The Royal Windsor Horse Show 2026 will host the Defender Drive & Drive display, where carriage driver Dan Naprous and his four-in-hand team will race a Defender Octa on an identical timed course. The daily 30-minute sessions in the Castle Arena will test speed, control, and accuracy. A spokesperson described it as a compelling comparison between horsepower and horse power.
Dan Naprous, a carriage driver and stunt man, will lead his four-in-hand team against the Defender Octa in the main Castle Arena, known as the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Castle Arena. The course starts with a short opening run into wide cone obstacles, then sweeps around the arena before tightening through technical gates and ending in a high-speed finish. Both competitors will tackle the same track against the clock each day of the show. A spokesperson for the show said: “Each 30-minute session will combine expert insight with high-energy action, the four-in-hand team going wheel-to-wheel with the Defender in a test of speed, control and accuracy.” Show chairman Simon Brooks-Ward emphasized the displays' importance, stating: “Displays are at the heart of Royal Windsor Horse Show and we are thrilled to be introducing the Defender Drive & Drive. They bring together tradition, international talent and family favourites in a way that’s unique to this show.” Other attractions include the King’s Troop musical ride marking its 80th anniversary, the Azerbaijan equestrian federation’s “Azerbaijan – land of fire” display with 23 horses, 24 dancers, a 60-piece orchestra, and two opera singers, plus the Shetland Pony Grand National, Pony Club mounted games, showing classes, and CSI5* showjumping.
