A Look Back at the 2015 Royal Winter Fair in Toronto

Photo 1 – International jumper star McLain Ward, Brewster, New York, lists the Royal Horse Show as one of his favorite events all year. He was named the Best International Jumper Rider at the 2015 Royal after winning four classes including the World Cup class with HH Azur, owned by Double H Farms in Florida. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 2 – U.S. Olympic rider McLain Ward walking the course for the $75,000 Big Ben Challenge jumper class sponsored by Hudson’s Bay Company. He rode HH Azur owned by Double H Farms to win the class. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 3 – McLain Ward with his Leading International Rider sash and trophy at the 2015 Royal Horse Show Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 4 – Nicola Philippaerts and H&M Harley VD Bisschop in action in the Canadian Weston Open Jumper class on the second Friday of the Royal. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 5 – Belgian rider Nicola Philippaerts won the Canadian Weston Open Jumper class with the lovely grey gelding H&M Harley VD Bisschop on the final Friday of the 2015 Royal Horse Show. Nicola’s twin brother Olivier also competed in the jumper classes at the Royal. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 6 – Jonathon Millar and Star Power owned by Team Works powered around the course in the $75,000 Big Ben Challenge sponsored by Hudson’s Bay Company on the second Saturday of the 2015 Royal Winter Fair. The class was named for Jonathan’s father Ian’s famous jumping partner Big Ben with whom he won more than 40 Grand Prix classes. Jonathon and Star Power finished sixth in the 2015 Big Ben Challenge and he was named Best Canadian Rider of the 2015 Royal Winter Fair. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 7 – The Royal Winter Fair Leading Canadian Rider was Jonathan Millar shown here on Baranus in the $15,000 Canine/Equine Challenge Class where they placed fifth. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 8 – Georgina Bloomberg walking the course for the $75,000 Big Ben Challenge at the 2015 Royal Horse Show in Toronto in November. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 9 – Canadian jumper rider stars Ian Millar (foreground) and Chris Sorenson on their course walk before the $75,000 Big Ben Challenge at the 2015 Royal Winter Fair. Millar is known affectionately as “Captain Canada” having ridden in ten Olympic Games representing Canada thus far. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 10 – Jill Henselwood, Oxford Mills, ON, and Farfelu du Printemps, 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by John and Julie Madigan, were victorious in the $100,000 Greenhawk Canadian Show Jumping Championships held on Friday and Saturday nights during the first weekend of the Royal. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 11 – American rider Buck Davidson rode Wundermaske to two clear rounds to finish second in the $20,000 2015 Horseware Indoor Eventing Challenge at the Royal. Canadian rider Waylon Roberts finished first on the mare West River; it was his eighth consecutive Royal Indoor Eventing Challenge win. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 12- Belinda Trussell and Anton performing a flying change on their way to a 77% score to take the Royal Dressage Invitational. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 13 – Leah Wilkins on Maria Wilson’s Fabian J.S. finished second in the 2015 Royal Dressage Invitational. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 14 – Canadian Olympian Jacqueline Brooks and her gelding D Niro were third in the 2015 Royal Dressage Invitational. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 15-Evi Strasser on her Renaissance Tyme showing their collected work in the 2015 Royal Dressage Invitational Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 16 – Welsh Ponies and Cobs were part of the action at the 2015 Royal Winter Fair Horse Show with breed classes and under saddle and driving competition. This lovely black Welsh Cob and his driver were participants it the Welsh Pleasure Driving class. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 17 – Jean McLean guided her Welsh gelding Bet-Lar Royal Thomas to the Welsh Pleasure Junior/Amateur/Ladies class win during the 2015 Royal Horse Show. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 18 – Kreme Dela Kreme and Kathy D’ Auria took the coveted red first place ribbon in the Arabian Native Costume class on Saturday evening at the Royal. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 19 – The beautiful Arabian Native Costume classes at the 2015 Royal Winter Fair added color and flair to the show. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 20 – Racing the wind…Arabians in the native costume class at the 2015 Royal Horse Show. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 21 – Pretty enough to be a Breyer model or an illustration in a Marguerite Henry book – an entry in the 2015 Royal Winter Fair Arabian Native Costume class. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 22 – Driver Ross Honsberger and the All Star Percheron Six-Horse Hitch won the Six-Horse Hitch Championship at the 2015 Royal Horse Show in Toronto. The All Star Percherons six-horse hitch was made up of all mares, listed from the driver’s perspective (position in hitch, name and age): right wheel horse, Kate, 9; left wheel horse, Mitsy, 9; right swing horse, Candy, 5; left swing horse, Xena, 5; right lead horse, Tory, 5, and left lead horse, Queen, 9. The All Star wagon was made in 2006 by the Hanson Wheel Wagon Works and they purchased it from Creelman Percherons in Nova Scotia. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 23 – Photo 4 – The trusty lead horses, Tory and Queen, of the champion All Star Percheron hitch at the 2015 Royal Winter Fair in Toronto Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 24 – The Spiderman driven by Rodney Hicks and owned by Edward Ochsenschlager took the top place in the Royal Horse Show Hackney Pony Canadian Championship Stake class. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 25 – Winners of the $3000 OHHA Green Roadster Classic to Bike Finals Presented by Little Rascals Daycare was Girl Crush driven and owned by Jim McKague. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 26 – Veteran handler Ronnie Davidson showed Sandra Laprise’s sport horse mare Secret Ambition to take the prestigious Governor General’s Cup class for three-year-old sport horses at this year’s Royal. Secret Ambition also won the Lieutenant Governor’s Cup which is an under saddle class for three-year-old sport horses. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 27 – Nineteen weanlings competed in the $5,000 Canadian Sport Horse President’s Cup – Colt, Gelding or Filly 2015 class in the Horse Palace ring on the final Saturday of the 2015 Royal Horse Show. The winner was BF Lennyx owned and shown by Garry Roque. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 28 – The antique coach and team of Dutch harness horses owned by Hillcroft Farm and James and Misdee Miller of Paris, Kentucky, won the Green Meadow Four-In-Hand Appointments class on the final Friday of the Royal. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan

Photo 29 – The Royal Horse Show coaching classes sponsored by Green Meadow are popular with the fans. The antique coaches, such as this black and yellow road coach used in Great Britain, pulled by a team of four horses are a breathtaking sight. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 30 – The Cavallo equestrian arts troop from Florida made their first Canadian appearance at the 2015 Royal Winter Fair. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 31 – A Cavallo performer gets amazingly high off the back of a Haflinger during their performance at the 2015 Royal Horse Show. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 32 – The Cavallo troop member and his horses take a jump. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 33 – The Lieutenant Governor of the province of Ontario, Elizabeth Dodeswell, made an appearance at the Royal Horse Show. She was escorted in by her official mounted guard unit shown here. One of the two lead horses in the guard was a mare over 30 years old! Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 34 – The President’s Choice Super Dogs are a perennial favorite in the Animal Theater at the Royal. On the final Saturday of the Royal the Super Dogs are also each paired with a jumper horse and rider for the $15,000 Equine/Canine Challenge class where the horse and rider and dog and handler are timed on how long they take to compete their respective courses and the fastest combined time wining the challenge. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 35 – One of the top two attractions in the Presidents’ Choice Animal Theater was the 4-H Rabbit Hopping (also called bunny jumping or rabbit agility) which attracted a standing-room-only crowd each session. For the rabbit hopping project the 4-Hers teach their rabbits to walk on a leash and to navigate a course similar to dog agility. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 36 – The Royal butter sculpture competition is very popular with spectators. This year’s second-place entry (in Canada a blue ribbon is second place) was called “Totes-Ma-Goats” by Vincenzina Care. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 37 – Baby chicks were the stars of an educational exhibit about eggs and poultry presented the 2015 Royal by Burnbrae Farms. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 38 – This cute and friendly alpaca was part of an educational exhibit at the 2015 Royal Winter Fair. There was also wool spun from alpaca mohair and alpaca mohair clothing for sale at the Royal. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 39 – Young Royal Fair attendees were fascinated by the pig on display in the Royal livestock barns. A 4-H Hog Show is part of the action each year at the Royal. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 40 – The sleepy sheep in the barn at the Royal seems to be smiling at the camera. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 41 – A young Ayrshire heifer in the barn at the 2015 Royal Winter Fair. Four Canadian national dairy shows are part of the action during the second half of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Canada: the National Ayrshire Show, the National Black and White Holstein Show, the National Red and White Holstein Show and the National Jersey Show as well as a youth show. The first part of the Royal featured a beef cattle show with classes for Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Shorthorn, Limousin and Simmental breeding and market animals and a young exhibitor beef show. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 42 – This ewe seems to have a lot to say as she stands on the grooming platform at the barn at 2015 Royal Winter Fair. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 43 – A Holstein dairy cow in the 2015 Royal Dairy Show Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 44 – The Royal Vegetable Show was an open-class competition and included categories for the best of various garden produce, the largest root vegetable and biggest pumpkin and the oddest shaped vegetables as well as the best artistic display using vegetables. There was also a Royal apple competition. Shown here are entries in the largest pumpkin contest. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 45 – Contestants in the Canadian National Jersey Cattle Show at the 2015 Royal Winter Fair Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 46 – The Royal Vegetable Show had classes for the largest vegetables. The rutabaga in the foreground entered by Chris Lyons was the Royal champion and a world record at 53.4 pounds. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 47 – The Equimania educational booth presented at the Royal by the University of Guelph in Ontario offered many children’s activities including complimentary paper horse crowns for young Royal spectators. There was also a large Royal “Agri-tivity” area with many fun things for kids to do including a petting zoo, face painting, puzzles and toy tractors to drive. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 48 – One of the crowd-pleasing delights at the Royal are the apple dumplings made in front of the crowd. The Royal trade fair and food court offered a wide variety of epicurean delights including a wide variety of ethnic foods, maple ice cream, butter tarts, poutine and their version of Canadian bacon called peameal bacon which is more like thinly sliced pork tenderloin. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 49 – Both poutine (a concoction of French fries covered with gravy and cheese curds that was invented in Quebec) and perogies (a mashed potato and cheese filled pasta) are popular northern dishes. One Royal food court vendor combined them into one dish. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 50 – A vendor at the Royal offered many bakery goodies including maple-bacon flavored cookies and traditional Canadian butter tarts. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 51 – Canadian grown nuts were offered by Jewels Under the Kilt, a vendor in the Royal trade fair. They always seemed to have a line of people anxious to try the roasted walnuts, pecans and heart nuts. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 52 – The Royal Winter Fair shopping opportunities are seemingly endless. This booth featuring Canadian Mountie nutcrackers that seem to smile as people walk by. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 53 – A number of saddle makers were present in the Royal shopping area. Here the saddle maker from Antarés shows a visitor his work. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 54 – Bridles were among the wares offered by a number of tack shops in the Royal merchants’ area. This one features a lovely brown gem and crystal brow band. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 55 – A beautiful boot bag on display in the Hansen Equestrian booth (www.hansenequestrian.ca). Owner/designer Sarah Hansen came up with the idea to use beautiful yet durable fabrics to make stable essentials such as saddle covers, boot bags, saddle bags and quarter sheets while still at university. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 56 – ManeJane spur straps (www.ManeJane.com) with cute little ladybugs were featured in the Greenhawk tack booth at the Royal. ManeJane makes designer belts (leather with stirrup buckles in many colors and patterns) and spur straps (offered in a variety of solid colors or plaid and decorated with fancy buckles or charms: lady bugs, flowers, crowns, wine glasses, pirates, monkeys, cows, bears, stars, frogs, horse shoes, artist’s palates and surfer dudes). Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography

Photo 57 – CWD saddles are also for sale in the Royal trade fair. Photo by Shelley Higgins/MacMillan Photography

Photo 58 – Sheepskin and color coordinated bell boots in a tack shop booth at the Royal. You could buy tack, riding apparel and stable equipment in a wide variety of colors and styles at the Royal. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography

Photo 59 – Trailers made by the Böckmann company (www.boeckmann.com are lightweight enough to be pulled by a car or small truck, but still offered a fairly roomy horse compartment purportedly for up to a 17-hand horse and a small tack compartment. One of the fun things about owning one of these trailers would be decorating the outside by choosing one of 18 decal designs created by artist Jan Künster. The trailers are available in Canada through Maple Lane Trailers (www.maplelanetrailers.com), Smith Falls, Ontario. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography