28 July - 2 August 2015
As one of the biggest outdoor shows in the country, the Longines Royal International Horse Show uniquely sees the elite of many equestrian disciplines compete side by side: it has everything from the thrills and spills of international showjumping to the elegance and glamour of champion showing horses and ponies, to the exhilarating buzz of the country's best scurry ponies to event riders galloping across-country.
The international showjumping classes get underway from Thursday onwards, with the highlight of this day being the new-look Amlin Plus Eventers’ Challenge, back at Hickstead by popular demand. Friday’s feature class is the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™, presented by Longines, where teams of four riders will be competing to qualify for the series final in Barcelona. It is the only chance British fans will have to see their team compete on home soil.
Saturday’s Templant Events Queen Elizabeth II Cup is one of the most coveted titles in the national showjumping circuit, while Sunday’s finale is the Longines King George V Gold Cup, one of the oldest and most prestigious classes in the world.
The show also plays host to hundreds of national showjumping classes, including the peak of winter national showjumping qualifiers - the British Showjumping Winter Finals. There’s also carriage driving, scurry driving, side-saddle classes and lots more.
For showing riders, this is exclusively a championship show, and is the culmination of many months of qualifications throughout the winter, with a host of prestigious classes for many types and breeds of horse and pony. Each year the very best of these battle it out for the British Horse Society Supreme Horse and the Underwood Supreme Pony Championships.
Ladies’ day is held on the Saturday of the Longines Royal International Horse Show, held in aid of the Mark Davies Injured Riders’ Fund. Show visitors are encouraged to dress to impress, with a host of prizes on offer to the most elegantly attired ladies.
Hickstead has hosted the Longines Royal International Horse Show (Patron: Her Majesty The Queen) since 1992. Having celebrated its centenary in 2007, the show - the official Horse Show of The British Horse Society - is now the venerable age of 108, and one of the oldest horse shows in the world.
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