Cadlanvalley Sandpiper exhibited by Katy Marriott-Paynes, Champion in the BSPS Ridden M&M Championship during the Olympia London International Horse Show at Olympia in London between 12th-18th December 2017
“We are saddened not to be able to hold our Le Mieux Mountain and Moorland Supreme Championship at Olympia, due to development work [at the venue] and our thanks go to that committee for all their support,” said a spokesman.
The championship has taken place at Olympia since 2011, and BSPS executive council member Simon Richardson told H&H the organisation had had a “super time” there.
“We had to look for an alternative venue and it’s very hard to emulate Olympia so we had to put our thinking caps on,” he said.
“We had discussions with Nina Barbour, managing director of Liverpool International Horse Show. There have never been showing classes at Liverpool but they were keen to host us, the show has a great reputation and we’re looking forward to it.”
Simon said the format for the championship will remain the same, with individual shows in the morning followed by a presentation in the afternoon.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“We will still have 40 ponies to qualify, but we did have four qualify in 2020 so they will automatically be going,“ he said.
“We will have a mix of direct qualifiers, our heritage show in October where we will have six classes, and our 12 separate breed classes, so it means we will get a minimum of one of each of the 12 native breeds qualifying.”
“It’s all quite exciting,” he said. “People who have never been to Bolesworth will have a great experience, the facilities there are absolutely second to none.
“The Bolesworth mission statement is ‘to be brave, be different and be passionate’, and I think that is exactly what the BSPS is doing by linking up with Bolesworth.”
Nina Barbour said: “We are delighted to be working with the BSPS team behind the mountain and moorland supreme championship to host the final at this year’s Liverpool International Horse Show.
“We are looking forward to celebrating Britain’s native pony breeds and providing a special experience for their riders and breeders at the Bolesworth International Horse Show qualifier and the final.”
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
