New name for Police Horse marking Women’s Rugby World Cup

Posted on 21 August 2025, at 12:58 in Good News

(L-R) Head of Safety and Security Dave Storr, Mounted Officer PC Jenny Williams, PH Ashton, Bristol Bears player Jenny Herring and Supt Vicks Hayward-Melen.

A police horse has been officially named and marked the arrival of the Women’s Rugby World Cup to Bristol.

Police Horse Ashton, formerly named Arthur Apples, has celebrated the completion of his training with a ceremony at Ashton Gate Stadium yesterday (Wednesday 20 August), the host venue for two of the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter finals and both semi-final matches in September.

The official naming ceremony included representatives from the police, Ashton Gate, Bristol Sport and Bristol Bears Women’s Team, with our Head of Operations and Silver Commander for the World Cup Supt Vicks Hayward-Melen, Ashton Gate’s Head of Safety and Security Dave Storr, and Bristol Bears General Manager Daisie Mayes and player Jenny Herring in attendance.

Head of Operations and Silver Commander for the Women’s Rugby World Cup, Supt Vicks Hayward-Melen, presenting Mounted Officer Jenny Williams with PH Ashton’s naming plate. (Photo by Will Cooper/Bristol Sport)

Ashton Gate Head of Safety and Security Dave Storr said: “We are honoured that Avon & Somerset Police are naming one of their police horses after the stadium and the local area. Police horses play an important role on matchdays with large crowds and we look forward to welcoming PH Ashton back to Ashton Gate in an operational capacity.”

The 17.1-hand Irish Draught horse first joined Avon and Somerset Police in July 2023 as a seven-year-old horse from Ireland.

PH Ashton had spent the first part of his life living on an apple orchard and being ridden by his previous owner without a saddle.

PH Ashton’s training, with his mounted officer PC Jenny Williams, included attending many large-scale events such as football games and festivals, disorder training and crowd management.

*PH Ashton was joined by other members of the Mounted Unit. (Photo by Will Cooper/Bristol Sport)*

Head of Operations, Supt Vicks Hayward-Melen, said: “PH Ashton has become a valuable and reliable member of our invaluable Mounted Unit, proving himself in every aspect of his training and operational deployments.

“In his first two years with Avon and Somerset Police, PH Ashton has represented King and Country at a recent state visit to Windsor during the visit of French President Macron. He also proved himself to be a safe set of hooves during recent disorders.”

PH Ashton isn’t without his quirks and is lovingly known to be one of the cheekier horses among the Mounted Unit.

During the height of one recent disorder deployment, now-Mounted Sgt Tom Rycroft spotted PH Ashton having a snack from a nearby tree, like nothing was happening around him.

*PH Ashton showing his cheeky side to Bristol Bears player Jenny Herring and Supt Vicks Hayward-Melen. (Photo by Will Cooper/Bristol Sport)*

His cheekiness has seen him in several spots of mischief back at the stables, including escaping from the yard on a number of occasions and nibbling his colleagues’ hay when they weren’t looking.

Supt Hayward-Melen added: “Despite his mischief, he is now a well-established police horse within the team, has proven his bravery and is a real asset to Avon and Somerset Police.

“It is great to be able to honour the local area we serve and Ashton Gate Stadium. We celebrate the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup matches which arrive in Bristol in September and look forward to policing the event and keeping the public safe.”