Page 70 - RSDG Year of 2023

68 EAGLE AND CARBINE
were turned out in immaculate form: all whilst staring down the barrel of his wedding the following week. The closing week of June saw much rushed preparation and briefs at Redford: late additions to the Op SCEPTRE team included Messrs Baker-Cresswell and Jeffries as parade marshals, resplendent in dismounted scarlets and bearskins also. As always, Debbie and her team at Tower Farm we were working like fiends: this was epitomised by the last-minute call from the media team at 51X, requesting a BBC interview and filming at the stables. A short conver- sation on the phone later, images of running girls with brushes and shovels cleaning the yard were a certainty: Tower Farm, as expected, put their best foot forward, and several crate-inducing moments on Camera later, the stage was set for broadcast on the day of the parade. A night rehearsal followed, with Debbie and her team meeting us on Johnstone Terrace at 0100 in the morning: suffice to say the horses didn’t quite know where they were. Come the day however, they performed impeccably, as expected of Debbie’s horses. There was concern they would be unable to stand still for such a period of time, but they remained utterly unflappable, with a red arrows flypast hardly raising an tail: in fact, Monarch had to be woken up several times as he was happily falling asleep on his feet. With the exception of some ill-spirited protesters trying to spook the horses, the day went off without a hitch. I will leave any further detail to the article you will find later in this journal.
The final event of the year for equitation was the Riding of the Marches. Again, after a tempo-inducing hiatus, the Regiment was welcomed back with open arms by the team. Moreover, this time with the lead and rear marshals being staffed by two SCOTS DG Officers. In a twist of wholesome serendipity, we were able to come full circle this year. The last time we took part in the Riding of the Marches, a young groom at Tower Farm stables decided that perhaps a career in the Army was for her, namely with the SCOTS DG. Fortunate, close timing, meant that this year, Tpr Stobie was able to join us in Service Dress as the very first equitation event she has taken part in with the Regiment, on the very ride that recruited her. Who says horses aren’t soft power? A strong showing this year, mounted saw Maj Houstoun, Capt Cooper, Lt Baker- Cresswell, 2Lt Stephenson, Cpl Paton, and Tprs Stobie and Johnson, the latter two brand new to the Regiment and very welcome additions. The ride began within the confines of the Drum estate, and as expected, within the first field we had a faller. The remaining ride went almost without hitch: in all there were very few who dismounted not by choice... compared to 2019 where we had 19 across the field. All SCOTS DG riders remained seated, and it was a testament to the training of our people, that by the time the rear marshal arrived on the scene of three fallers in one field, nearly all SCOTS DG SP were dismounted, holding horses, and treating casualties until the paramedics arrived. After a short break, the ride