FEI World Cup Dressage, London Olympia 2011 - Thursday 15th / Friday 16th / Saturday 17th
by Helen Revington
Some of the 200 trade stands at Olympia gear up for the rush
With its proximity to Christmas, Olympia has always been a firm favourite with the last minute shoppers and over the years the Shopping Village has expanded to satisfy demand. This year an extra sixteen stands were added to the village bringing the total to over 200 shops to browse through; what a difficult decision - watch the horses or shop til you drop!
After the grace and power of World Cup dressage, show jumping begins to take centre stage at the London Olympia Christmas Show. With a round of the Rolex FEI World Cup Show Jumping taking place on Sunday, Olympia attracts the very best European riders.
Dermott Lennon and Loughview Lou-Lou
Thursday's curtain raiser, held before the matinee performance began, was the Welcome Two Phase Stakes and course designer Bob Ellis produced a course with just the right degree of difficulty, producing eleven clear rounds from the thirty starters, the fastest of these turned in by Norway's Geir Gulliksen and Rudeski II, a stallion by Darco, an extremely successful show jumping sire.
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal was watching the Matinee Performance to the delight of eight young Pony Club members from around the country who had been selected to take part in the Mini Major competition in which one of our top riders is paired with potential top riders of the future in a relay race. The competition was won by International rider Laura Renwick and young Katie Waldock-Smith, of the Enfield Chace Hunt Pony Club riding Duncrynes Jungle Bunny. Considerably older than Katie, 23-year-old Jungle Bunny was retired after the competition so it was a particularly poignant moment for Katie and his many previous riders.
The afternoon's main show jumping competition, with a prize fund of €11500, provided a wonderful jump off. The roof was raised when John Whitaker, one of the country's favourite riders, threw down the gauntlet early on, jumping clear in a seemingly unassailable time. He was riding the lovely grey mare Dazzle II, a horse he had borrowed for the show from his daughter, Louise.
For further pictures please go to Stephen Sparkes Photography.
© Sue Wingate - The Joy of Horses 2011