Equine entertainment at Belvoir

Horses take centre stage at Belvoir Castle this month (11th-12th) when the Leicestershire stately home hosts its first-ever Festival of the Horse, featuring horsemanship displays, often with a historic twist. One of the show’s highlights is the medieval jousting and pageantry by the Knights of Nottingham.

“We have been performing for more than 50 years and at Belvoir Castle for more than

40 of them,” says the Knights’ Sam Conway. “We always love returning to such a spectacular venue. For anyone who hasn’t seen us perform, you can expect plenty of cheering, booing and lots of laughter as our knights, squires and men at arms fight for their chosen sides. Look out for Sir Frederick of Flawforth on your way into the event, paying special attention to one of the many ale houses in the vale. Local legends say he can’t ride a horse sober, but he sure is entertaining.”

Move to another arena (and forward a couple of centuries) and King Charles and his court hold a cavalry parade and engage in fast-paced races. Just as intriguing is the tent-pegging, a cavalry sport that requires galloping riders to pick up targets from the ground with their sword or lance. The International Cossacks also promise to put on a spectacular display of trick riding, mounted weapons drills and even fire jumping.

“The horse has always been a huge part of life at Belvoir and we hope this brand new event will become an annual feature,” says Emma, Duchess of Rutland. Tickets (£25 per adult) can be booked online at: belvoircastle.com/festivalof-the-horse

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