Ben Maher on Aristo Z at Olympia 2012. Photo credit: Kit Houghton.
22 November 2013 – Seven of the world’s top 10 FEI-ranked show jumpers are set to compete at Olympia, The London International Horse Show on 16-22 December, as nominations for the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping leg presented by H&M were announced this week, guaranteeing another year of exhilarating top class sport at London’s premier equestrian show.
Amongst the entries include current world number one ranked show jumper Ben Maher (GBR), who has nominated three of his best horses, Tripple X III, Cella and Aristo Z. Since winning team gold at London 2012, Maher’s success on the international circuit has continued to soar, with victories this year in the inaugural Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of London in June, the prestigious Longines King George V Gold Cup at Hickstead in August, team gold at the FEI European Championships in Herning, Denmark, and more recently he bagged the valuable Prize of GEZE GmbH at the highly regarded CSI5* Stuttgart German Masters.
The 29-year-old said: “I love competing in front of the Olympia crowd, and winning two competitions there in 2012 was just fantastic – there is simply no other show like it! 2013 has been an unreal year for me and I just hope that I can put the icing on the cake by winning once again at Olympia.”
Maher’s GB teammate, Scott Brash, has also nominated three of his top horses, including superstar Bon Ami fresh from his two CSI5* successes in one week in Verona, Italy. Brash’s other nominated mounts include Hello Annie and Ursula XII.
Among the 48 nominated riders is Britain’s number one ranked female rider, Laura Renwick, who has nominated four horses. Three members of the Whitaker family, Michael, John and Robert, have also been nominated.
From overseas, strong entries have come from the Netherlands and Germany. Individual silver medallist from London 2012, Gerco Schröder (NED), is nominated along with Sydney 2000 Olympic team gold medallist Marcus Ehning (GER), who is currently ranked third in the world.
Rising Portuguese star Luciana Diniz, who sits one behind Ehning in the FEI Rankings, is nominated with three horses: Upper Star, Winningmood and Fit For Fun 13. This year’s competition has just one potential Irish contender in Cian O’Connor, who has nominated his London 2012 individual bronze medal winning horse Blue Lloyd 12.
The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping leg presented by H&M takes place during the afternoon performance on Saturday 21 December 2013 and limited tickets are still available. Coverage will be broadcast live on BBC1 from 13:45-16:30*.
For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit the website at www.olympiahorseshow.com or telephone the box office on 0871 230 5580.
*TV schedule subject to change, please check listings nearer the time.
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 and Dressage 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.