Olympia announce Dressage Nominations

Event diary

30 November 2011 17:00

Olympia have announced the nominations for this year’s Reem Acra FEI World Cup dressage qualifier which is taking place at Olympia, The London International Horse Show – December 13-19.

European team gold and individual silver medallist Carl Hester and his medal winning horse Uthopia will be at the front of the 10-strong British challenge in the preliminary grand prix on Tuesday (13th) evening for which a total of 27 entries from nine countries have been received. The top placed 15 combinations in this class will contest the following night’s Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ grand prix freestyle to music qualifier, now one of the highlights of the British dressage calendar and a fitting finale to the year.

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, who also won European team gold this year, will be making their Olympia and World Cup debut in the hope that it will be as successful as their team debut at the European Championships, while team mate Laura Bechtolsheimer has entered both her European gold medal winning partner Mistral Hojris and Andretti H with who she won the British National Championship in September.

Hans Peter Minderhoud from the Netherlands, a frequent visitor to Olympia and currently third in the World Cup standings will be one to beat. The Dutch rider and his 11-year-old Jazz stallion IPS Tango, already have a World Cup win under their belt, having scored a victory in the first qualifier in Odense.

Another who comes to Olympia with current World Cup form, is German European team bronze medallist Helen Langehanenberg. Langehanenberg has entered the former world young horse champion Damon Hill with who she was seventh in last year’s World Cup final and this year won European team bronze. Langehanenberg plays a strong hand as she has also entered the mare Responsible, who took second to Minderhoud in Odense. Her compatriot Anja Plonzke, while no stranger to competing on English soil, will however be contesting Olympia for the first time and brings Le Mont D’Or to the capital’s historic venue. 

The entries also include Olympia regular, American rider Catherine Haddad who returns with Winyamaro with who she was fourth last year, Belgian rider Marc Peter Spahn and the popular Friesian stallion Fryso huys Cas, and Norwegian rider Lillann Jebsen and Pro-set. Olympia will provide the perfect backdrop and meeting place for the former British-owned breeding stallion and his former rider – Carl Hester.

Tickets for Olympia, The London International Horse Show, are priced between £21 and £55 with various discounts available for groups, seniors and children and include entrance to the Shopping Village (these can also be purchased separately without a show ticket for only £10).

For further information and a confirmed programme of events please visit www.olympiahorseshow.com. For tickets, call the box office on 0871 230 5580.