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Click the pictures for a larger photo
Count Robert Orssich and Mr Geoffrey Cross
founded the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 1943. Inspired by the
'Wings for Victory' campaign, they set about organising a Horse
and Dog Show to raise money for the war effort.
The first show was simply called the Windsor
Horse and Dog Show. It was attended by all the key members of
the Royal Family including King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (the
Queen Mother) and the two young princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret.
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.
The Queen, has always been a keen horsewoman
and at the first show, she won the Pony and Dogcart class. Since
then Her Majesty has entered many homebred horses and ponies
in classes at the show.
The Royal Windsor Horse Show, takes place
in May every year and provides the very best in equestrian entertainment
and competition. The British Royal family continue to be not
only keen supporters but also competitors. His Royal Highness,
The Duke of Edinburgh, has been a regular competitor in the
International Driving Grand Prix and competed again in 2003.
Set in Her Majesty The Queen's Home Park,
against the magnificent backdrop of Windsor Castle, there can
hardly be a more prestigious atmosphere for this, Britain's
largest outdoor equestrian 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
- 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
- 2001: Cancelled due to Foot & Mouth
- 2002: Hosted the sell-out All The Queen’s
Horses the first of the Golden Jubilee celebrations. 1,000
horses and 2,000 human participants
- 2003: The show plans to celebrate its foundation
in Wings for Victory but the Gulf war interrupts plans and
military displays are cancelled
- 2004: The show returns to four days and
hosts its first World Cup Qualifier for Driving
- 2005: The Show moves completely into HOme Park Private and
puts down a permanent all-weather arena in this beautiful
setting. Thursday evening sees a charity ball and Friday has
a Gala Dressage and Polo Evening.
- 2006: The Show celebrated HM The Queen’s
80th birthday with a private party.
- 2007: The Show celebrated the 60th Wedding Anniversary
of HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh with a parade
of vintage state Land Rovers. The King George V1
Puissance was introduced to the show on the Saturday evening
performance and was warmly received by the visitors.
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