This film is part of Free

Horses at Ascot, Winter Quarters, Ascot

Colour footage from the Bertram Mills Circus’ winter base in Ascot showing training for the Christmas show at Olympia.

Amateur film 1939 12 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for London's Screen Archives

Overview

Fascinating colour film of training sessions at Ascot for the Bertram Mills Circus’ annual Christmas show – the circus quartered in Ascot every winter. It includes extended exterior and interior footage of various training sessions involving horses, with the human participants wearing non-stage clothes as they work through routines. There are also a small number of spectators.