Rare breed of horse cherished by the late Queen joins Bishop Auckland theatre show
Nicknamed Major, the 14.1-hand pony is one of only 5,000 Highland ponies left. The Queen was a strong supporter of the breed's conservation and kept her own herd at Balmoral.
Major has now joined the cast of Kynren - An Epic Tale of England, appearing in Viking battle scenes alongside shire horse Cosmo.
The show, starting this Saturday, July 19, is hosted in the UK's largest outdoor theatre event this summer at 11Arches Park in Bishop Auckland.
Major in action as part of the show. (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd) Laurie Robinson, director of cavalry and estates, said: "Major really is big by name, and nature.
"He has made such an impact on the team and is a wonderful character with his own unique personality - he's stolen a few hearts already.
"Getting to work alongside the horses, and spending time with them every day, is a huge privilege for the entire cavalry team.
"We get to see them flourish - onstage and off - and it really is such a joy to see them get as excited for the shows as we do."
Staff at the show's cavalry squad had the job in settling Major to his new home whilst training up for the tenth anniversary summer shows.
Major with Lucy Watson, from Kynren's cavalry team. (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd) Lucy Watson, part of that team, said: "Major has settled beautifully into his new role.
"He is a complete natural on stage and he has been loving the attention from our volunteers.
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"We're so pleased to have him here at Kynren and we're excited for our audiences to see him and love him as much as we do."
The 90-minute show features live animals and a volunteer cast, covering 2,000 years of English history.
Kynren runs Saturdays from July 19 to September 13.
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