Prince Philip

AND MOUNTED GAMES

The 9th of April 2021 marked a sad day for equestrian sports as His Royal Highness Prince Philip passed away at the age of 99. Accompanied by his favourite ponies Notlaw Storm and Balmoral Nevis and their grooms, the Prince’s funeral procession paid their respects one last time to one of the world’s greatest and most influential equestrian athletes. Described as a ‘down-to-earth’ royal, Prince Philip’s lifelong love of horses and sport changed the equestrian world dramatically.

Not only involved as a competitor the Prince was very much hands-

on in everything he set his mind to. Simon Brooks-Ward, the organiser of the Royal Windsor Horse Show recalled how Prince Philip “wasn’t one to stand on ceremony, and just wanted to get on with riding and organising the event”. Brooks-Wards stated that “The Prince would drive his ponies around the showground to check everything was going okay as the show was being set up. Even after retiring from competing, he became the competition steward for many years. He would spend the whole day on the showground officiating, taking a packed lunch with him so he wouldn't have to break to eat”.

Prince Philip served as President of the FEI from 1964 to 1986, being the longest standing President of the FEI to date. FEI President Ingmar De Vos is quoted on the FEI website as saying, “The passing of Prince Philip is a huge loss for equestrian sport and his legacy, particularly at the FEI, will live on for many many decades to come.” Mr De Vos went on to state “He was a man of incredible energy and a great sense of humour, and the FEI was honoured to have him as our longest serving President. His dedication to equestrian sports cannot be underestimated and will never be forgotten, especially in the Driving community. He was born in the same year the FEI was founded and sadly he will not be with us to celebrate his own and the FEI’s centenary this year. We will celebrate his life and remember him as a great ambassador of our sport.”

HISTORY

HRH Prince Philip was born in Corfu, Greece in 1921 and was educated in France, Germany and Great Britain before joining the Royal Navy in 1939 at just 18 years old. Prince Philip was a keen sportsman throughout his life, enjoying cricket, hockey, rowing and sailing before being introduced to polo in the late 1940s. After the second world war, Prince Philip began an active polo career which spanned 20 years before his retirement from the game in 1971.

In 1955, Prince Philip founded the Guards Polo Club, which is still home to some of the best polo in the world today. An incredible rider and horseman, in 1966 young Prince Philip reached the final of one of the toughest annual tournaments in history, the Hurlingham Open in Argentina. He was also part of the winning teams for some of the most prestigious trophies in the UK including the Royal Windsor Cup, the Westbury Cup, the Cowdray Park Challenge Cup and the British Open Gold Cup twice.

Arthritis sadly forced his retirement from polo, but not satisfied to sit on the side-lines, Prince Philip soon developed a passion for Driving and practiced with horses and old carriages at the palace before competing at the top level of four-in-hand carriage driving once it became an FEI discipline in the 1970s. His Royal Highness represented Great Britain in six World Championships and three European Championships.

HOYS

The now world-famous Horse of The Year Show held annually in Great Britain, began in 1949 as the brainchild of Captain Tony Collins. Captain Collins believed that there was a need for a celebration to end the equestrian season and wished to start a ‘Champion of Champions show’. Chairman of the British Show Jumping Association Colonel Sir Mike Ansell and Chairman of the British Horse Society Colonel VDS Williams soon became involved, and the first HOYS was held at Haringay in conjunction with the Greyhound Racing Association.

Prince Philip approached the Director of the HOYS, Colonel Sir Mike Ansell, as His Royal Highness wished to devise a set of games for children, which would be fun and did not require owning an expensive show pony. In 1957, the Horse of the Year Show staged the first Pony Club Mounted Games Championship for the Prince Philip Cup, and the competition was an enormous success. The Prince’s love of equestrian sports, developing camaraderie and teamwork, is exemplified in his development of the Pony Club Mounted Games, many of which are based on Cavalry techniques, and until his passing earlier this year, the Prince would present the trophy to the winning team.

MOUNTED GAMES

A Mounted Games team consists of 5 riders, though only 4 participate in each game, giving the 5th rider and pony a chance to catch their breath. Before a show, the team will choose the order of the team, i.e. which rider is going first, second, third and fourth in each race. The fourth rider is the one to cross the finish line and win the race. With various skills being tested with each game, it is important TEAM GAMES PAIRS GAMES INDIVIDUAL GAMES Agility Aces Agility Aces Association Race Association Race Association Race

Bang-a-Balloon

Ball and Cone

Bank Race Bank Race Bank Race

Bottle Exchange Bottle Exchange Bottle Exchange Bottle Shuttle Bottle Shuttle Bottle Shuttle

Bottle Swap Bottle Swap Carton Race Carton Race Carton Race

Flag Fliers

Four Flag

Founder's Race Flag Fliers

Four Flag Flag Fliers

HiLo HiLo HiLo

Hug-a-Mug Hug-a-Mug Hula Hoop Hula Hoop Hula Hoop

Jousting Litter Lifters Litter Lifters Litter Lifters

Litter Scoop Litter Scoop Litter Scoop Moat and Castle

Mug Shuffle Mug Shuffle Mug Shuffle Pony Express Pony Pairs Pony Pairs Ride and Lead Ride and Lead Ride and Lead

Socks and Buckets Socks and Buckets Socks and Buckets

Speed Weavers Speed Weavers Speed Weavers Sword Lancers Sword Lancers Sword Lancers

Three Mug Three Mug Three Mug Three Pot Flag Race Tool Box Scramble Tool Box Scramble Tool Box Scramble

Two Flag

Windsor Castle Two Flag Triple Flag

Two Flag Victoria Cross

to choose the best rider combination for each race.

There are approximately 40 different games which combine the following skills: - Mounting and dismounting - Handing something over to the next rider - Placing something into a container - Picking something up - Leading your horse from A to B - Dismounting and mounting while your horse is moving - Going through bending poles - Using a lance to hit something on the ground - Controlling your horse with seat and legs and using one hand on the reins

The influence of Prince Philip’s time in the cavalry is evident in all of the games, as riders develop not only their horsemanship and agility skills, but valuable other skills such as timing, a sense of space, speed and direction. I also wonder whether Prince Philip’s time playing polo contributed to the development of Mounted Games as a team sport. The camaraderie, friendships, empathy and team-spirit which these young riders develop is invaluable, not to mention all of the fun and laughter had along the way!

EXPANSION

Originally the Pony Club Mounted Games were only open to riders under 15 years old. In 1984, on his 70th birthday, the then Chairman of the Pony Club Mounted Games Committee Mr Norman Patrick founded the Mounted Games Association of Britain, as he felt the need for an organisation where riders could continue to play the games past the age of 15.

In 1994, the Association became a limited company and quickly spread across the world with the object being “to encourage friendship between young people of different nations”. As the popularity of Mounted Games grew across the world, the International Mounted Games Association (IMGA) was formed and the following nations, including South Africa, are affiliated: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iran, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Sweden, USA and Wales.

Do you wear a body protector?

Alexander Price: Nope, but probably should

Nina Swart: Yes. I wear a Point 2 Air Jacket. Saved me more times than I can remember.

Brunhilda Nel: No

Julie Moss: Always when jumping

Kayla Burton: I never have in the past. Body protectors were never really a big thing. But now being a mother I’m getting one, as well as for my son who has just started riding.

Wanda Blom: Yes. Me and my daughter always wear ours when riding.

Cally Smit: Yes, I have a prosthetic shoulder from a fall so feel it is essential

Laurenne James: Yes. I have both an air vest as well as a solid type. I broke my back so I’m not taking any chances.

Debra Lee Docker Freeman: For dressage, no; for cross country, yes; and for jumping, no. But often feel I’d like to get the soft one with the gas canister especially as I have to be careful of my skull having had a craniotomy.

Jackie Smith Steyn: Yes, Equestro from Safety First Equestrian – so light I forget I’m riding with one.

Zelda du Preez: Yes, I ride in a safety vest from G-Form Africa. It is very comfortable, light, breathable and if you don’t tell people you are wearing it, it’s barely noticeable. It’s incredible and works with technology that absorbs impact! I would highly recommend to anyone who rides! It’s an incredible product. Go check it out!

Bianca Jade Heyns: Yes, every single time I get on a horse. I never used to until one day I had a fall while warming up my horse at a walk inside my dressage arena. The horse spooked and exploded sending my flying. I broke my back in 2 places and punctured a lung with a broken rib. From that day I won’t get on a horse without my body protector. I have since had many spills, and have come out fine with only minor bruising thanks to my body protector.

The_golden_rose: I bought a Hit Air after 2 bad accidents have left me with severe chronic pain. Will now not jump without it.

Natashagr1: So my daughter is really funny… She wears one at home, won’t get on the horse without it… But at shows she refuses to wear one because it ‘doesn’t look good with show kit’…

Elaine_pullinger: I have a Hit Air and wouldn’t ride without it. Horses are sentient beings with their own minds and as such are unpredictable. Anything can happen – they can have a hectic spook, stop suddenly, slip… Whenever I speak to someone who has been badly hurt riding, they describe it as being a ‘freak accident’. ‘Freak’ implies it’s a very rare thing, except it’s not. People are often badly hurt, so I see it as just a horse riding accident. I’d rather be safe than sorry.

Itme_alys: I wear a back protector. I have lower back issues from a fall I had when I was a kid. So I guess better safe than sorry.