We are excited to announce The Tuffa Boots Jockeys Challenge, in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund, will return on the evening of Monday 22 December as the grand finale to an action-packed week of equestrian entertainment.
This much-anticipated event will see two teams of the country’s finest jockeys compete head-to-head over a challenging course of show jumps, riding borrowed horses and facing the daring ‘Tuffa Boots Joker’ fence in a race against the clock.
“We all look forward to taking part in The Tuffa Boots Jockeys Challenge,” said Sir Anthony McCoy, President of the Injured Jockeys Fund. “It’s such a great night. Some jockeys jump really well, some fall off — usually me — but it’s for a great cause and raising awareness of the IJF and the remarkable work the charity does.”
Spectators can look forward to a star-studded line-up, including former Champion Jump Jockey Brian Hughes and Champion Flat Jockey Oisin Murphy who join the Boys Team, alongside Tristan Durrell – who will be coming to the show on strong form following a superb win in the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury last weekend – and Richie McLernon, three-time Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey, and a key fixture at Jackdaws Castle with O’Neill Racing.
However, the Girls Team will be one to beat this year! The team is headed up by Megan Nicholls, daughter of legendary trainer Paul Nicholls, and renowned British horse racing presenter, pundit, and former jockey. She is joined by jump jockey superstars Lilly Pinchin, Gina Andrews, and Alice Stevens, with top rider Joanna Mason representing the Flat Jockeys. Both teams compete on horses they ride for the first time on the day of the competition – giving an added frisson of excitement to this test of horsemanship.
While the class is a London International crowd favourite, promising an evening of spills, thrills, and festive fun, The Tuffa Boots Jockeys Challenge is held in support of a vital cause. The event – which is also broadcast live on BBC iPlayer – will raise crucial funds and awareness for the Injured Jockeys Fund. This organisation has supported thousands of jockeys and their families for nearly 60 years, providing over £19 million in charitable assistance, with services spanning from physio and rehab, support for those with life-changing injuries, and mental health services for those who work in this high-pressure industry. The Injured Jockeys Fund operates three state-of-the-art rehabilitation and fitness centres—Oaksey House in Lambourn, Jack Berry House in Malton, and Peter O’Sullevan House in Newmarket—as well as a regional hub in Taunton, which also serves the wider equestrian and sporting communities.
New for 2025, Tuffa Boots are the title sponsor of the class – after many years of behind-the-scenes support for the participants. Michelle Girling, Founder of Tuffa Boots, said, “Tuffa Boots is proud to continue our support of the Injured Jockeys Fund. This year we are delighted to be the main sponsor at The London Horse Show for The Tuffa Boots Jockeys Challenge, which has become such a popular feature of the Show.”
“We are hugely pleased to welcome Tuffa Boots and our superstar Jockeys back to the London International,” said Chairman of the London International Horse Show, Simon Brooks-Ward. “This class is the perfect finale to a thrilling week of sport and entertainment, and a real crowd favourite. We are so pleased once again to be able to shine a light on the fantastic work the Injured Jockeys Fund does, and look forward to welcoming our viewers – both in our grandstands and at home.”
For more information or to support the Injured Jockeys Fund, please visit https://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk. Donations of £5 can also be made by texting IJF to 70800.
