A face off between the Duchess of Cornwall and a Chilean horse — and 12 other golden Olympia moments

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LONDON ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall visits the Olympia Horse Show on December 14, 2017 in Blackpool, England. (Photo by Steve Parsons - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

How can we wait another year for Olympia Horse Show to come around again?

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When the temperatures are plummeting in London, what better than the Chilean Huasos to inject some heat into the arena at Olympia? The display portrayed the harmony between horse and rider, reflecting the historical skills of Chilean cowboys, known as ‘huasos’, and cattle horses
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

When the temperatures are plummeting in London, what better than the Chilean Huasos to inject some heat into the arena at Olympia? The display portrayed the harmony between horse and rider, reflecting the historical skills of Chilean cowboys, known as ‘huasos’, and cattle horses

‘You remind me of another jockey…’ The Duchess of Cornwall heads to the stables at Olympia to meet the Shetland Grand National jockeys — including Frankie Dettori’s son Rocco
(Image credit: Getty Images)

‘You remind me of another jockey…’ The Duchess of Cornwall heads to the stables at Olympia to meet the Shetland Grand National jockeys — including Frankie Dettori’s son Rocco

One of the Willberry Wonder Pony mascot’s — Olympia’s official charity for 2017 — gets a royal stroke
(Image credit: Getty Images)

One of the Willberry Wonder Pony mascot’s — Olympia’s official charity for 2017 — gets a royal stroke

…but this Chilean horse doesn’t know what all the fuss is about?
(Image credit: Getty Images)

…but this Chilean horse doesn’t know what all the fuss is about?

A well-deserved standing ovation: keeping the streets of London safe by day, the Metropolitan Mounted Police wow the crowds at Olympia with their activity ride
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

A well-deserved standing ovation: keeping the streets of London safe by day, the Metropolitan Mounted Police wow the crowds at Olympia with their activity ride

Centre stage: the scene of all the highs — and (crashing) lows
(Image credit: PA Archive/PA Images)

Centre stage: the scene of all the highs — and (crashing) lows

Learning from the best: Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin might not have been competing at Olympia this year, but the crowds were still able to soak up their expertise with two demonstrations
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Learning from the best: Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin might not have been competing at Olympia this year, but the crowds were still able to soak up their expertise with two demonstrations

Celeb spotting: the Duchess of Cornwall catches up with Olympic eventer Tina Cook
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Celeb spotting: the Duchess of Cornwall catches up with Olympic eventer Tina Cook

Ready for battle: the Shetlands line up ahead of another nail-biting race
(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Ready for battle: the Shetlands line up ahead of another nail-biting race

The inaugural Ella Popely Mentorship Award, which aims to give riders aged 18–25 the opportunity to be mentored by one of the world’s best riders, was given to 21-year-old showjumper Jake Saywell. The award is in memory of the up-and-coming showjumper Ella who died in a car crash last December
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The inaugural Ella Popely Mentorship Award, which aims to give riders aged 18–25 the opportunity to be mentored by one of the world’s best riders, was given to 21-year-old showjumper Jake Saywell. The award is in memory of the up-and-coming showjumper Ella who died in a car crash last December

Quite some debut: Britain’s Emile Faurie finished in an agonisingly close second behind Patrik Kittel in the grand prix freestyle in what was his first ever grand prix freestyle on the stallion Delatio
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Quite some debut: Britain’s Emile Faurie finished in an agonisingly close second behind Patrik Kittel in the grand prix freestyle in what was his first ever grand prix freestyle on the stallion Delatio

Border Collie Comebyanaway Reddy For Fame gives the grand prix horses a run for their money in the dog agility
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Border Collie Comebyanaway Reddy For Fame gives the grand prix horses a run for their money in the dog agility

The brains behind the jumps: the course builders line up for the photographer in front of their handy work
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The brains behind the jumps: the course builders line up for the photographer in front of their handy work

The countdown is on: Christmas has only begun when you’ve belted out a hearty rendition of the First Noel (with the accompanying fake snow…)
(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The countdown is on: Christmas has only begun when you’ve belted out a hearty rendition of the First Noel (with the accompanying fake snow…)

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Madeleine Silver
Madeleine Silver
Former features editor

A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.