Olympia proved extra magical this year for a member of the Household Cavalry and his partner after he popped the question at the show.
Trooper Jonathan Adams enlisted the help of his fellow soldiers and their horses for a very special proposal to his girlfriend Megan Baldry.
Trooper Adams and his mount, Hastings, were part of the Household Cavalry musical ride at the seven-day show (16 to 22 December). Following the troop’s performance on Saturday evening, he asked Megan to be his wife in Olympia’s collecting ring to a guard of honour and a fanfare from his fellow servicemen.
He told H&H he had been planning the moment “for months”.
“For the moment to come off so well, was a huge relief,” said Trooper Adams.
“I was a nervous wreck for the 48 hours beforehand!
“I had known for around three months or so that I wanted to do the proposal at Olympia, but spent around a month alone planning out all of the fine details of it all. Megan hadn’t a clue whatsoever — she watched the show and was then taken to the warm up arena straight after our gallop out to where we had everything set up.”
Horses are a big part of both of their lives — Megan has ridden since she was a child and her fiancé explained he chose Olympia as it was “particularly significant occasion” for them — and for his horse.
The #OlympiaHorse2019 Household Cavalry Proposal
We’ve had it all at #OlympiaHorse2019 this week – from massive jumps to incredible Dressage performances – and proposals?! ???Watch as Jonathan Adams of The Household Cavalry successfully proposes to his new fiancé Megan Baldry!
Posted by Olympia, The London International Horse Show on Sunday, December 22, 2019
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“[Megan] has seen me at many other shows with the musical ride and this was the biggest and importantly, the last show I ever do as part of the musical ride,” he said.
“For the proposal itself, I was so glad to be able to use the horse, Hastings [a 19-year-old Suffolk/thoroughbred], who I have ridden with the ride for the past two years solid as well as countless other duties with him on Queen’s life guard.
“This was likely to be his last show too as part of the musical ride and we are both very much in love with him!
“I would like to thank my colleagues in both the Life Guards and Blues and Royals squadrons who helped make it happen and a particular mention to Josh Bayliss, who is the gentleman who brought Megan to the arena.”
Congratulations to the happy couple, from all of us at H&H!
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