Our Equestrian Marketing Team were particularly sad to hear this week that The Longines Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead has lost it’s famous Eventer Grand Prix Class, where event riders and show-jumpers were put head to head in the competition.
The class, which has always been a popular fixture with both the riders and the crowds has now been removed due to a change in television scheduling, which would have meant that without the live TV coverage visitors in the grandstands would not have been able to follow what was happening.
The Eventing Grand Prix was formed in 1998 by Hickstead founder Douglas Bunn, international showjumper Paul Schockemöhle, and event rider Robert Lemieux. It was a unique competition that saw show-jumpers and event riders compete around a course of coloured show jumps and fixed cross-country obstacles, testing each combination to the max.
Having had a previous client sponsor the class many years ago, it is such a shame to see such a popular class off the schedule and we do hope to see it return, as for many (Including us) it was one of the highlights of the show and will be sorely missed.
http://www.hickstead.co.uk
Photo Credit: Samantha Lamb
