RRP £225 for snaffle bridle to £265 for the double, and from £110 for the snaffle bridle to £125 for the double in ‘super standard’ leather. Prices include reins.

For more details, call 01608 683855 or visit www.lesliesutcliffe.biz