Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro.
6 December 2013 – Three FEI-ranked world No.1 riders will compete at Olympia, The London International Horse Show which takes place on 16-22 December 2013, as final entries for London’s premier equine show were announced today.
Dressage sensation Charlotte Dujardin, show jumping superstar Scott Brash and carriage driving legend Boyd Exell, who are all currently leading the rankings in their respected sports, are amongst the confirmed entries for what is regarded as the world’s best Christmas equine party. It will be the first time in the history of Olympia that three world No.1s have competed at London’s premier horse show.
Dressage
London 2012 hero Charlotte Dujardin (GB) will compete her Olympic gold medal winning horse, Valegro in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Leg, supported by Horse & Hound on 16 and 17 December. The formidable pair won this competition at Olympia last year and Dujardin, who was shortlisted for The Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswoman of the Year earlier this month, will be hoping to repeat that feat.
Amongst those bidding to spoil Dujardin’s Christmas party is Edward Gal (Glock’s Voice) and Hans Peter Minderhoud (Glock’s Romanov) from the Netherlands who are regulars at Olympia. Charlotte’s GB Teammate, Carl Hester will compete Fine Time 13, the horse with which he won the National Championships with in September. A notable absentee is Dujardin and Hester’s London 2012 Teammate, Laura Tomlinson (nee Bechtolsheimer). However, Tomlinson’s stable jockey and Reserve National Champion, Lara Griffith, makes her Olympia debut on Andretti H.
Show Jumping
The Top Three FEI-ranked show jumpers in the world, Scott Brash (GB), Ben Maher (GB) and Ludger Beerbaum (GER), are all triple handed with horses in the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Leg, presented by H&M. Scotland’s Brash, who recently clinched the Longines Global Champions Tour title in Doha, elevating him to No.1 spot this week in the FEI world rankings, brings Bon Ami, Hello Annie and Ursula XII to Olympia. Maher has Aristo Z, Diva II and his London 2012 superstar Tripple X III and will also be reunited with Noctambule Courcelle in the Alltech Christmas Puissance, on whom he won the famous competition in 2010 and 2012. Legendary Beerbaum brings his three top horses Carinou, Chiara 222 and Zinedine.
Other notable entries include European individual gold medallist Roger-Yves Bost (FRA) with Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois and Britain’s current No.1 female show jumper, Laura Renwick.
Brash said: “To go to Olympia, which is one of my favourite shows, as FEI ranked world No.1 is a very special feeling. This year has been unbelievable for me and there would be nothing better than to top it off with a good week at Olympia.”
Extreme Carriage Driving
Six of the world’s best drivers will compete in the exhilarating Extreme Driving FEI World Cup on 19 and 20 December; the first competition being a warm-up to give the running order of the deciding second.
The line-up includes three 2013 European team gold medallists, Koos de Ronde, IJsbrand Chardon and Theo Timmerman from the Netherlands; two 2013 European team silver medallists from Germany, Daniel Schneiders and Michael Brauchle; and driving on a wild card is two time world gold medallist, four time World Cup Champion and current leader in the FEI Driver standings, Australia’s Boyd Exell. Representing Great Britain is the only female in the competition, Georgina Hunt, who is seven times National Pony Team Champion.
Olympia, The London International Horse Show will be televised throughout the week on BBC Online, the BBC Red Button and Eurosport. Live coverage of the Longines FEI World Cup presented by H&M will be broadcast on BBC 1 between 13:45 and 16:30 on Saturday 21 December 2013.
For more information, please visit the website at www.olympiahorseshow.com.
Olympia, The London International Horse Show
Throughout the week of 16 December, the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington, London, will play host to packed timetable of all things equestrian and boasts a total of over 80,000 visitors. The show mixes top class equestrian action including FEI World Cup Jumping, Dressage and Extreme Carriage Driving with family entertainment, such as The Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art display and the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Olympia Horse Show celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2007 and is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest equine competitions. Olympia Horse Show’s official charity for 2013 is veterinary charity, the Animal Health Trust, which works behind the scenes to monitor equine disease around the world and undertakes extensive on-going research to minimise the risk of injury to sport horses. The evening performance on Wednesday 18 December will be dedicated to the Animal Health Trust and 50p from every seat sold will go to the charity.
For more information, please contact Hannah Grissell, Revolution Sports + Entertainment
Email: hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 207 592 1207