All about . . . The Queen's Horses

13 May 2002

Interesting and unusual facts and figures about the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebration at the Royal Windsor Horse Show this week

More than 750 people will be working behindthe scenes to ensure that the shows run smoothly
A combined figure of around 4,000 horses and ponies will compete at Royal Windsor Horse Show and participate in All The Queen’s Horses
1,000 temporary stables will be specially built for the horses and ponies participating in the shows
7,000 bales of hay and 2,000 sacks of horse feed will be consumed by the equine stars
4,000 bales of shavings and straw will be used as bedding in the stables
The size of the main Castle Arena is equivalent to several football pitches
2,500 tonnes of high-grade artificial surface will be laid in the main arena and collecting rings
The electrical power needed to run both shows is eight times the requirement of a small housing estate
More than 2km of trackway will be laid around the main arena and walkways
The dream sequence (act 8) is based on the idea of the Queen’s dream on the night before her coronation
The oldest person taking part is Bob Wilkinson, the last surviving postillion from the Gold State coach procession
The youngest person taking part is Pandora Tucker, who is just seven years old and is taking part in the side-saddle display
Ten-year-old Becky Barton and her 12hh Exmoor pony Bob, is one of the youngest performers taking part at the event. She was invited to take part after writing a letter to the Queen asking for the chance to be included in the show and enclosing a picture of herself and her seven-year-old pony. Becky is a member of the Blackburn and District branch of the Pony Club in Lancs.
The Gold State Coach was ordered after King George III’s accession in 1760, but it was not complete until after his coronation. It cost £7,652 16s 9d, and weighs a massive 4.5 tonnes
In the first five days of the box office being open, more than a third of the entire ticket allocation for the three-night spectacular – the equivalent of an entire performance – was sold
The single white horse, the final image in the show, is Lidador, a 10-year-old Lusitano gelding being brought over from Germany by owner Josef Hofling. Lidador also starred in the Royal Horse Gala in Germany in 1998

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Check out more on behind the scenes at this great event in Horse & Hound (9 May), or click here to subscribe and enjoy Horse & Hound delivered to your door every week.

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