As the epic spectacular that is Kynren comes to Auckland Castle again, the woman in charge of making sure the fireworks don’t frighten the horses talks to Jenny Needham

Laurie Robinson, 38, from Wolsingham, is Stable Manager for Eleven Arches, the production company behind Kynren: An Epic Tale of England. The live action extravaganza takes audiences on a journey through 2,000 years of history, myth and legend, from the Roman occupation to World War II. The cast and crew of 1,000 will be performing – alongside the animals – at Auckland Castle from June 30 to September 15. Laurie explains what her role in the production involves.

I went to school in Wolsingham and studied at Edinburgh University. I’d enjoyed riding from the age of eight and had my own pony, so after I got my degree I headed off to work for German event rider Anna Warnecke and was lucky enough to go to many International events, including Badminton, Burghley and Luhmuhlen. When Kynren was being created, we both thought it would be a fantastic and unique opportunity.

Before the show, I prepare the horses, together with the Cavalry Team. This involves washing them and setting out the costumes for horse and rider. Anna and I allocate roles in the various scenes to each rider – one minute you could be a Roman Emperor, the next you could be a Medieval knight galloping towards the target.

During the show, I ride as Boudicca on a rearing horse, then I’m a Medieval jousting, then as a dressage rider in the Field of the Cloth of Gold in the 16th century. Finally, I’m back in the amazing Boudicca costume to lead the cavalry in the finale. Throughout the show, I’m also backstage overseeing the changeovers and assisting the riders to help the show run smoothly. When the show ends, the Cavalry Team and the Animal Teams take care of the horses and other animals by giving them feed and treats and lots of cuddles.

We have well over 100 animals in the show. This includes 33 horses, some of them quite rare breeds – 18 ridden Lusitanos; four Kladruber (one of the world's oldest horse breeds); four Polish Wielkopolski and seven Percheron driving horses, known for their intelligence and willingness to work. Then there are two donkeys, two goats, two Durham Shorthorn cows, 50 sheep and 28 geese.

All the animals are under the care of Anna, who is Head of Cavalry, and me. Along with our team, we manage their day-to-day care and training to ensure they are happy, healthy and ready for the show. We also train the volunteers who work with the animals and have found that most people find their favourites very quickly. The horses and other animals are a massive part of the Kynren family so they’re given five-star accommodation and care in a big purpose-built new yard and extensive fields.

Some of the animals stand out from the crowd/herd/flock… Hetty the sheep is the friendliest and often tries to jump in the golf buggy to get extra feed. Then there’s Gatuno, our youngest and most cheeky horse. As soon as he arrived with us, he proved to be a challenge. I spent many hours with him to gain his trust and he has proved to be one of our most loved and versatile horses. It shows that being patient and working with a horse’s individual character can get you a long way.

We train the animals according to their individual needs and gain a great feeling of satisfaction from working with such amazing volunteer to achieve something so special. The feeling after every show is electric. As none of our animals had been in shows before, the biggest challenge was to get them used to lights, music and fireworks. It was important to do this very gradually and give them lots of rewards to tell them how clever they are. It was surprising how quickly they got used to them and how much they enjoy it. Now, once they hear the music, they instantly prick their ears and are ready for action. They even look disappointed when they're not going to the stage.

As for the old saying, never work with children and animals… There’s no doubt they present very different challenges, but the rewards are just the same – a great sense of achievement from producing something together that is unique. Doing this with such a strong bond between you and your animal makes it very special. Everything that goes into Kynren, the creative, the tech, the costumes, pyro and props, make it a world-class show that it’s a privilege to be a part of.

  • The new Animal Croft – an attraction which allows guests to get up close to the show’s animals stars – is available this year for those arriving early, while additional activities are also be included at no extra cost. Changes have also been made to tickets in an attempt to make the attraction as affordable as possible. Family prices have been introduced, making the average cost for a family of four about £75, and a new young adult ticket has also been created for those aged between 12 and 16.

The pre-show experience is a key element of this year’s season, with organisers looking to offer more varied food and market stalls, including local producers.

W: Kynren.com