A DISPLAY set to music from the team of six ex-racehorses at Bishop Burton College was presented to a very appreciative audience.

After that, the ROR (Retraining of Racehorses) headquarters invited the team to give a demonstration at Ascot racecourse.

Team trainer and choreographer Charlotte Wilson, from Snainton Riding Centre, decided to add another two team members to the group, making it a true quadrille.

Charlotte said: “It is quite difficult to get eight riders and their horses to a matching pace in walk, trot and canter and then to do a routine without all crashing into each other, then to add music, but they were amazing.”

The worrying part for the riders was that none of these horses have set foot on a race track since their racing days, so it was a little tense at first to see if their mounts would think that they were about to go under starters orders, thankfully none of them did.

Musical director Kerrie Gardiner skilfully chose the music and edited the music to tell a story of the horses.

They began with their entrance music to Queen’s We Are The Champions, with bits from ELO, the Beatles, Phil Collins and the finale to Tina Turner’s Simply The Best reflecting the relationship with horse and rider about the adaptability of these ex-racehorses.

The eight riders and horses all hail from around the Malton area, and consisted of Ellen Wilson riding Roger’s Revenge, previously in training with Bryan Smart; Kathy Boothman riding Middlebrook, trained by Peter Niven; Sylvia Robinson and Attacca, previously trained by John Weymes; Victoria Lockey and Markestino, trained by Tim Easterby; Anne Allett and Moyenne Corniche, trained by Brian Ellison; Julie Brierley and Shaydreambeliever, trained by Richard Fahey; Becky Robinson and Polurrian, trained by David O Meara; and Laura Robinson and Time Traveller, trained by T M Jones.

All the riders had a fantastic time showing their ex racers off to the crowds and finished off the day with a sumptuous afternoon tea and champagne before setting off for home.