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Hundreds of showjumping and showing competitors will head to Hickstead for the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) on 20-25 July 2021, although the format of this year’s show is changing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The oldest horse show in the world first took place in 1907 and is currently held at the famous All England Jumping Course show ground in West Sussex that also hosts the British Jumping Derby Meeting.
The RIHS is one of the most prestigious showjumping and showing shows in the UK. In normal times it is the only British show to host a leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup, where national teams of four showjumpers compete to gain points to qualify their country for the series final. This would be the only chance showjumping fans have of seeing the British team compete on home soil, although it is not taking place in 2021.
In addition the show normally hosts the famous Longines BHS King George V Gold Cup, the Science Supplements BHS Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the popular MS Amlin Eventers’ Challenge, as well as national jumping classes. In 2021 the Science Supplements BHS Queen Elizabeth II Cup is moving to the prime Sunday spot as the show’s feature jumping class while the King George V Gold Cup is not taking place.
Accompanying the top-class showjumping, the best showing riders and horses have qualified at shows around the country in order to compete at the RIHS. They will be doing battle to be crowned Royal International champion in their class, with the best horses and ponies going forward to the supreme horse and supreme pony championships on Sunday. In 2019, the respective supreme accolades went to Allister Hood and the lightweight cob Our Cashel Blue and India Till and the 138cm show pony Drakemyre Puttin On The Ritz.
Saturday is usually Ladies day, with prizes on offer for the most elegantly-attired. Shopaholics can have a field day stocking up on equestrian tack, clothing and equipment, as well as jewellery and other accessories, in the Charles Owen-sponsored shopping village — don’t forget your credit card! And young visitors can enjoy the fun fair in the family fun zone with entertainment from family entertainer Tomfoolery. At the current time it is unclear what level of spectators will be allowed to attend, but this page will be updated as more information becomes available.
In a statement today (21 April) the organisers of the All England Jumping Course, Hickstead, said the “difficult decision” had been made to run RIHS under a new format for this season
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