On Wednesday, thousands of eager competitors and spectators of the Royal Windsor Horse Show awoke to bitterly disappointing news on the cancellation of the first day of the 2016 event. The latest downpour showcased the British weather at its finest, demonstrating how we are not quite out of the splash zone for a un-seasonal bout of April showers. This is the first time in the history of this iconic event the show has been cancelled. However, all is not lost to pesky precipitation, as there are still three more exhilarating days left scheduled, and they are definitely not to be missed!
The Royal Windsor Horse Show is the UK’s largest outdoor show, and it takes place on the picturesque grounds of Windsor Castle. This is the only time of year that the grounds are open to the public, so it’s vital to take advantage of this unique privilege to explore this prestigious location. There will be an extensive range of events happening throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday that will ensure that there is something for everyone including International show jumping, International driving, endurance, an array of showing classes and many other extraordinary equestrian displays.
The event will play host to some of the biggest names on the showjumping circuit, as they will all be competing to take home their share of the increased total prize fund of £293,395.
With anticipation building for the Rio Olympic games, just a mere two months away, riders will be looking to provide Olympic selector impressing performances. International showjumping will scale three days, from the Friday to the Sunday, with household names showcasing their talent such as John and Robert Whitaker, Guy Williams, Robert Smith and Tim Stockdale joining other international Olympic stars, including reigning world and European champion Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), Olympic individual gold medallist Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and ranked number six in the world Kent Farrington (USA).
The pinnacle events for the showjumping will be the CSI4* Kingdom of Bahrain stakes for the King’s Cup on Saturday and the CSI4* Grand Prix for the Kingdom of Bahrain Trophy on Sunday. However, for some lighter entertainment, traditional events such as the Shetland Grand National (run over all three of the days), the adrenalin-inducing DAKS pony club mounted games and the stunning musical ride of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. Royal Windsor also provides the ideal platform for indulging in a little retail therapy.
However, if you are sadly unable to make it to this outstanding event, do not despair! Through the magic of technology, for the first time ever, you can now live stream the event straight to your own devices from anywhere in the world. The service is available via the Royal Windsor Horse Show website.
The show opens on Saturday 7.00am and Sunday from 7.30am. Tickets are priced from £25, however concessions are available for seniors aged 65+, student card holders and groups. Children are charged £10 a ticket for the Saturday and Sunday. (prices and times differ for Friday).
Tickets are still available for today (Friday), Saturday and Sunday and these can be purchased through the website The Ticket Factory or via the box office on 0844 581 4960 from the UK and +44 (0) 121 767 4660 internationally. Or locally at Windsor Information Centre either over the counter or by telephoning +44 (0) 1753 743900.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.