One thing was missing at Royal Windsor this year and that was the sight of teams of heavy horses in the main ring. There were only classes for Singles and Pairs, despite there having been a good entry in recent years. (Admittedly some competitors did pull out last year but it was only because they could not get their extremely heavy horseboxes onto the muddy showground.) The heavy horse teams are a great spectacle and crowd pleaser. Most of the competitors in the Pairs class have teams - so why not display them to the public? The Heavy Horse In-Hand classes have already disappeared from the schedule so it is to be hoped that the turnouts don't follow suit.

Roger Blake's pair of black Percherons

John Peacock judged both classes with little difference in the results since Young & Co's Kevin Flynn won both the Singles (with Wandle Charlie) and the Pairs, driven as a tandem, which considering Kevin has been known to drive a 'pick-axe' formation, must seem like tame stuff to him! It would be wonderful to see a display of large heavy horse teams (six or eight-in-hand, unicorns, etc.): with some suitable sponsorship it could create a magnificent spectacle. Barry Keen drove Brookside's pair, Star and Commander, to finish second to Kevin - Star also finished second in the Singles. As usual, most of the horses were Shires although it was good to see Roger Blake's pair of black Percheron geldings pulling a market dray. Having been individual Champion at scurry driving you might think that driving heavy horses (at their rather more sedate pace) would almost be an 'easy option' but not so. Roger says that it is a lot harder driving heavy horses than whizzing around behind a pair of ponies.

Wadworth & Co's impeccable turnout

Wadworth & Co's pair of bay geldings, Dan and Waggoner, were pulling a bottle dray. Since John Peacock had an interest in one of the horses the turnout was hors concours but it was lovely to see them. Fullers, the sponsor of the classes, were represented by John Medhurst driving Pride and Griffith to their barrel dray. Elspeth Walker, one of the few women in the country to compete with heavy horse turnouts, drove the Brookfield Shires, Smokin' Joe and Argyll, and John Lawless drove Brookfield's other pair of Shires. Unfortunately, although entered, Randy Hiscox did not turn up with his pair of Suffolk Punch geldings, which was a pity as this breed is rarely, if ever, seen at this Show. Randy also has a very smart and unusual railway delivery van.

Unlike previous years there were no agricultural vehicles entered at all. Let us hope that this is not the slippery slope to exclusion and that heavy horses will continue to feature at this high profile Show.

The trophy for the Pairs class was donated by Mr F A Barker, who lives locally at Holyport. Mr Barker is now a centenarian, so the actual presentation was made on his behalf by his grand-daughter.

Kevin Flynn and the smart Young & Co's tandem

Photos © Sue Wingate

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