Olympia horse show on TV this week

By Justine Thompson

Event diary

15 December 2009 12:10

Didn’t manage to get a ticket for the Olympia, London International Horse Show?

Don’t worry, the BBC has reversed its trend of recent years and is to air more of the great Christmas horse show than previously.

Show organiser Simon Brooks-Ward has reversed the BBC's steady withdrawal and persuaded it to cover Olympia's dressage too.

This means Wednesday night's much awaited World Cup freestyle-to-music qualifier, featuring European champion Edward Gal and ‘wonderhorse’ Moorlands Totilas, is live on the red button.

Show jumping will also be featuring on Saturday and Sunday on BBC2.

Michael Cole, deputy editor of BBC Sport, said: "Olympia is a great entertainment spectacle and also a hugely important sporting event on the build up to the 2012 Olympics in London.

“With the popularity of dressage increasing – highlighted at the recent European Championships – it was a natural decision for us to include it. We're looking forward to giving viewers such extensive coverage of a fantastic show."

Laura Bechstolsheimer, individual bronze medallist at Windsor, leads the British dressage challenge with her second string Andretti H, together with fellow team silver medallist Carl Hester and Liebling.