THE CONTRAST can hardly be greater – from the badlands of Afghanistan to the green fields of Worcestershire.

But it’s a journey that gunner Kuziva Dapira has made as one of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, which thrilled crowds at the Three Counties Show with their spectacular musical ride.

Major Neil Cross is currently in command of the troop. He recently served in Afghanistan as part of the operational and liaison team, mentoring the Afghan National Army. He revealed that the troop was delighted to be back at Malvern. He said: “The Three Counties arena is a favourite because it is one of the largest and best maintained that we perform in. Everyone has been so hospitable and the facilities are fantastic.”

Gunner Kuziva has had a busy time since his return from Afghanistan, having taken part in the Queen’s birthday parade last week where he was interviewed by the BBC on how easy it was to make the transition from war zone to ceremonial duties in Britain. He was interviewed both in Afghanistan and then again when he returned home.

“What we faced in Afghanistan was a competely different set of challenges and obviously very different from what we must do here,” said Gunner Kuziva.

“Both get our full focus so we perform our job to the best of our ability, whether it’s watching out for IEDs or performing intricate manoeuvres at speed on horseback. There is an element of unpredictability and peril about both.” The famous musical ride performed by the strikingly attired gunners astride their handsome steeds thrilled the ringside crowds with a breathtaking display of choreographed gun manoeuvres.

The thunderous criss-crossing gallop, known as the ‘scissors’, is one of the main highlights as the entire troop – pulling six First World War guns each weighing one-and-a-half tonnes – cross over at high speed.

The officer’s spirited horses, known as the chargers, lead the drive out, followed by the troop’s biggest horses, called the leaders then the centres and finally the wheelers, which act as the brakes of the gun and limber.

All riders, male and female, are trained gunners and fighting soldiers and apart from its ceremonial duties, the troop has an operational role as part of the territorial defence of the UK.The King’s Troop were last at the show in 1998.