The Senior Showing and Dressage Ltd (SSADL) grand final will take place at the Hickstead July show, it has been confirmed. SSADL had announced that the event would not be held at Olympia, as it had since 2007, owing to the ongoing development of the site.
“It is fantastic news for SSADL and our members that our grand finals will be held at such a prestigious event’, said Clare Frost, who ran the SSADL Olympia events.
“We are very excited to be working with the team at Hickstead to offer the chance for 40 home-produced senior horses and ponies to qualify for this highly prestigious show, for both the in-hand and ridden finals. We are also thrilled that our long-term sponsor, Anthony D Evans, will continue to sponsor our grand finals; on behalf of all SSADL I would like to thank Anthony for his continued support’.
Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn said the team was delighted to welcome this “exciting addition” to the RIHS schedule.
“Riders from all around the country work extremely hard to achieve their Hickstead qualifying tickets, and we are excited to see a top class line-up of senior horses and ponies come forward for this final in July.”
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The Anthony D Evans Insurance/SSADL Longines Royal International Horse Show Grand Finals will take place on Saturday, 24 July.
Ms Frost added that SSADL “sincerely thanked” the Olympia team for supporting its finals.
“We really have made history but now is time for change, so onwards and upwards for the future,” she said.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
