The producers of The King’s show horses and native ponies have revealed which animals they will be competing at the 2023 Royal Windsor Horse Show (11 – 14 May)
The King took ownership of The late Queen’s home-bred show horses and ponies after her death last September.
Show horse producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable has four of The King’s horses heading to Windsor this year, including last year’s Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse champion, First Receiver. The six-year-old was the first of The Queen’s home-breds to take a championship title at HOYS. He will be competing in the thoroughbred ridden show series qualifier on Thursday.
Katie will also ride seven-year-old Fools Paradise in the small riding horse class on Saturday, while last year’s reserve in-hand coloured champion Sunbeam will contest the ridden coloured classes on the first day of the show.
Daydream, already a three-time Royal Windsor victor, as a ridden sport horse and an intermediate show riding type, will return to the show as a large hack on Friday.
“This year will be so different, and there will be an air of sadness without The Queen’s presence, but I am proud to present this lovely team of horses while supporting the royal family,” said Katie. “I’m hopeful for a very exciting year with The King’s horses. I owe a lot of my career to The Queen, and to her former stud groom Terry Pendry, without whom I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
The Queen’s native pony producer Lizzie Finlayson-Briant, M&M supreme in-hand champion last year with Highland pony mare Balmoral Leia, is debuting The King’s two-year-old Fell pony colt Balmoral Firework in the in-hand breed classes.
“I also have Carltonlima Emma’s granddaughter on the team. She won’t be going to Windsor, but she’s waiting in the wings at home,” Lizzie told H&H. “She’s only four and we’re not going to rush her.”
Kinvara Garner, two-time Royal Windsor part-bred champion with The Queen’s Whalton Highwayman in previous years, will also be appearing at the show riding novice hack contender Debonair II.
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