The first international horse show in the British capital took place in June 1907 in West London. It was attended by Kind Edward VII and featured skilled equestrians from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, France and even Russia. The show was discontinued in 1940. It was briefly resurrected in 1947, but the modern history of the London International Horse Show began in 1972. It has since become one of the highlights of the country’s equestrian calendar.
The program of the London International Horse Show includes international competitions in different equestrian disciplines (dressage, show jumping, etc.), international displays, extreme driving, performances by equestrian theaters, and more. For an entire week in December, the venue is transformed into a kind of an equestrian kingdom where attendees can admire horses of different breeds and colors in all their glory as well as enjoy spectacular horseback riding competitions.
The London International Horse Show is the only equestrian show in the United Kingdom to host all three FEI World CupTM Qualifiers in Dressage, Show Jumping and Driving (FEI stands for the International Federation for Equestrian Sports). Each performance consists of an equestrian competition and a variety of displays from across the globe. All days except Tuesday and Wednesday have an afternoon performance and an evening performance; on Tuesday and Wednesday, there are evening performances only.
The show also hosts a Shopping Village with more than 250 shops. Along with all things equestrian, the village cells Christmas gifts, jewelry, clothes, novelty items, wines, and fine art.
