Royal Windsor Horse Show

Services Show Jumping

The Royal Windsor Horse Show took place on the 11th and 12th May, and we were lucky to have three Wellingtonians riding in the Services Team Show Jumping class in the prestigious Castle Arena. This is one of the biggest equestrian events in the international equestrian calendar, where some of the greatest riders in the world come to compete.

Our riders jumped brilliantly for the Queen’s Plate and finished in an incredible second place. The team consisted of Ella Evans, Gus Crewdson and Imogen Reed. Gus and Ella rode fantastic clear rounds, and Imogen rode another beautiful round, although was unlucky to just rub a pole off one of the fences; our team finished the first round with only four faults, which put Wellington in second place, and secured a place in the afternoon finals with a healthy lead on the rest of the teams below us in the rankings. The team needed to select one rider to jump in the afternoon finals, and Imogen Reed was selected as our jump off rider as she and her new horse Prada have been on brilliant form this season.

One of the biggest equestrian events in the international equestrian calendar, where some of the greatest riders in the world come to compete.

Before the jump off, all competitors had to parade in front of the huge crowd and the royal family, including Her Majesty the Queen. This is a huge honour and an unforgettable moment for the Wellington riders. The riders ensured their horses were groomed to perfection and their kit was sparkling before making their way to the arena. Salutes had been well practised ahead of the day, and riders were ready for their presentation to Her Majesty the Queen!

As soon as Imogen was out of the arena from the parade, it was straight back to warming up for the jump off. The jump off was a twisty course and, in such a big arena, Imogen knew she needed to be tidy and clear to hold on to second place. The tension was palpable, but Imogen did not let this phase her: she rode a stunning round and had the entire crowd on the edge of their seats. She managed to get around fast and clear, which resulted in huge roars of support from the audience when she landed her final fence. Her tidy round secured the team placing of second in the Queen’s Plate, which was truly deserved.

The team worked very hard in the lead up to this event, with an eye-wateringly early start on Saturday morning to plait horses, polish boots and course walk. They worked brilliantly as a team to support one another on what was a very pressured day. They did the College and our CCF very proud.