The Royal Windsor Horse Show is a world-renowed event for all those who belong to the equestrian world, either as sportsmen, judges, or enthusiasts. Unlike other equestrian shows in the United Kingdom, the Royal Windsor Horse Show is the only one where competitors take part in four kinds of competitions: carriage driving, endurance riding, dressage, and show jumping. Some other shows are available for visiting during the festival: all guests can find their own piece of cake.
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Origins
When the event was first staged in 1943, its main purpose was to raise money to sponsor the government in terms of the war.The country was in need to pay for weapons and vehicles for the army. At the very first Royal Windsor Horse Show, almost four hundred thousand pounds were raised.
One interesting fact is that, initially, horses were not the only animals in the show. Dogs were also participating, though their best hour did not last long. In 1943, one of the dogs brazenly stole a chicken bite from King George, and he restrained dogs from participating in the show.
The British Royal Family is a staunch contributor to the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The event is developed every year; for now, it offers a wide range of equestrian sports represented. At the moment, there are no rivals in terms of the magnitude of the show: for all these years, the Royal Windsor Horse Show has been remaining the main equestrian event in the world.
Main Disciplines
Athletes perform in four disciplines:
- Endurance
In this discipline, horses and riders are tested for their level of resilience. Every contestant needs to overcome a route and come to the finish earlier than others. Horse riders are sent maps in advance of the day of competition, and their task is to study them and find the quickest route from the start to the finish.
- Show jumping
In this competition, everyone goes one by one in their own time—the results of the participants are compared in the end to identify the winner. Riders need to jump accurately over the various heights of the fences and not take down any of them in process. Accuracy and speed are the most important qualities of a successful rider.
- Showing
In the contests listed above, horses compete in terms of their physical alertness; this one is slightly different. Horses are compared by their breed, or class, or type. The best representative receives a special award.
- Driving
Unlike the other three equestrian contests, driving horses is also one of the most important driving events in the UK and a part of the FEI World Cup (it is a qualifier for the contestants). In the Driven Dressage, participants must perform a set series of movements in a carriage drawn by horses. The next stage is The Marathon Stage: here, horse riders should overcome the constraints on speed, competing with each other. The last of the disciplines is the Cone Driving, which requires contestants to show coherent teamwork when driving through the cones. The distance between these cones is very narrow, which makes it very hard to drive between them.
Other Highlights
The four central disciplines are, no doubt, a must-see for all the guests of the event. However, there are several alternatives to choose from if you want to see something else:
- The Musical Ride
Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment of the British Army usually participates in massive ceremonies; their task at the Royal Windsor Horse Show is the same. Dressed in a ceremonial parade uniform and holding the spades against the background of the British flag, they gallop at high speed to the sound of solemn music.
- The Shetland Pony Grand National
One contest that is not a part of the major disciplines is the Shetland Pony Grand National – show jumping, but with children-contestants on their ponies. They need to jump over little fences, just like adults, and the quickest of them becomes a winner.
- The Dog Show
Hounds, which are a symbol of the UK since Arthur Conan Doyle published his famous The Hound of Baskervilles – a novel from the Sherlock Holmes series – are historic dogs that have an interesting pedigree (hounds exist for two thousand and a half years). At the Royal Windsor Horse Show, the finest of the hounds participate in a dog parade.
Participants
Of course, for the reason that the Royal Windsor Horse Show is one of the most prestigious events in the equestrian world, not everybody can take part as a contestant.
Those horses who are allowed to participate in the event need to visit the veterinarian and anti-doping commission before the beginning of the show. They must also have all the needed equipment. Ponies, moreover, must fit the pony measurements in terms of their personal characteristics.
The owners of the horses should take anti-doping tests as well. There is a minimum entry age for every category.
Details
The show will be taking place from May 12th to May 15th, 2022. Contests and other events will be held in several horse arenas in Windsor Home Park, administered by the Crown Estate in Windsor, United Kingdom.
