Several of The Queen’s horses are on parade to welcome more than 50,000 visitors to the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Held on the private grounds of Windsor Castle, Britain’s largest outdoor equestrian show starts today and runs until Sunday, May 17. It is the only time of year that the grounds are open to the public.
The 2014 RWHS Mountain and Moorland Champion.
Regarded as the first major event of the summer show season, organisers of the UK’s largest outdoor equestrian event have received a total of 1863 showing entries – a 4% increase from 2014, demonstrating that the five-day event is as popular as ever.
Her Majesty The Queen, who has attended the show every year since it began in 1943, has several entries including her home-bred Highlanders, Balmoral Erica and Balmoral Gemini ridden by Lizzie Bryant, and her former racehorse, Barber’s Shop, ridden by Katie Jerram who is this year entering the Ladies Side Saddle Hunter Class.
Showing entries for this year’s show are once again up on the previous year for the third year running.
Royal Windsor Horse Show plays host to more than 150 showing competitions during five days, ranging from Heavyweight Cobs to Mini Show Ponies. Highlights include the Land Rover Mountain & Moorland Supreme In Hand Championship, the Land Rover Working Hunter Championship, the Cob Championship and the Show Hunter Pony Championships.
Many of last year’s champions will be returning to defend their crowns, including winner of both the Cob and Hack Championships in 2014, Simon Charlesworth and Working Hunter Champions, Libby Cooke with Harley Foxtrot. Local Berkshire showing producer, Jayne Ross, who cleaned up at Royal Windsor in 2014 with six wins has a total of 12 rides at this year’s Royal Windsor, including the stunning coloured cob, The Humdinger.
Her Majesty The Queen, who has attended the Show every year since it began in 1943, has several entries including her home bred Highlanders, Balmoral Erica and Balmoral Gemini, ridden by Lizzie Bryant and her former racehorse, Barbers Shop, ridden by Katie Jerram who is this year entering the Ladies Side Saddle Hunter Class.
British showjumpers and dressage riders will also be hoping for home advantage, with leading international stars including Britain’s 2012 Olympic gold medal jumping team members Ben Maher, Peter Charles, and Nick Skelton, who will be hoping for home advantage in the private grounds of Windsor Castle, the only time of year that they are open to the public.
In addition to the action packed Jumping, Dressage, Driving and Endurance competition on offer, the crowd will also be treated to a masterclass from dressage Olympian Carl Hester on the Friday night. He will give the audience pointers on how he tutored World Champion Charlotte Dujardin to become the most successful and impressively decorated dressage rider of her generation.
Among the confirmed international entries for the CSI3*Show Jumping is Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Al Sharbatly who will be looking to recreate his run of great form after three wins at Royal Windsor last year, and rising star Jessica Springsteen who, after a successful start to the year, is poised to secure a spot in the 2016 US Olympic Equestrian team. The CSI1* classes will also be brimming with new talent from 12 nations, including 15-year-old Harry Charles, son of Peter Charles, who was crowned leading Pony Show Jumper of the year at Horse of the Year Show 2014.
The show is also FEI World Cup Driving Qualifier, with World Equestrian Games placegetters Boyd Exell, Chester Weber and Theo Timmerman battling it out for victory. Three times World Champion Exell will be hoping to add a seventh Royal Windsor win to his list of impressive accolades and stop Weber from back-to-back wins at the show.
Royal Windsor Endurance takes place in The Great Park on Friday, May 15, and riders from nine nations will be competing. As always at this popular international ride there is a strong representation from the British riders including Nicola Thorne, who is currently second in the Open Riders World Endurance Rankings.
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