The London International Horse Show at ExCeL

In the latest edition of the ‘London International Horse Show Riding Academy’, members of Ebony Horse Club spent a day at the home of The Devil’s Horsemen – one of the Show’s exciting displays for 2022.

Now in its third year, the Riding Academy is an enterprise developed by the London International Horse Show with a long-term mission to inform young people of the range of career options open to them within the equestrian sector and provide them with practical experience to shape their talents.

Yesterday’s event was a particular highlight for the Riding Academy, when 10 teenagers from the Show’s 2022 charity, Ebony Horse Club, paid a once-in-a-lifetime visit to the yard of The Devil’s Horsemen – the world’s leading supplier of stunt horses and riders, equipment and carriages to the film industry – hosted by brother and sister team, Dan and Camilla Naprous.

The participants, aged 14 – 19, began the day with a tour of the yard, workshops and carriage stores, receiving an overview of the huge number of equestrian related roles available in the film industry as well as meeting some of the horses on the yard who have starred in productions such as Wonder Woman and Game of Thrones. This was followed by an electrifying trick-riding demonstration from The Devil’s Horsemen’s team led by Camilla Naprous as they practiced for their upcoming display at the London International Horse Show.

The participants then had the opportunity to learn basic stunts on both a barrel horse and a real horse, under the expert eyes of the Naprous siblings and their stunt-riding team. They mastered how to vault on correctly, familiarising themselves with the stunt saddles, and trying some basic moves performed at the halt. Afterwards, top-ranked British carriage driver Dan treated them to an introduction to Carriage Driving and a drive in his carriage as he prepared his team for the FEI Driving World Cup™ at the London International Horse Show this year.

Throughout the day participants had the opportunity to talk to Dan and Camilla and discuss pathways into careers in the equestrian and film sphere – whether as riders, grooms, stunt-riders, farriers, equipment and harness-makers or prop-makers, as well as finding out more about one of the FEI World Cup™ qualifiers to be held in their home city of London this December.

Horsemaster Camilla Naprous (pictured on the right below) said: “It’s been great to be involved in today’s event. We have shown the children some trick riding and carriage driving, as well as offering them a different insight into the equestrian industry. It is brilliant to have worked with the London International Horse Show Riding Academy to give the members of Ebony Horse Club the chance to see what we do here at The Devil’s Horsemen. The children have been so enthusiastic, and I hope that we have inspired them to think about a career in our industry.”

Theo, a member of Ebony Horse Club said: “I have loved being part of the London International Horse Show Riding Academy again this year. It has been amazing to spend time with Dan and Camilla at The Devil’s Horsemen’s yard and see all of their horses and equipment. My favourite part of the day was the trick riding, and I think that I now really want to try and get some more experience within this area of the equestrian industry. I am really excited to see The Devil’s Horsemen perform at the Show this Christmas!”

The Devil’s Horsemen will be showcasing their sensational tricks and stunts at ExCeL London in December as one of the acts performing at The London International Horse Show. The display, which will include 10 horses and nine stunt riders, will be fast-paced and include demonstrations of displays performed in the many Hollywood films they have been involved with.

Show Director, Simon Brooks-Ward said: “The London International Horse Show Riding Academy continues to be an important part of our community outreach programme. One of the Show’s objectives is to increase opportunities and access to the sport, and it is great to be able to work with The Ebony Horse Club, our official charity this year, along with The Devil’s Horsemen to continue to widen accessibility within the sector and showcase different opportunities outside of the traditional spheres of equestrianism.”

The London International Horse Show, held annually in December, is renowned for not only showcasing world class equestrian sport but also providing audiences with spectacular display acts. From 15–19 December, The Devil’s Horsemen will be at the forefront of the action, bringing their breath-taking stunts and tricks to ExCeL London.

The Devil’s Horsemen are the leading film-industry horse supplier in Europe, owned by horsemasters Daniel and Camilla Naprous and their father Gerard. For the last 50 years, The Devil’s Horsemen have worked with some of the world’s best directors, production companies and producers such as Netflix and Disney to provide horses and carriages for blockbuster movies and award-winning TV series.

Dan, who famously played Darth Vader in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, is also the highest ranked International Carriage Driver in Great Britain and will be competing in the FEI Driving World Cup™ at the London International Horse Show this year. Dan’s sister Camilla, who served as the horsemaster on all eight seasons of the acclaimed Game of Thrones and has trained numerous actors including Gal Gadot, Emma Stone, Saoirse Ronan and Angelina Jolie, will also feature in the brand-new display at ExCeL.

The act, which includes 10 horses and nine stunt riders, will be fast-paced and filled with trick riding, including demonstrations of stunts that were performed in Hollywood films such as Wonder Woman and Game of Thrones. The team, who have dedicated their lives to training these remarkable horses, will open their display with a ‘driverless’ carriage of four horses galloping around the main arena, before continuing with equally incredible trick riding.

Dan Naprous, Master Horseman stated: “The Devil’s Horsemen are extremely honoured to be invited to perform at The London International Horse Show, where we will be bringing an enthralling and completely unique performance to the audience, showing the magic of what we achieve on the big screens to a live crowd.”

The Markel Jockeys Jumping in aid of The Injured Jockeys Fund will be returning to The London International Horse Show for the first time since 2019, featuring some of the most prolific jockeys of Great Britain and Ireland. Back by popular demand, this competition sees jockeys attempt a show jumping course at the famous London Horse Show – often with hilarious results.  The 2022 competition  will be a girls versus boys format and takes place on the evening of Monday 19 December.

Heading the boys’ team will be 20-time champion National Hunt jockey Sir Anthony ‘AP’ McCoy, who will be seeking to reverse the 2019 result, in which the girls were victorious. From the world of Flat Racing will be Jim Crowley, who started his professional career over fences riding for the stable of show jumping legend Harvey Smith. Since his switch to the flat, Crowley has been crowned champion jockey and won many of the world’s most prestigious races, most recently the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes last week aboard Baaeed, currently the highest rated horse in the world.

They will be joined by 2021 champion National Hunt jockey Harry Skelton, son of Olympic double gold medallist Nick Skelton CBE. Skelton will be looking to reclaim the title he won in dramatic circumstances following a bridle malfunction in 2018. Skelton’s wife, Bridget Andrews, will be a pivotal part of the girls’ team, following a successful performance in the 2019 edition. Andrews, a Cheltenham Festival winner, will be seeking to make it a double over her husband, this time at the iconic ExCeL London.

Another husband-and-wife combination likely to go head-to-head at The London International Horse Show will be flat jockeys Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle. Doyle will head to The London International Horse Show on the back of another record-breaking season, during which she claimed her first Classic win in the French Oaks, becoming the first British female jockey to win a Classic. Doyle holds the record for victories in a single season by a female rider in the UK and will be looking to add to her list of accomplishments in London. Marquand, also a Classic winner having won the St Leger Stakes in 2020, will add to the stellar list of jockeys taking part in the class, described by Clare Balding in 2019 as “the most extraordinary sporting event I’ve ever seen”, with more top-class participants to be announced in due course.

Looking ahead to the 2022 event, McCoy, President of the Injured Jockeys Fund, said: “At one of our previous appearances in the Markel Jockeys Jumping at The London International Horse Show, Olympic gold medallist Nick Skelton resorted to using a cable tie to fix the bridle on Harry’s horse, so let’s hope we are a bit more professional this time around!” He continued, “At our last appearance in 2019, we were beaten by the girls, so we’ll be putting that right this year. In all seriousness though, it’s for a great cause in the Injured Jockeys Fund – and we all love taking part.”

Organisers of The London International Horse Show 2022 are delighted to announce details of its hugely popular Dressage Unwrapped Masterclass, this year titled ‘Back to the Future’.  Some of Great Britain’s most celebrated Dressage riders will come together at ExCeL London on Thursday 15 December to reflect on past successes and expand on techniques to meet new challenges.  These include hosts Richard Davison and Carl Hester MBE, rising British dressage superstar, Charlotte Fry and her mentor Anne van Olst who will both be speaking for the first time to a British audience on their route to the top and British eventing’s Laura Collett and Richard Waygood.

British Dressage has enjoyed a truly golden era in recent decades, with the likes of Charlotte Dujardin CBE and Carl Hester MBE bringing home a plethora of Olympic, FEI World Championship^TM and FEI European Championship^TM medals. The 75-minute event will comprise four sections, kicking-off with Olympic gold medalist Carl Hester MBE who will share his insights into the methods used to attain his achievements.  Guiding the audience through the highlights of British Dressage in recent years,  Hester will reveal his training routines, what he thinks it takes to produce superstar horses and how to make champions of both horse and rider.

British Olympic Dressage rider Richard Davison will host the second quarter, with a technical display of top-level dressage movements. Talking the audience through the intricacies of the sport, Richard will reveal his riding and horse training tips and techniques, explaining the methods international riders use to produce the highly skilled movements seen in world-class horses, and how these are introduced to the training plan, along with his key to a successful schooling strategy.

Eventing will then take centre stage in the third part of the masterclass, when the British Senior Eventing Team’s Performance Manager, Richard Waygood MBE, will be joined by Laura Collett MBE, a multiple-championship winner and member of the gold medal-winning Tokyo 2020 Olympic team. Laura and Richard – both masters at producing exceptional horses - will demonstrate the secrets of essential training techniques for success and particularly focus on ways of keeping dressage horses mentally motivated, ensuring that they have the energy and enthusiasm needed to successfully compete.

The masterclass will conclude with Great Britain’s newest star, Charlotte Fry, who will appear alongside internationally-renowned coach Anne van Olst. The 26-year-old Fry has cemented her status amongst the best in the world in recent years, winning team bronze at Tokyo 2020 and team silver at the 2021 FEI European Championships^TM and is at the forefront of the next generation of British Dressage champions. This success has not come overnight; the daughter of former top Dressage rider, Laura Fry, has undergone years of extensive training and hard work to get to this point, and her achievements are no mean feat. Fry, along with van Olst, herself a former Danish Olympian who won team bronze in Beijing in 2008, will discuss the practical steps on the road to the top.

The masterclass will take place during the afternoon performance on Thursday 15 December, which also features the FEI Dressage World Cup^TM Grand Prix supported by Horse & Hound.

The London International Horse Show is proud to announce Ebony Horse Club as its official charity for the 2022 edition of the event, which will be held from 15-19 December.

Based in Brixton, South London, Ebony Horse Club’s mission is to use horses to raise the education, life skills, wellbeing and aspirations of young people from disadvantaged communities within Lambeth. Through their youth workers, volunteers and supporters, the Club can introduce fantastic opportunities to young people, including days out at top equestrian venues, educational visits to high profile companies, workshops and training sessions, or just the chance to spend a relaxing day in the countryside. As well as riding and horsemanship, the Club focuses on giving its members occasion to further develop key life skills such as communication, empathy and responsibility in a safe and enjoyable environment.

Ebony Horse Club has strong ties with the London International Horse Show, having hosted the “London International Horse Show Riding Academy” in 2021. The Academy, an annual event for the Show, is an opportunity for the London International’s riders, organisers and affiliates to share their knowledge with the next generation of equestrian stars – no matter their background - and provide useful, grounded advice and experiences, and a unique insight into top level sport. The 2021 Academy saw top young rider Jack Whitaker give a show jumping lesson to the Ebony students, while Paralympic gold medallist Natasha Baker gave a talk about her journey to the top and the challenges she faced to get there.

The partnership with the London International Horse Show will provide significant financial and material benefits to Ebony Horse Club, including revenue from ticket sales, with 50p from each ticket sold for the Thursday afternoon performance going directly to the charity, as well as a provision of tickets throughout the Show to enable Ebony Horse Club’s staff and riders to enjoy the Christmas equestrian extravaganza. In addition, Ebony Horse Club will be taking an active part in the preparation for the Show, where they will be involved with the 2022 Riding Academy.

Admin and Yard Coordinator, Christine Lewis expressed her delight at the partnership: ‘‘We are extremely excited to be chosen as the London International Horse Show’s official charity this year. To be selected by such a prestigious event really speaks volumes to the reach of our message and it’s great to be recognised at such a high-profile occasion. We have worked with the London International Horse Show a few times in the past and our members absolutely love going along to the Show. Last year’s Riding Academy was just amazing. Some of our senior riders had the pleasure of being taught by Jack Whitaker and members were able to learn so much from Natasha Baker OBE about her equestrian and Olympic journey. It was such an inspiring day and something they still talk about now. We cannot wait to be more involved this year. It’ll be a great platform to raise awareness about our work. It’s truly going to be a day to remember for all involved. Thank you so much for the support’’

17-year-old Jasmine, a member of Ebony Horse Club, added: “The fact that the London International Horse Show have chosen Ebony as their 2022 charity is amazing! More young people will have the opportunity to experience the magic of Ebony.”

London International Horse Show Director, Simon Brooks-Ward, said: “Ebony Horse Club is a fantastic charity, enabling children from central London to be involved with horses, where they otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity. We are delighted to be able to support them this year and look forward to working together in the months running up to the Show, and at the Show itself, to provide unforgettable experiences for the children and all involved.”

The highly anticipated 2022 edition of the London International Horse Show will feature five days of world-class equestrian action with the traditional Christmas feel. As the only UK Show to host all three FEI World Cup™ competitions in Dressage, Show Jumping and Driving, the Show is the pinnacle of the equestrian calendar, attracting many of the world’s best horse and rider combinations from around the globe. The Show will also feature a range of exciting performances, including the Shetland Pony Grand National, The Kennel Club Dog Agility, and fantastic equestrian displays.

Organisers of The London International Horse Show today announced their much-anticipated Box Office opening dates for the 2022 Show. The Show, which will be hosted at ExCeL London, will run over five days from 15 – 19 December. Priority bookers – those who attended the 2021 edition – will be able to purchase their tickets during an exclusive 48-hour pre‐sale on Wednesday 20 April, with general sale to follow on Friday 22 April.

The London International Horse Show is the UK’s largest indoor Show, hosting three FEI World Cup^TM events in Show Jumping, Dressage and Carriage Driving, which bring with them exceptional elite competition and talent.

The 2021 edition of the Show welcomed 70,000 visitors to the new venue. With decisively positive reports on the move from competitors and spectators alike, ticket purchasers are encouraged to act quickly to avoid disappointment of missing out on the greatest equestrian Christmas party.

The Show commences on Thursday 15 December with an action-packed schedule. The afternoon performance will welcome the return of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ supported by Horse & Hound, as well as a unique ‘Dressage Unwrapped’ masterclass. The display will explore how past successes are positively impacting current day British dressage and creating a promising future.  Hosted by Carl Hester MBE and Richard Davison with special guest performances from superstar horses and riders, this promises to be an outstanding event.   The evening performance will finish off an incredible opening day with the Extreme Driving, followed by the Lemieux Puissance both of which are sure to provide an exhilarating display of athleticism and agility.

Friday 16 December sees the Under-25 British Championship headlining the morning performance. The class showcases the most exciting and promising homegrown up-and-coming talent. The Services Jumping Championship, the top military competition will also be held on Friday morning. The FEI Driving World Cup™presented by Eurofip International will be the feature class of the afternoon performance, before International Show Jumping comes to the fore, with the Champagne-Taittinger Ivy Stakes and the Christmas Pudding Speed Stakes. Friday will be rounded off by the mesmerising Freestyle to Music FEI Dressage World Cup™ supported by Horse & Hound.

On the morning of Saturday 17^th December showing will be in the arena with the Senior Showing and Dressage Championship.  The Pony Club Mini-Major supported by GS Equestrian, an ever-popular adrenaline-filled class, takes centre stage in the afternoon and the evening performance will showcase the final of the FEI Driving World Cup™ presented by Eurofip International, where a team of four horses and one driver drive a carriage around, through and over a set of obstacles against the clock. The finale of the Saturday schedule is the Longines Christmas Cracker, which is sure to have some of the world’s best show jumping combinations taking part.

The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ will be the highlight of Sunday 18 December for many, in which competitors will be looking to gain their qualification for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final. The afternoon and evening performances contain the two Mini Stakes classes where the 128cm and 148cm jumping ponies respectively, show off their talents and speed in the hotly contested classes.

Providing a fitting conclusion to the Show, Monday 19 December is set to be a true spectacle. Showing enthusiasts will welcome the return of the BSPS Heritage Supreme Championship sponsored by New Horizon Plastics during the morning and afternoon performances.  For the evening performance, Organisers are delighted to welcome back the Markel Jockey’s Jumping in aid of The Injured Jockeys Fund, featuring Great Britain and Ireland’s top National Hunt and Flat jockeys. Rounding off the 2022 edition of the Christmas extravaganza is the London Grand Prix, with the world’s best horse and rider combinations vying for the prestigious 5* Show Jumping title. The home crowd will be hoping for Harry Charles to repeat his sensational success from last year.

Show classic, the thrilling Shetland Pony Grand National will feature every day, as will the Kennel Club Dog Agility classes, with exciting international equestrian displays to be announced in due course.

Away from the performances, there is plenty to keep spectators busy. With over 250 retailers on-site selling a wide range of goods, from fashion and jewellery to all things equestrian, there is a huge choice for those looking for last-minute Christmas gifts. For those who love getting up close to their favourite riders and influencers, The Live Zone is not to be missed.

Simon Brooks-Ward, organiser of the London International Horse Show, said: “We’re really excited about the 2022 edition of The London International Horse Show. We are planning to build on last year’s successful move to the ExCeL to put on the best Show yet, featuring phenomenal competition, inspirational equestrian displays and  a fantastic Christmas atmosphere.

There will be a range of ticket options available, with prices starting from just £15 for access to the Shopping Village, and access to the elite competitive action from just £38.50. More information about The London International Horse Show, including how to buy tickets, can be found here, in addition to performance announcements, and a detailed Show schedule.