More Than Just a Competition: Behind the Scenes of The DAKS Pony Club Mounted Games at Royal Windsor Horse Show 2026
For spectators watching from the stands, The DAKS Pony Club Mounted Games at Royal Windsor Horse Show lasts just a matter of minutes.
A blur of coloured jumpers, flying ponies, split-second handovers and cheering crowds fill the famous Castle Arena before the teams disappear as quickly as they arrived.
What many people don’t see is the week of hard work, teamwork, preparation and unforgettable memories that happens behind the scenes.
Each year following their National Trials, Teams from England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland travel to Windsor to compete in the Home International, one of the most prestigious fixtures in the Pony Club Mounted Games calendar. New for 2026, competitors also had the opportunity to perform in the Frogmore Arena, giving riders even more chances to compete in front of Windsor’s crowds.
For many of the riders, simply being selected for their national team was the culmination of years of hard work.
But before a single race could begin, there was a small matter of moving an entire village of ponies, riders, parents, trainers, caravans, horseboxes, tack rooms and gazebos into one of the country’s most iconic showgrounds.
Arrival Day: Building a Home for the Week
The first day at Windsor is not a competition day; as teams arrive, every horsebox and caravan must be carefully parked into its designated national camp. Thanks to the expertise of the team at WH Security, what could easily become organised chaos runs like clockwork.
Then comes the real work.
Ponies are unloaded and settled into their stables while riders, parents and Trainers begin transforming the stables into a sea of national pride. Out comes the bunting, flags, banners and stable decorations as each nation creates its home for the week.
This year however, Mother Nature had other ideas…
Severe hailstorms and strong winds swept across the showground on Wednesday afternoon, claiming several gazebos in the process and leaving Teams scrambling to rescue camp furniture before it disappeared across Berkshire.
Thankfully, Pony Club spirit prevailed.
Once the camps were secure and the ponies settled – or as settled as they could be with hail rattling against the stable roofs – attention turned to the first official jobs of the week: tack checks and passport inspections.
Every saddle, bridle and other piece of tack must meet Pony Club standards, while every pony’s passport and vaccinations are carefully checked.
Rider weigh-ins, which help ensure a suitable balance between rider and pony, were also on the schedule. However, a technical issue with the scales meant everyone had to demonstrate one of the key skills required at Windsor: flexibility! The weigh-ins were simply postponed until the following day.
Practise Makes Perfect
Following inspections, riders made their first trip beneath the famous Victoria Bridge and onto the main Royal Windsor Horse Show site.
It is a walk they would make countless times during the week, but the first journey always feels special.
Although no competitive points are awarded on the opening day, the rehearsals are incredibly important. Teams practise entering and leaving the arena, familiarise themselves with the layout and run through races.
At Windsor, timing is everything. With packed schedules and international displays taking place throughout the day, every team must enter, compete and leave the arena efficiently. A delayed exit doesn’t just affect one Team – it affects the entire show timetable. But of course, this isn’t a problem for our Pony Club Mounted Games Teams!
The Night of Jumpers, Music and Memories
Wednesday evening marks one of the most anticipated traditions of Windsor week.
Teams gather in the DAKS Pony Club Tent for the official welcome, hosted by Mounted Games Chairman Ian Mariner, Chief Steward Tracey Cooksley, Pony Club CEO Marcus Capel and Jo Smith, General Manager from DAKS, who have supported Pony Club Mounted Games at Windsor for an incredible 43 years.
Each Team performs a carefully rehearsed musical display, complete with themed costumes, choreography and more than a few laughs.
The performances form part of the Stable Cup competition, but perhaps the most exciting moment comes afterwards.
The presentation of the Team jumpers.
For many riders, receiving their national Team jumper is a career-defining moment. The yellow, white, red, green and blue jumpers become part of their Windsor identity for the week and often remain treasured keepsakes long after the competition has finished.
And that is only Day One complete!
Royal Visitors and Racing Action
The original plan for the week included two competition sessions each day, one in Frogmore and one in the Castle Arena. The weather had other plans.
Thursday’s severe weather warnings forced changes to the schedule, but not before the Teams completed an exciting opening session in Frogmore, where England took the first victory in what would prove to be an exceptionally close competition.
Watching closely from the sidelines was none other than HRH The Princess Royal, a long-standing supporter of Mounted Games and patron of The Pony Club.
Away from the arenas, riders also found themselves in the spotlight when representatives from each nation appeared on the TalkHorse stage, a popular podcast hosted by Pippa Funnell and Tristan Phipps.
Questions ranged from training routines to whether rival teams were friends or enemies. Thankfully, the answer was overwhelmingly the former.
One of the biggest laughs came when Republic of Ireland rider Mickey English introduced the name of his pony, Tequila Fluffie Cartwheels, to the audience.
A Royal Audience
The competition produced plenty of memorable moments, but Friday evening will be remembered for years to come.
Competing in the Castle Arena is always special. Competing in the Castle Arena in front of His Majesty The King is something else entirely.
As a member of the Welsh camp recalled:
“The King himself came to watch as the riders and ponies smashed their way to a win in the Castle Arena. The crowds roared and the ‘Ogi Ogi Ogi’s’ echoed around the huge, famous arena. We all went to bed on a high that night with photos and memories to last a lifetime.”
The following day, the reserve riders – known as the 6th Members – were given an experience they will never forget when they had the opportunity to meet The King himself.
The Competition Within the Competition
While spectators focus on the racing, another fiercely contested competition runs throughout the week.
The Stable Cup.
Contrary to popular belief, the Stable Cup isn’t about expensive, new, matchy-matchy equipment. Judges look for good horsemanship, teamwork, sportsmanship and pony welfare. They want to see clean, well-fitting tack, tidy stables, riders caring for their own ponies and Teams working together.
In many ways, it represents everything The Pony Club stands for.
This year’s winners were Team Wales.
“As this is a reflection of the children’s attitudes, teamwork, manners, display and stable presentation for the week, each and every one of our Windsor family had contributed to this win. Proud is an understatement.”
A Week to Remember
The final competition standings saw England crowned Home International Champions after winning four of the six sessions. The Republic of Ireland claimed second place, followed by Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Yet ask anyone involved what they will remember most, and the answer is unlikely to be the final scoreboard.
For England Team Trainer Charlotte, Windsor represented a career highlight.
“It has been the most amazing, exhilarating, exhausting, emotional and special week. I thought getting a child on the England team was a high and getting to HOYS with the Morpeth Team was the pinnacle of my games ambitions. However, training the England team at Windsor is another level, way beyond my wildest dreams.”
As horseboxes rolled out of Windsor and the bunting came down, riders left with far more than rosettes and trophies.
They left with new friendships, new experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.
Perhaps one parent summed up Windsor best:
“It’s like no other show I’ve been to. Yes, it’s a show, but it’s a show coated in gold.”