A Million Tears.
Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 6pm prompt at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club, North Street, Winkfield, Windsor SL4 4TH.
A million purple poppy petals will fall from the sky to signify the launch of the UK’s first national appeal to remember the service and sacrifice of horses, mules and donkeys during the First World War.
As music plays, riders and horses dressed in uniforms of the Great War will proudly ride through the spectacle as a low-flying plane drops the petals, watched on by thousands of spectators.
The display, which will feature the acclaimed International Soprano Christina Johnston (pictured above), singing A Million Tears, specially composed for the project*, will be the finale to International Day at the prestigious Royal County of Berkshire Club, which is one of the highest profile sporting events in British polo’s summer calendar.
Jamie Morrison, Chairman of the Royal Berkshire says he and the team are honoured to be hosting the launch of a month long programme of activities to support equine and military charities across the UK – culminating in Purple Poppy Day on August 23.
“My life has been horses ever since I was a little boy, so it’s tough to hear of the hardships they had to endure and the sacrifice they made to help secure the freedoms we all enjoy today. For all our guests after a wonderful day of polo at the highest level it will be a solemn but fitting tribute to the partnership between people and horses which has endured over many hundreds of years and continues to play such an important role today.”
Alan Carr MBE, co-founder of The War Horse Memorial says to be able to launch the Purple Poppy Appeal in such a spectacular way is testament to the forward thinking of the Royal Berkshire team. “International Day guests will have come from all over the world to enjoy the very best that polo can offer, and for us to be given this opportunity to launch our appeal in such a dramatic way will, we believe, increase the profile of equine and military charities. All the monies we raise on the day will be given to The Household Cavalry Foundation which is fitting as the music, Elegy to The War Horse, which will provide the backdrop to the event, has been specially written by Major Craig Hallatt, Director of Music and Officer Commanding the Band of the Household Cavalry.”
*A Million Tears is written by Warwick, Young & Maclean and the song is signed to North Star Music Publishing.