Berkeley Castle will host two days of action-packed medieval jousting in May, as the noble knights from the Cavalry of Heroes compete on the lower lawn of the 11th century castle.

The Cavalry of Heroes are based in Hay-on-Wye and are one of the leading equine entertainment shows in the UK. Promising great entertainment for all ages, the event will see an incredible display of heroic action during the jousting show on Sunday 6th and Monday 7th May.

The horses, trained by Marc Lovatt, are often seen on television and in historical films. “The horses are the real stars of the show,” says Catherine Lovatt, manager of the Cavalry of Heroes. “They are steady with calm temperaments and are trained in weaponry, cavalry charges, jousting and carriage driving and are responsive to the rider,” she added.

The Cavalry of Heroes are very familiar with the castles in Gloucestershire, often performing at Sudeley Castle as well as their appearances at Berkeley. “Both Berkeley and Sudeley castles are some of our favourite venues to perform at. We’re very grateful to the Berkeley family who allow us to perform on the majestic lower lawn, it’s the perfect setting for a joust. All of our displays are tailored to individual events and shows and include meet and greet sessions with the riders and horses between performances. Our Knights are all professional trick riders and stunt men who absolutely love to act and perform, we never lose that enthusiasm to put on a show for our customers,” added Catherine.

Catherine studied to be an Architect at Cambridge University, but couldn’t escape the pull of the equine lifestyle and now manages the bookings and logistics for the Cavalry of Heroes. She is also a talented costume designer and maker, creating endlessly imaginative costumes for herself and the cavalry team. Continued Catherine: “I love working with horses, it’s a total privilege. We train them from a young age. When we perform a joust the riders are wearing full plate armour and carry shields and lances, so it’s very important that the horses are comfortable. We get to perform at so many historic places both at home and abroad, it’s a total honour.”

Catherine’s husband Marc trains all the horses who perform with The Cavalry of Heroes. He has worked with horses across the world from driving carriages at Buckingham Palace, to showjumping in Burma and Spain, and stunt riding for teams across the country for live shows, film and television.

It will be a busy summer of performing for the horses and staff of the Cavalry of Heroes. Said Catherine: “We’ve got a packed diary for the next few months which is great. We’ll be performing shows here in the UK as well as in Europe. We’re really looking forward to it, the best part of the job is showcasing these magnificent animals off to the public. Jousting is the perfect spectator sport, we can’t wait to perform at Berkeley Castle again, we never tire of it.”

Jackie Pennington Operations Manager at Berkeley Castle commented:” We’re delighted that Cavalry of Heroes are returning to delight our visitors for the third year running. Knights and their impressive steeds will battle it out in the grounds of the Castle with jousting tournaments and saddle stunt displays, a fantastic spectacle against the impressive backdrop of the Castle. Our visitors will also get the opportunity to meet the knights and their wonderful horses – a great photo opportunity. Henry VIII and his six wives will also be in attendance, visitors can enjoy an audience with Tudor royalty in the Castle’s Great Hall and discover how each wife fell out of favour with the King!"