Although this figure is only credited by Royal Worcester under its model name In the Ring, it was almost certainly modelled by Doris Lindner at Bertram Mills’ Circus at Olympia or on tour in 1935, along with a companion piece Circus Horses Rearing, mould no.3179. Both pieces were first issued by Royal Worcester in 1936.

In the Ring represents the equestrienne Millie Yelding, who performed the 'Courier of St Petersburg' act with nine grey stallions in the 1934-1935 Olympia show, and also in the 1935, 1936 and 1937 summer tenting seasons. In 1935 and 1936 the act was billed as 'The Courier of St Petersburg', and in 1937 as 'Huzarina’s Sensational Ride'. The museum already owns a piece of original artwork for one of the posters illustrated with an image of the act [S.1461-2014], showing Yelding (Huzarina) with nine-in-hand, and also has a printed poster for the circus at Lincoln [S.147-1994] featuring 'Huzarina’s Sensational Ride'.

The act was created and performed in the early 19th century by the great equestrian Andrew Ducrow (1793-1842). The performer, representing a courier travelling across Europe, begins by standing astride two cantering horses, one foot on the back of each. Another horse passes between them, beneath the performer's legs, and he/she grabs the long rein attached to the animal's harness. More horses enter the circus ring at intervals and the process is repeated until the performer has as many as nine ‘in hand’. Each horse represented a country through which the courier is supposed to pass on the journey to Russia. The act, as performed by Ducrow, is depicted on a clock owned by the museum [S.877-1981]

Born in Llanyre, South Wales, Doris Lindner (1896-1979) studied sculpture at St Martin’s School of Art, the British Academy at Rome, and at W. Frank Calderon’s School of Animal Painting in Baker Street. In 1931 the managing director of Royal Worcester, Joseph Gimson, was planning to introduce new porcelain figures and asked several freelance modellers to produce trial models. He had seen some of Lindner’s abstract sculpture and Art Deco figures exhibited at Heal’s department store in the 1920s and asked her to contribute, Lindner went on to work for Royal Worcester for the next fifty years. She designed an extensive series of limited edition champion horses and bulls for the factory in the 1960s, and the demand for her figures established her reputation and confirmed her place in the long tradition of fine porcelain production at Royal Worcester. She always worked from life, making sketches and modelling in plasticine.