Honiton soldier Troops Colour

Household Cavalry trouper is 'best of best'

A Devon soldier has been judged to be one of the ‘Best of the Best’ in the Household Cavalry and been rewarded with what the services call "the unique honour of being part of the Queen’s Retinue during this year’s Trooping the Colour."
 
Trooper Sam Wallace, 25, form Honiton joined the army just three years ago, having heard stories of the military from his grandfather who served in the Royal Logistic Corps.

Trooper Wallace is in the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and has spent a year in the Musical Ride, a mounted display team that performs a series of breath-taking equestrian manoeuvres to music, with each performance designed to demonstrate the horsemanship originally needed by the armoured reconnaissance regiment in the days when they still fought on horseback.

On Thursday, the eyes of the world were on him and his colleagues as he took part in Trooping the Colour alongside more than 1400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians to mark The Queen's official birthday.
 
It was Trooper Wallace’s very first time in the parade, but he has gained an additional honour after competing in the Princess Elizabeth Cup, formerly the Richmond Cup, which sees the finest of the Household Cavalry contending to be crowned the Best Cavalryman. Troopers are tested on the turn-out of their immaculate ceremonial uniforms, the grooming of their horses and the shine of everything from their headwear to the black leather jackboots worn by each Trooper that receive at least 200 hours of polishing for the competition.

The Household Cavalry performed at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations at Windsor last month (image courtesy: Army)

The top eight finishers from the Household Cavalry parade at the Windsor Horse Show before Her Majesty The Queen presents the award for the ‘Best Turned Out Trooper’ and these eight become the Queen’s Retinue for Trooping the Colour, escorting Her Majesty’s carriage and providing the line-up at the saluting dais while she carries out the inspection of the troops.
 
Mr Wallace explained: “This is a huge honour, and it shows that all of my efforts have paid off. We have already completed four drill rehearsals and a full dress rehearsal in front of thousands of spectators."
 
Born in the Cayman Islands and a Rastafarian, when he joined the regiment hhe was concerned that there would be misconceptions about his faith, but he made contact with the Defence Rastafari Network which was created in 2017 to support serving Rastafarians in the military, and they helped him to write to his Commanding Officer (CO) about the style of dress and hair he needed to be able to express and maintain his beliefs.

He said: “My CO was really helpful, we sat down and he was so open to learning and understanding about me and being Rastafari.”  

Since the creation of the network, dress regulations have been changed to allow the wearing of a full beard, dreadlocks and turban, required by some denominations, and Mr Wallace hopes to develop his relationship with the network and become an ambassador for others serving in the Armed Forces.
 
Once the ceremonial season finishes Sam plans to join a physical training instructors course and progress his career into fitness.