These sweet giants never get the hump

‘Camels have such a reputation for kicking, biting and spitting – but I think most people only have contact with them in holiday destinations as tourist attractions,’ says trainer Rebecca. ‘And really – who wouldn’t be grumpy, dealing with that all day!

‘But they are sweet and affectionate creatures, reaching down to touch their face to yours as a way of saying hello. When they’re treated with love and respect, they respond in kind. They are sensitive and very intelligent animals.’

Rebecca joined Chipperfield’s Circus as a presenter: ‘I had been a fourin-hand carriage driving groom and navigator doing international driving trials, working with driving horses in France, Hungary, Spain, America and the UK. I thought the circus would be a new career move!’ she says.

‘Joe is a member of the UK’s oldest circus family, the Fossetts, and when I joined he was already there, working with the big animals including, of course, the camels. A wedding was soon under way, and before we knew it a honeymoon baby meant our excitedly-laid plans for a new danger act were swiftly out the window!

‘This was in 2000, and Mary Chipperfield had a camel act –so when she relocated to Spain, leaving a gap in the camel market…’

One hump or two?

‘Joe is one of the best camel trainers in Europe – we started with two, and now have 18, the largest camel herd in the UK. We have dromedaries (one hump) and Bactrian camels (two humps!), and we use both for our racing.

‘Camels are always popular – we do a lot of weddings with brides and grooms arriving at their reception on them. They’re in demand for Christmas parades and events, and also as film extras. We always say that if it’s legal, feasible and the camels won’t mind, then we’ll do it!

‘Earlier this year we were strolling the camels up and down East Ham High Street in the lashing rain for a rap video, accompanied by numerous mask-clad gangster types. At one point they wanted a drone shot, and we had to sit in the middle of the road as I watched three red double-decker buses bearing down towards us ... the camels weren’t bothered at all!’

At their service

‘They don’t mind the UK’s climate – everyone always asks. They’re adapted to extreme heat and extreme cold, because they get both in the desert. We worry about the rain far more than they do. It can be pouring down and they’ll be out happily grazing.

‘Occasionally, they will let us know they want to come in by standing at the gate and looking mournful –and we jump to it, of course. We are entirely at their service.

‘At the show we’ll be doing two half-hour displays each day, and in between the shows the camels will be out for people to come and meet them – that’s a huge part of the shows. We love it when people come and talk to them.

‘During the display we’ll have a parade first, and then races with four camels. It is a serious sport in the Middle East where they can reach speeds of 35 mph – but it is rather the opposite at the shows. There will of course be a LOT of audience participation and loud cheering is obligatory – things get quite competitive!’

William Fox-Pitt was the first British rider to become eventing’s World No 1, a distinction he achieved in 2002, 2009, 2010 and again in 2014. He has represented his country consistently over the past 24 years, including at five Olympic Games