Cycling Moo Kay moves to new pastures for £4,500

Superbly painted with Surrey Hills cycling scenes by Dorking artist Charles Rowbotham, Moo Kay was sold for £4,500 and helped raise funds for Cycling UK in the process.

The life-size, fibre-glass artwork was bought by Whitewall Galleries, whose Guildford premises are a very short ride from Cycling UK’s National Head Office – so hopefully this isn’t the last we have herd (sorry) from her!

Cycling Moo Kay was one of 20 bovine beauties to go under the hammer at last night’s Surrey Hills CowParade auction – which raised more than £120,000 in total for various charities.

Among those joining her on the Ewbank’s Auctioneers list were Watermoo, Cowntess Alice, Frontier Cow, Mirror Moo, Clarabelle, Dixie and Daisy – the last of those painted and signed by Sir Peter Blake, the ‘Godfather’ of British Pop Art who created the legendary sleeve for the Beatles’ album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

Before bidding started for Moo Kay, a video was shown of Cycling UK’s inclusive cycling work which enables people to cycle whatever their disability.

Cycling Moo Kay was one of over 60 brightly-painted cows on show across the county during the summer as part of the Surrey Hills CowParade.

All cow puns aside, the serious side of this auction is that well needed funds for cycling were raised to help us with our mission to make cycling possible for anyone, anywhere."
Matt Mallinder, Cycling UK's Marketing Director

Unfortunately, the original Moo Kay was stolen from the top of Box Hill one night in August.

But CowParade organisers kindly provided a replacement which artist Charles painted in less than two weeks to ensure we could raise funds at last night’s auction.

Charles, a Cycling UK member, said: “It was devastating that the original Cycling Moo Kay was stolen, but it was great to be given the chance to work on a sister cow for the auction.

“I changed the design to include an autumnal scene of Box Hill on one side, which draws inspiration from the wonderful colours of the Surrey Hills at this stunning time of year.

“I decided to keep the off-road view from Denbies Wine Estate on the other side of Moo Kay as I feel that composition worked really well on the original.”

Charles couldn’t make the big night at Hampton Court – but his parents Mark Rowbotham and Sherree Valentine Daines, both renowned artists themselves, were there.

Cycling Moo Kay was organised on behalf of Cycling UK by local cyclist Doug Clare, a member of the national cycling charity and chairman of G-Bug, the Guildford Cycling Campaign.

Matt Mallinder, Cycling UK's Marketing Director, was at the auction to witness the bidding, and said: "Cycling UK is over moo-n about how much has been raised, and we're extremely grateful to Doug Clare for purchasing Moo Kay for us and Charles lending his artistic prowess to make this possible. All cow puns aside, the serious side of this auction is that well needed funds for cycling were raised to help us with our mission to make cycling possible for anyone, anywhere."

Auction funds were split between the individual charities who sponsored each cow and the Surrey Hills Trust Fund.