Olympia - The London International Horse Show

In London, from 14 - 20 December, Christmas is dominated by horses! The London International Horse Show, held annually at Olympia, is one of the city’s most stirring and festive holiday events.  First established in 1907, Olympia still has all the pomp and ceremonial splendor of the early days — as well as many exciting contemporary events and features.

 

Spectacles set to keep the crowd enthralled include the acrobatic Ukrainian Cossacks, who somersault on galloping horses and form pyramids on their backs, the Shetland Pony Grand National and the Household Cavalry’s Musical Ride, in which two regiments display military horsemanship at its highest level, flags waving and horses moving with speed and precision in time to a lively band.

 

On the competition side of things, top equestrians from 17 countries will participate in the jumping and dressage events, which take place throughout the week. To ensure everyone remembers the season, there’s a Christmas finale at the close of every day, featuring “War Horse,” a play with actors operating life-sized puppets. Ideal for children, it tells the touching story of a boy and his brave and loyal horse, during World War I.

 

Horses aren’t the only animals who get to show off: there’s also the Kennel Club Dog Agility Finals, which gives canine stars the chance to demonstrate their extraordinary abilities.

 

“The show is really terrific theater,” said Simon Brooks-Ward, the event’s director, “with a special mix of sport, entertainment and holiday spirit. It has a special place in our hearts, and we always hope newcomers will come to understand why.”

 

And for anyone who's lucky enough to attend and feels the need for some retail therapy, there's the Shopping Village, with over 200 shops stocking everything from clothes and jewelry to toys, much of it in celebration of the horse.  The girls at Horsezone certainly wish we were in London watching all the action and partaking of the stunning shopping opportunities!

 

To find out more about the glamorous Olympia Horse Show visit www.olympiahorseshow.com and to watch the FEI live feed of dressage and jumping visit www.feitv.org