A NEW FOREST store was named best large retailer in the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) awards.

Aivly Country Store in Ringwood received the trophy for best Large Tack Shop at the awards ceremony held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham.

This is the second time Aivy has lifted the trophy, its previous triumph was in 2013.

Nominations for the award are made by customers and each of the finalists is visited by a secret shopper who judges a number of areas including customer service, product range, shop layout and telephone manner.

Aivly has a had run of success over the last six months it also the Over the Counter Country Store of the Year 2015 which was presented at the Café Royal in London in November.

The store was founded in June 2001 by husband and wife team Sheila and Mervyn Lister with just one additional staff member.

Mervyn, an engineer by trade, and Sheila housewife, had a family interest in horses and their daughter Jodie, a dressage ride represented England.

“We had to travel miles to get all the stuff we needed,” said Mervyn. “We couldn’t get everything we needed under one roof – Aivly is a one-stop shop.

Since its opening Aivly has gone from strength to strength, expanding in 2006 with a larger car park, an additional 3000 square feet of warehouse space and refurbished tack shop.

Three years later the store underwent a further massive refurbishment when an upstairs showroom, separate tack room, and extra changing room facilities were added.

The business now employs eight full-time and four part time staff and has two lorries on the road delivering feed and bedding.

“We are a destination store now customers comes from all along the south coast to us,” added Mervyn.