Few horse shows in the world can rival what Royal Windsor offers, especially for carriage driving fans.  It’s not just the setting in the shadow of the world’s oldest occupied castle and the beautiful parkland, which is special enough. From the spectacle of the Coaching Marathon and the excitement of the FEI Driving Grand Prix to the elegance of the BDS Meet and the showing classes, it is a unique event sprinkled with star dust.  No wonder it continues to attract such an enthusiastic and sizeable contingent from the Carriage Association of America, and many other overseas visitors.

On top of the headline acts, there were three decent Private Driving classes and a well-supported Light Trade class – all kindly sponsored by the Americans.  This year, one of the daily crowd pullers in the Castle Arena (the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Castle Arena for the full title) was Daniel Naprous and his four-in-hand in the Defender Drive & Drive.  It wasn’t until Saturday afternoon that we found time to watch it, and we saw Dan winning both rounds against the clock.  The edge-of-the-seat element came as much from the scary skidding of the 4×4 across the sandy surface as Dan and his horses.  The audience loved it.

It’s no surprise that the management behind Royal Windsor put driving front and centre because they are the same team that ensure the London leg of FEI Driving World Cup is top of the bill at the Christmas show.  Behind the scenes for the driving stewarding team, it’s a busy few days. Although it’s our fourth year overseeing the show driving classes, the tasks do not lessen nor does the pressure ease.  The planning is a year-round occupation, and there’s always questions about who is judging, what we are doing differently and what the entry numbers are going to be like.  Ultimately, our job is to keep all involved safe, uphold equine welfare, look after our competitors, officials and sponsors, integrate with the other show activities and provide some high-quality entertainment for the show-goers.

Once the entries are ratified and the drive routes and timings have passed through the layers of management and security, the show looms. There are usually some additional requests that come my way in the weeks before, such as helping journalists like Lucy Higginson with the driving side of their articles for the show programme, or suggesting who can provide turnouts for a press day with the ‘influencers’, or dealing with film crews for the Alan Titchmarsh Show or FEI TV.  That’s at the lighter end of the Chief Steward role.

In reality, I do a lot of chivvying.  Like making sure that the team has received their passes, security clearance, a few free tickets, and know when and where they are needed.  This also takes in the arrival of three caravans which become our temporary homes, offices and if I’m honest, hostelries, for the duration of the show.  Unfortunately, due to some admin glitch, this year the caravans were split between two fields.  After several phone calls, hitching and unhitching, we were reunited in one field.  It was a bit snug, but we decided it was the best option until we discovered there were no loos or showers for us, and I endured a noisy night because my head was three feet away from the metal tracking which rattled and vibrated each time a vehicle went over it.

The sleepless night followed our dusk recce of the Adelaide Arena where our Private Driving and Light Trade classes were being held.  It transpired that the arena had been relocated and had shrunk a little, to accommodate the new FEI Driving obstacle.  The grass warmup arena had expanded, which was great, but the temporary horse walk between the areas wasn’t ideal for carriages.  Plus, there was still a fence up that had to be removed.  More phone calls.

Although our first class didn’t start until 3.00pm on the Thursday, the first morning of the show is always taken up with jobs. We put out signs directing the carriage drivers around the showground while I talk to each road steward about what we’re doing and where they should send the driving turnouts if they are looking lost.  We liaise with the security gate guards ahead of the Coaching and BDS Meet forays into Home Park, book courtesy cars, check in with the vets and allocate walkie talkies and roles.  The time goes quickly.  And we moved the caravans again to be nearer some ‘facilities’.

The showing classes went well and the quality of the turnouts was excellent.  However, not having HOYS qualifiers at this early stage in the season does impact the numbers.  Mark Broadbent was the judge and had quite a logistical undertaking himself to juggle his judging with participating in the Coaching Marathon the next day.  He managed to secure B & B for the horses and his entourage at the Royal Mews, which was ideal.

Our classes weren’t without incident.  Mark had just mentioned to one competitor that she might like to adjust her vehicle’s balance to give her a more secure seat, when her pony spooked and she was ejected. Luckily the stewards immediately contained the situation, with some help from bystanders who held the pony.  The paramedics were already adjacent to the ring, and the poor lady was taken off to hospital.  After testing, it turned out she’d been bruised, with nothing broken thankfully.

Then the weather overplayed its hand.  On an otherwise bright but chilly afternoon, we had a sudden ten minutes of ferocious wind, rain, thunder and lightning, which disappeared almost as soon as it had arrived.  We went from having deep crowds along our fence lines to two hardy souls who I begged to stay, despite the pelting rain, so that at least I was commentating to someone.  Once the weather eased, some of the audience returned.

Then one of the show’s kingpins, Tim Henson, appeared to say that a weather warning had been issued for the area and the show was closing early, including cancelling the Kings Troop display.  We thought we had the rest of the afternoon to give exhibitors as much time as possible in the ring because there was nothing scheduled after us.  Luckily, Mark had kept well to time and it was only the championship that we hurried a little, mainly because of the quite long drive between the horsebox parking and arena, and we had to allow everyone enough time to get back and unhitch safely.  As it was, the storm missed Windsor and other than a few gusts, we weren’t impacted.

Each evening, we have a debrief back at the caravans and plan the next day.  Wine is poured, and it’s when we have a catch up and the fun begins.  We laugh a lot.  None of us is allowed to take ourselves at all seriously but equally, there is a great deal of compassion and support for each other.

Friday morning is always an early one as we prepare for the Coaching Marathon.  Simon Heath and I converge on the ‘Hallowed Ground’, ready to greet our committed competitors who have left home at an ungodly hour to be on site at the allotted time of 6.00-8.00am.  Simon is excellent on parking the lorries and this year, with a full entry, it was tight.  So much so that we spilled onto a patch of grass near the horse walk for our pre-judging.  There was a buzz having such a packed area and so much activity from an early hour.

One curveball was that something (possibly a coaching lorry) had damaged the swathe of tracking at the entrance to the showground and before we knew what, everything drew to a standstill while repairs were hastily fulfilled with a large, crab-like machine.  It meant that half our competitors were held at the gate and there was a backlog down the road.  But it didn’t take long for things to resume once the repairs had been finished and the spine-tingling sight of the vast lorries arriving recommenced.

While the team are prepping the competitors, I attend a couple meetings with the show department heads.  The Coaching is a big operation as we move the procession around the park and showground, and we are given priority.  Equally, logistics around the Castle Arena must be finalised including sorting out who is commentating, what prizes are being given, and which gates we are using to enter and exit. In between the meetings, I hold briefings for the competitors, stewards and judges, and we are joined by the duty vet who brings up the rear of the drive, just in case.

Next it’s a quick change into something smarter then the pre-judging takes place.  The officials set off in the courtesy cars, the stewards get ahead to their junctions and the Coaches depart for the drive in a predetermined order.  This year the Royal Mews Park Drag driven by Jay Oakley with a team of Windsor Greys led the way, fresh from their official duties at the State Opening of Parliament.

Once we have left the showground, that’s when the magic really begins.  The time in Home Park Private, watching the Coaches file past, hearing the rumble of the wheels and clop of the hooves before they appear round a corner, the sight of them all on the Long Walk and then arriving to a deep crowd on Lime Avenue for the drinks stop, make the many unpaid hours worthwhile.

I also relish the time spent in the company of the judges – this year they were wise sage Richard Nicoll who was judging the class, and bubbly Katie Whaley who was judging the horn blowing.  The snippets of conversation, the shared memories and the insights from figures as experienced and worldly as Richard and Katie are treats.

One stopping point was near the Sports Ground where the Royal Mews crew provided water for the horses, and any stragglers could catch up.  Then, through a security gate onto the Long Walk before a stretch on the main road – this year we had a police presence and they helped us re-entered the park via Shaw Farm Gate.

We’d been told we had to delay our arrival in the Castle Arena by nearly half an hour due to a timetable change because of a Royal visit.  But because of the FEI Dressage timetable and security clearance, we couldn’t amend our timings.  It meant that after the drinks stop, we had to move on briefly then stop again in the grass warmup arena.  Luckily the weather was fine, the ground was hard and the horses were settled.  When we entered the theatre of the Castle Arena there was a rapturous welcome, mainly from the Americans, who were delighted when one of their own, Misdee Wrigley Miller, won her class, plus the Championship and the Best Turned Out prize.

Once everyone was back at their horseboxes, unhitched and loading to leave, I quietly bolted down the M4 to go home for the night, mainly to see my daughters who are currently sitting their GCSEs and A Levels.  It meant I wasn’t at the show when the dreadful events at the end of the Kings Troop display happened on Friday evening.  The information was contained until the next day, and when I returned early on Saturday, ready for a stint on the microphone covering the FEI marathon, someone whispered there’d been a death on site.  Shaken, I assumed it was a horse, which would have been upsetting enough, and I was grateful not to know the full extent of the tragedy until the marathon ended, otherwise it would have been quite unsettling.  Although a palpable sadness was cast over the rest of the weekend, everyone pulled together and brought out their best selves, which was reassuring.

By Sunday, we’re a bit jaded, but rise to the occasion for the BDS Meet.  We had a full entry this year and although there were a few last minute withdrawals, the five turnouts from the Royal Mews helped provide another spectacle.  HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh set a cracking pace with her single Fell and the family Chaise / Phaeton, followed by Lady Louise driving one of her grandfather’s Benningtons with another Fell.

Our timing was spot on and although we had a brief overlap on the road with the FEI drivers by the riverside as we come back onto the showground, everything progressed as planned, despite the odd blip, including the presence of the paparazzi cameras and pushy photographers which was spooky for the horses.

So, another Royal Windsor Horse Show has been and gone.  Each year we try to improve the competitor, equine and spectator experience, and already thoughts are turning to 2027.  There’s talk of a special driving display showcasing traditional carriages, harness and crafts.

But in the meantime, our thoughts are with the family, friends and Kings Troop colleagues of Lance Bombardier Ciara Sullivan, whose life was so sadly lost at the show.