Queen’s delight as horse cuts a dash
THE QUEEN looks overjoyed yesterday as one of her horses makes it a hat-trick of wins at a prestigious horse show.
Her Majesty watched with delight as Barber’s Shop won the RoR Tattersalls Thoroughbred Ridden Show Series at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
And she collected a small trophy after rider Katie Jerram guided the horse to success in the showing category, where a horse’s physique, movement and appearance are assessed by judges.
It is the third year Barber’s Shop has won the event.
The monarch, wearing a classic yellow printed headscarf and taupe coat, has attended the event, held in Windsor Castle’s private grounds, every year since it was first held in 1943 to help raise funds for the war effort.
According to organisers, Royal Windsor is the only show in the UK to host international competitions in showjumping, dressage, driving and endurance.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have competed in it – with Prince Philip in the Carriage Driving event – for 30 years. The Duke, 96 next month, took centre stage at the show on Wednesday as he drove in Windsor Great Park.
Sunday is set to be an emotional day, with Olympic hero Nick Skelton and his horse Big Star to retire after a special ceremony.
Gold medallist Skelton, 59, was competing at his seventh Games in Rio last year after recovering from a broken neck in September 2000.
In 2012 he was awarded an OBE by the Queen.