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Biggest
horse show in the country gets even bigger
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Visitors
and competitors alike to Royal Windsor Horse Show 2002 are set to
reap some exciting benefits from the additional facilities required
by the All The Queen’s Horses, which is being hosted on the
Royal Windsor ground during the evenings of 16th, 17th and 18th
of May 2002.
This
year many aspects of Britain’s biggest horse show, Royal Windsor,
will be dramatically upgraded to cater for the requirements of All
The Queen’s Horses.
During
the day the 8400m2 main arena of All The Queen’s Horses will
become the main Castle Arena for Royal Windsor Horse Show. A premium
grade, all weather artificial surface will be laid in both the main
arena and collecting ring and the main arena will be relocated to
take full advantage of the magnificent backdrop of Windsor Castle.
There will be approximately twice as many seats as usual around
the main arena in addition to a number of private boxes ensuring
that as many people as possible can enjoy main arena viewing in
comfort.
Pedestrian and vehicle trackways will be laid around the main arena
and major thoroughfares for ease of movement whatever the weather.
A full concert sound system and state-of-the-art lighting will give
an unforgettable edge to every performance but particularly Royal
Windsor Horse Show’s traditional Sunday Evening Spectacular.
Big screens located on the main arena will give audiences the chance
to check out the action in other rings and Home Park Private, without
having to leave their seats.
The trade stand layout has been re-designed to make it ever more
shopper- friendly and there will be an even broader range of over
150 shopping options.
Advance tickets for the Royal Windsor Horse Show are available from
the box office, telephone 0870 121 5370 and range from £6
- £10 for adults and £3.50 to £7 for concessions,
with on the day prices from £8-£12 for adults and £5-
£8 for concessions. Tickets are still available for All The
Queen’s Horses, via the same box office number. To find out
more about Royal Windsor Horse Show visit the website at
www.royal-windsor-horse-show.co.uk
or for All The Queen’s Horses visit www.allthequeenshorses.co.uk
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Did
You Know?
"
More than 40 different types of horses, such as miniature
horses the size of a large dog to grand old heavy horses
standing at around 18hh will compete at this year's
show
" There will be 150 trade stands to satisfy every
kind of shopaholic
" More than 80,000 people will attend both shows
" 750 people will be working behind the scenes
to ensure that the shows run smoothly
" Up to 14,000 competitors, owners, grooms, trade
stand holders will be working at the show over five
days
" A combined figure of around 4,000 horses and
ponies will compete at Royal Windsor Horse Show and
participate in All The Queen's Horses
" 1,000 temporary stables will be specially built
for the all the horses and ponies participating in the
shows
" 7,000 bales of hay and 2,000 sacks of horse feed
will be consumed by hungry horses
" 4,000 bales of shavings and straw will be used
as bedding in the stables
" More than 20 metric tonnes of manure will be
removed from the site during the show.
" The main castle arena is a phenomenal 8400m2
equivalent to several football pitches.
" 2500 tonnes of high-grade artificial surface
will be laid in the main arena and collecting rings
covering a total of 12500m2.
" The surface will be delivered by 75 x 44 tonne
articulated lorries.
" 4000Kva of electrical power will be provided,
powered by 26 mobile generators and a 1,000Kva sub-station.
This is eight times the requirement of a small housing
estate.
" Over two kilometres of trackway will be laid
around the main arena and walkways
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A
brief history of Royal Windsor Horse Show
"
1943: RWHS created by Geoffrey Cross and Count Robert Orssich
during a 'Wings for Victory week'.
" 1943: The first show also included a dog show. Legend
has it that Count Orssich had a disobedient Lurcher, who stole
a chicken leg from King George VI's plate during the ceremonies.
This created such uproar that the committee ruled that there
would be no more dogs at the Royal Windsor Show, a ruling
that still stands to this day.
" 1943: Princess Elizabeth won the Single Private Driving
Turnout Class.
" 1944: The winner of the Open Jumping won £15.
" 1946: RWHS grew to a two day show.
" 1947: The show was extended to three days 'in order
to devote more time to the individual classes and also to
include some new ones'.
" 1947: The Coaching Marathon was introduced.
" 1948: When the Olympic Games were scheduled to be held
in London, Windsor was chosen to stage the Show Jumping trial.
" 1948: The Musical Ride of the Household Cavalry, which
had not been seen since 1939 was resurrected at RWHS.
" 1949: A covered stand as well as an open one was introduced
to provide a much better and more comfortable view of the
ring.
" 1949: Mountain and Moorland in hand classes were introduced.
" 1950: The BBC put out a live broadcast for the first
time.
" 1950: A new class for Polo Ponies was introduced.
" Her Majesty The Queen became Patron of the RWHS Club.
" 1952: The first floodlit evening performance took place
during Festival of Britain year.
" 1954: The Queen donated a cup to be given to the winners
of a competition for Services Team Jumping.
" 1954: The show was televised on all three days for
the first time.
" 1955: Windsor became the focus for international attention
in 1955 when the horse show was the start of an eight day
festival that continued with two days of international dressage
followed by the European three Day Event Championship, both
held in Windsor Great Park.
" 1962: RWHS organisers put on the first Concours Dressage
International to be held in Britain.
" 1963: John Bloom's Rolls Prestcold Company sponsored
the entire show, which was the first time the show had ever
been sponsored.
" 1964: The show was cancelled because of an outbreak
of equine influenza.
" 1967: The show was extended to four days to cope with
the ever-increasing entries.
" 1970: The first International Driving Event was introduced.
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"
1977: The show was extended to five days.
" 1982: The Duke of Edinburgh won the Horse Teams Class in
the International Driving Grand Prix with HM The Queen's team of
Bays.
" 1983: Not only did The King's Troop RHA perform their familiar
and spectacular Musical Drive but Pairs of magnificent heavy horses
performed their own Musical Drive too.
" 1985: Finn Caspersen's team of Bay Holsteiners, driven by
Bill Long, won the Horse teams in the International Driving Grand
Prix. This inspired Beneficial Corporation's sponsorship of the
show.
" 1989: HRH The Duke of Edinburgh won the Pony Teams Class
in the International Driving Grand Prix.
" 1992: The show celebrated 50 years with an anniversary ball
attended by HM The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
" 1995: Geoffrey Cross, founder of the show died.
" 1997: International show jumping was re-introduced at the
show after a break of some 14 years.
" 1998: The show was moved to the River end of Home Park Public.
" 2002: More advance tickets than ever before have already
been sold for this year's show, which promises to be the biggest
and best ever.
Website:
www.royal-windsor-horse-show.co.uk
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