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Whatever the
weather!
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An update on Trooper
Middleham's progress during the last year.
(These pictures are by kind permission of the Household Cavalry for our publication.) |
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A couple of photos of him in 2016 competing in a show jumping competition at the Household Cavalry summer training camp in Norfolk, ridden by the Squadron Corporal Major of the Blues & Royals, George Sampson |
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Military working horse Middleham has continued to
go from strength to strength this year. He spent the summer of
2016 conducting public duties and state ceremonial as a
divisional horse on a soggy State Opening of Parliament, Her
Majesty�s 90th Birthday
Celebrations in Windsor (televised on ITV) and an historic
Queen�s Birthday Parade for the Sovereign in her 90th year.
During Regimental Training in Norfolk Middleham became the
chosen horse of the Blues and Royals Squadron Corporal Major,
WO2 George Sampson. This stellar pairing managed to place in
both the senior ranks and Open Day show jumping competitions;
the latter in front of a crowd of some 7000 ringside spectators.
After a spell of summer leave in a Leicestershire field
Middleham returned to work and the warm embrace of his longest
running rider, Corporal of Horse Michael McGrath of the Riding
Staff. CoH McGrath, newly returned from Germany, arrived to take
over as the Blues and Royals Squadron senior equitation
instructor and, in doing so, soon set the bar very high. He and
Middleham achieved spectacular results at the Royal Tournament
Inter-Services Show Jumping, challenging the Riding Master who
went on to win at Olympia on a much more seasoned horse.
Middleham remains a firm favourite in the Squadron and, under
the care of CoH McGrath is invariably pampered more than any
other horse in the Blues and Royals.
While Middleham continues to jump, parade and canter into the
next ceremonial season his riders will often have an even more
varied future. All Household Cavalrymen are first and foremost
combat soldiers. After 18 months providing the Queen�s mounted
bodyguard they typically move to the operational regiment where
they hone skills as reconnaissance tank drivers and gunners, or
as snipers, signallers and machine gunners. This year alone the
Regiment has seen men serving in countries as far flung as
Kenya, South Korea, Brunei and Canada; preparing for the
conflict zones of the future.
The Household Cavalry is humbled by the residents and supporters
of the Middleham racing community for their continued interest
in our horses and our soldiers, and thank you for your very kind
donations. Every penny raised for the Household Cavalry
Foundation goes towards our wounded, our veterans and our
bereaved families as well as helping improve the lives of our
horses. We hope that the money raised may, in some small way,
one day go toward ensuring Middleham has the retirement he
deserves in the greenest of fields.
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