Roll On Royal Windsor

Three of Windsor’s greatest show animals and two historical showjumping highlights — plus what’s new for 2017.

1. PEARLY KING, Sarah Carey’s multi garlanded large hack, produced and partnered first by Simon Charlesworth and latterly by Sarah, entered the limelight when taking the championship at Windsor as a five-yearold in 2011. Following this success — and even though he has been campaigned only lightly throughout his career — Pearly King has racked up many prestigious titles on the county circuit, including twice at Bath and West, three times at Royal Cheshire and three times at South of England.

He was also hack champion twice at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and stood supreme there in 2012. He won his class at Royal International (RIHS) four times, landing the tricolour three times and winning the Winston Churchill supreme title there in 2013.

“The publicity that follows being champion at Windsor sets a horse up for its future career,” Simon maintains. “Once that’s in the formbook, a horse becomes very difficult to beat. It’s also a show that owners love to attend, so you would always save your very best horses for Windsor.”

2. BROADGROVE SHOWMAN, a prolific 138cm campaigner ridden by Rebecca Harvey — then aged 15 and in her final year in the section — won both the novice and open show pony titles in 2011, aged just five. He went on to stand champion at HOYS that same year and took the section title at RIHS in 2012.