The box office opens today for the newly renamed world-famous Christmas show at Olympia (14th-20th December 2004). The show, will this year feature the spectacular Barcelona Mounted Police as well as the Metropolitan Mounted Police Display alongside its existing programme of world-class sport from Dressage and Showjumping.

Olympia now represents, with the inclusion of a Dressage World Cup Qualifier (release 06.05.04), many aspects of the horse world. To reflect this the show, known until now as “Olympia International Show Jumping Championships”, has reverted back to the title from the original show at Olympia, started in 1906, and will now be called, “Olympia, The London International Horse Show”.

With the new name comes an extra two performances, a new logo (see note to editors), a new website at www.olympiahorseshow.com and a new colour scheme.

Olympia, which last year sold out a week before the show opened its doors, is one of Europe’s top 5 horse shows with capacity attendance in 2004 of over 90,000 and the highest prize money at any World Cup Qualifier in Europe.

The prestigious array of classes includes the UK’s only World Cup Dressage and Show Jumping Qualifiers. The Dressage World Cup qualifier takes place on Tuesday 14th (Grand Prix) and Wednesday 15th December (Freestyle) and the Show Jumping World Cup Qualifier will again be held during the Sunday afternoon performance (19th December), with The Masters now moving to Saturday afternoon (22nd December). The electrifying Grand Prix and The Puissance will also be among the other Blue Ribbon events. Additionally, one lucky rider will win a car as the prize for a Ride and Drive class with qualifiers being staged every day and the Final during the Monday evening performance.

Show Director, Simon Brooks-Ward, whose father Raymond started the show in 1972 said of the renaming “This name change was a necessary step for us with the inclusion of Dressage and logical given that most people refer to us as “Olympia” anyway! The show has a very successful format but it is very important that we keep moving forward and keep ahead of what the audiences want to experience at the show. The new name, logo and website are just some of the innovations you can look forward to for this year.”

The box office opens on 1st July 2004 or for further information on the show’s programme see the new look website NOW at www.olympiahorseshow.com

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