Home News Epic show welcomes its latest equine recruit

News News

Epic show welcomes its latest equine recruit

Posted in News

Cosmo-at-Kynen

Shire Cosmo joins the Kynren cast in an exciting journey through England’s history

The action-packed show, Kynren – An Epic Tale of England, has a new recruit to its cast in the form of Cosmo, a beautiful grey Shire standing at an impressive 18.3hh.

The show, which takes place on a seven-and-a-half-acre outdoor stage in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, tells the story of England through the eyes of a boy called Arthur, who travels on a 2,000-year voyage through time. Run by theatrical charity 11 Arches, it features important eras and events throughout the history of the country – from the Romans right through to the coronation of HM the late Queen Elizabeth II – and is performed by a volunteer cast and crew of 1,000.

Cosmo joins the other 150 animals taking part, including 39 performance horses, and he will play the role of a carriage horse in some of the processions and also in the dramatic Viking attack scene in which a fisherwoman is kidnapped during a raid on her village.

Because of the nature of the show, Cosmo, along with the other horses, has been carefully trained to become accustomed to the noises and large machinery he’ll encounter on stage, and he’s also had to learn how to perform both under saddle and within the shafts of a carriage.

Laurie Robinson, Director of Cavalry and Estates at Kynren, said: “Cosmo has taken to his carriage driving responsibilities exceptionally well – in fact, he’s picked up the technique much quicker than we were expecting. He’s a complete natural. He truly is an exceptional horse, and we feel very lucky to have him in our team.

“We’ve introduced the training process very gradually with Cosmo, as we want to ensure he has a great experience and feels comfortable, so we’re taking it at his pace.”

With seating for 8,000 in a special amphitheatre, the audience will be treated to a panoramic view of the action in this world-class show that comes complete with mass choreography, stunts, pyrotechnics, special effects, video projections and a musical soundtrack by award-winning composer Nathan Stornetta.

Highlights of the show include Boudicca’s uprising against the Romans, the Battle of Stamford Bridge between the Vikings and the Anglo-Saxons, jousting from the Age of Chivalry and scenes from the First World War.

Each 90-minute performance starts at sunset and ends in starlight and the show will take place every Saturday from 27 July until 14 September. Gates open from 4.30–6.15pm and, prior to the start of the show, visitors can wander around the Return of the Vikings, a recreation of a Viking village, where they can interact with the villagers and find out more about life in the ninth century.

For more details and to book tickets, visit kynren.com.

Your Comments

Leave a Reply

Newsletter Sign-up

Sign up now

Subscribe

Latest Issue

Winter Training: Part 1

Added 15th January, 2025

Laura Collett gridwork

Added 2nd September, 2024

More Videos