Met ride in Amersterdam

By Justine Thompson

Event diary

13 January 2009 10:26

The Metropolitan police have been invited to perform their breathtaking Activity Ride at a major horse show in Holland.

Jumping Amsterdam, which runs from 22 - 25 January, is an annual highlight of the Dutch equestrian calendar and is attended by top show jumpers and dressage riders from across Europe.

In addition to its usual dressage and show jumping programmes, the Met’s Mounted Branch has been invited and funded by the organisers to perform its famous Activity Ride in celebration of the event’s jubilee anniversary.

The Met will be performing the show twice a day during the three-day event. This is a fast-moving show designed to exhibit the skills and professionalism of the riders and their horses. It consists of the horses jumping through fire, a solid paper wall and complete fast crossovers. Riders then remove their stirrups, tunics and saddles while riding over a series of bush jumps.

A team of eight officers and 10 horses will be attending the show, including 18-year-old Ypres, the winner of the British Veteran Horse Association’s Horse of the Year Award 2007. All the riders, horses and staff who participate in the ride are selected for their commitment and riding ability, and training for the event has been in addition to being deployed on normal policing duties.

The ride has already been performed with acclaim at a number of horse shows in the UK, including at Olympia and the NEC. In 2006 it toured with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna in the UK.

Inspector Alan Hiscox, who heads the team, said:
“The Activity Ride provides a fun and entertaining show for all spectators and equestrian fans, but it also demonstrates the absolute trust and commitment between our riders and horses. I am honoured to be asked represent the MPS at this show and I would like to thank Jumping Amsterdam for their invitation.”
For more information visit: http://www.jumpingamsterdam.nl/en/