Royal Windsor Horse Show is set to go through its biggest makeover, since it moved from the Public side of Home Park to the Private side in 2005, with much more to see, do and enjoy. Tickets go on sale tomorrow for Royal Windsor Horse Show 2024 (Wednesday 1st to Sunday May 5th) , which will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of The Royal Windsor Horse Show Club and the event’s founding members.
Alongside elite international equestrian sport in jumping, dressage, driving and endurance and equestrian displays from around the World, there will be five Live ‘Hubs’ that will entertain, educate and showcase our Royal Palaces, Estates and the country way of life.
The lay-out has been altered to give the visitor a ‘voyage of discovery and delights’. The hubs will complement the interests of the audience, as they wander through the retail section. The five Hubs will each feature live demonstrations and exhibitions spread across Art in the Equestrian World, A Garden for the Spring and Summer, the Best of Berkshire Cooking, a Sustainability and Wellbeing area and a Performance Hub.
The renamed Carriage and Countryside Arena plays host to the International Carriage Driving Competition and will also see a programme of Countryside displays and activities including Falconry, Gun Dog Training, Fly-fishing as well as Carriage Driving Masterclasses and stands from dry-wallers, hedge layers and stick makers.
These new additions will be part of a lay-out change that will make it easier to walk through the showground and will include new structures, planting of hedges and trees and other new initiatives that are intended to transform the event.
The visitor experience has been at the forefront of the newly appointed Show Designer’s mind, including a Castle Bar for those who purchase Castle View tickets and a new hospitality facility that overlooks the main arena.
Show Director, Simon Brooks-Ward, said: “Since completing the 2023 edition, countless planning meetings have resulted in a new look and feel Royal Windsor Horse Show that, while sympathetic to our surroundings and heritage, concentrates very much on the future. At the heart of this great event, is the horse and we will never lose sight of the fact we are Britain’s oldest and largest horse show, producing a huge range of skills, breeds and competition.”
CSI5* Show Jumping will be a highlight of the action taking place in the prestigious Castle Arena. The world’s best horse and rider combinations will gather at this iconic venue to contest three days of international competition, culminating in the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday 5 May. The 2023 Show saw last year’s FEI World CupTM Final winner, Martin Fuchs – the current World No. 4 – take home the coveted prize after a sensational jump-off leaving Britain’s Ben Maher in second place.
The Defender CDI4* Dressage returns to the Show with the Grand Prix taking place on Wednesday 1 May, and the Freestyle to Music on Thursday 2 May. This year, both competitions were spectacularly won by three-time Olympic gold medal winning rider, Charlotte Dujardin, in what was her first international show since the birth of her daughter, Isabella. Next year’s competition will crucially provide Britain’s best Dressage riders with one of their final chances to impress selectors on home soil ahead of the Paris Olympics.
For those looking for adrenaline-fuelled competition, the CAIO4* International Driving Grand Prix, one of the most prominent Driving events in the UK, provides a true test of horsemanship. The event includes three stages: Driven Dressage, the Marathon and Cone Driving for the two competition categories, Horse Four-In-Hand and Horse Singles.
Held on Friday 3 May in the stunning Windsor Great Park, Royal Windsor Endurance, sees riders participate in an ultimate test of stamina across a variety of terrains. International races are scheduled at 1*, 2*, and 3* levels, over a range of distances, setting up a day of outstanding action.
Showing at Royal Windsor is considered to be a spectacular start to the national Showing season. The 2024 schedule will once again be action-packed, with over 100 classes taking place across four arenas, featuring a variety of breeds and sections including Amateur Mountain & Moorland, Hunter, and Cob classes.
Alongside the world-class sporting action will be impressive performances from international military and equestrian displays as well as the ever-popular Defender Shetland Pony Grand National, and the heart-stopping DAKS Pony Club Mounted Games.
