What to Expect at ExCel this Year

One of Show’s most loved acts is the Kennel Club Dog Agility competition. These take place at each of the performances with different types of classes for each one. For instance, you may see the ABC Class (that’s Anything But a Collie) or you may see the small dog pairs relay. Whatever you see, you are in for a great deal of fun, as these wonderful animals race around, over and through the obstacles, wearing their owners out and going hell for leather to be the one with the winning time.

NEW this year are additional Dog Agility classes in the London Arena – check out the show timetable to find out more.

The Shetland Pony Grand National holds all the excitement of the world famous Grand National horse race on a miniature scale! Shetland Ponies and their riders race around the arena at a fast and furious pace – it really is one of the highlights of the Show. If you are interested in getting involved please visit the Shetland Pony Grand National website.

There are two international equestrian displays each year at the Show. In 2023 one of the displays will be the beautiful Portuguese Lusitanos who have not been seen at the Show for over 8 years. The second international display will be announced over the summer.

Dressage focuses on the development of the physique of the horse and the harmony between rider and horse. High quality is revealed by freedom and regularity of the paces, lightness and ease of the movements. The horse gives the impression of doing the movements on his own accord because of the small and invisible aids of the rider. In all competitions, the horse has to show three paces: walk, trot and canter, as well as transitions between the paces and transitions within the paces (collection – extension – collection).

At the Show there are two tests, the Grand Prix and the Kur or Freestyle Test to Music. In the Freestyle to Music, the rider can choose the music, the choreography and the sequence of movements that have to be shown. In the Freestyle test, the technical skill and the artistic performance are evaluated. On the artistic part, one of the most important things is that the horse can do all the movements in the rhythm to the music.

The most important Show Jumping event at The London International Horse Show is the Longines FEI World Cup^TM Jumping Leg which takes place on Sunday afternoon this year. Another well-known class is LeMieux Puissance, which will take place on Friday evening – it’s great fun as the horses jump higher and higher over the big red wall. The Show Jumping Grand Prix on Monday evening has one of the toughest showjumping tracks of the whole event.

FEI World Cup^TM Driving and Extreme Driving are without doubt the most thrilling face of competitive carriage driving and nowhere is this more keenly apparent than at The London International Horse Show. It has the audience gripping their seats dazzled by the skill of fearless drivers who manoeuvre four galloping horses round a technical course at seemingly impossible speeds. FEI World Cup^TM Driving is only open to the top 10 ranked drivers in the world, taken from results in the preceding summer outdoor season. Most drivers will have a different team of horses for the winter season as the turns are tighter, the arenas smaller and the excitement more intense!

The Christmas Prizegiving Finale is especially created for you children in the audience… that is… you, children of all ages! The finale always includes the First Noel, a very special guest, snow and a lot of fun!

New for 2023 is the London arena which houses the finals of the London International Showing Series. Throughout the summer qualifying classes have been held at agricultural and county shows in all four corners of the UK. A full list of the Shows holding Qualifiers can be found on the competitors page. The winners from those events will come to London to compete in the finals and hopefully be judged to be the best of their breed. In association with the British Show Pony Society and the British Show Horse Association.

If you have enjoyed seeing the dog agility at previous London International Horse Shows, this year we have lots more on offer. There’s the Crufts Medium ABC Agility Stakes Semi finals, the Discover Dogs Small/Mixi Pairs Challenge Final, the Kennel Club Starters Cup Final, the Crufts Large Novice ABC Semi-Final and the Crufts Intermediate Novice ABC Semi-Final.

Every day in the London Arena there will be a masterclass from a well known rider or equestrian educator such as Pippa Funnell, Richard Waygood and Ben Atkinson. Topics covered will include dressage, jumping, training, driving and eventing.