20 June 2014 – An unprecedented television documentary showcasing the world’s oldest riding establishment, the famous Spanish Riding School of Vienna, is to be broadcast by Horse & Country TV (Sky 280 and online) at 9pm on Sunday 29 June 2014.
Inside the Spanish Riding School takes viewers behind the scenes of the 440-year-old equestrian institute and follows them on tour in Malmo, Sweden, giving viewers a unique insight into the history and traditions of the Classical Dressage the school is so famous for. It is the first time a television channel has been given access to the historical institute on this level.
The Spanish Riding School of Vienna is the oldest of its kind in the world. First commissioned in 1565, it takes its name from the Spanish horses that originated from the Iberian Peninsula during the 16th century and were considered especially noble, spirited and suited for the art of classical horsemanship. Today there are 72 Lipizzaner stallions at the Vienna stables delighting over 300,000 visitors every year with their dazzling performances.
In the hour-long documentary, H&C’s Swedish presenter Sara Silfverberg takes viewers on a journey to discover the traditional methods used by the Spanish Riding School – developed all those years ago to aid war horses in battle – that now form the spectacular show that thousands of tourists travel from all over the world to see. As a prelude to the forthcoming Spanish Riding School UK Tour which will visit Sheffield Arena and London’s SSE Wembley Arena later this year, Silfverberg shadows the school as they go on tour to Malmo, Sweden and gains captivating insights from the riders, horses and tour management.
H&C TV Head of Programming, Jonathan Rippon, said: “The Spanish Riding School is an institution steeped in history and tradition with a reputation for excellence which transcends far beyond the world of equestrianism. This documentary provides a fascinating insight into the lives of those who work and travel with the school and we hope that through the broadcast we’ll be able to share this with our viewers.”
Inside the Spanish Riding School will be aired for the first time at 9pm on Sunday 29 June 2014 on Horse & Country TV (Sky channel 280). For further broadcast times, see our schedule listings at horseandcountry.tv/tv.
Horse & Country TV broadcasts in the UK and Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden, and can be found on the web at www.horseandcountry.tv, www.horseandcountrytv.nl, and www.horseandcountrytv.se. The Channel carries exclusive sports event coverage, news, documentary and personality-led programming to the passionate audience for horse sports and country living.
At the UK’s Broadcast Digital Awards H&C won “Best Specialist Channel” in 2011 and is shortlisted in three categories in 2014. Online, H&C publishes blogs and commentary provided by a range of experts and personalities, an extensive range of equestrian video, a calendar of events, as well as programme support material for all of the Channel’s featured shows.
In December 2013, the channel launched H&C TV Everywhere, a new service that allows you to watch the award winning channel without the need of a subscription to SKY: iOS and Android users can download a free H&C app so viewers can watch it on mobiles and tablets. H&C’s role as a community hub for the horse and countryside loving community is reflected in the Channel’s 500,000+ viewers each month, 125,000+ Facebook fans and 30,000+ followers on Twitter.
For more information, please contact Georgie Wells at Revolution Sports + Entertainment: georgina@revolutionsports.co.uk or 0207 592 1207
For more information about the Spanish Riding School UK Tour or for images and interviews from the SRS, please contact sam@samforrestpr.co.uk or 01242 603907.