Let's Hear It For the Royal

The Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead this week celebrates a very special milestone. Because the great event, first staged at Olympia in London in 1907, is a century old - and still thriving.

The Royal has been staged at five different venues during its long and illustrious existence and the only thing that ever brought it to a halt was war - two of them actually. It is nothing short of a much-loved institution, and it continues to draw crowds from all walks of life as well as huge numbers of competitors.

From its original home at Olympia it moved to the White City stadium and then to Wembley, also in London, before returning again to the White City just before it closed for the last time. Then it travelled over to the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham before finally settling comfortably at Hickstead in West Sussex in 1992. By then the show had become the property of the British Horse Society whose predecessor, the Institute of the Horse and Pony Club, bought it for the princely sum of £1,200 from the original owners, International Horse Show Limited.

It gained its "Royal" prefix when King George V presented the solid gold cup which is still one of show jumping's most sought-after trophies, and in its earliest days was a society event in the glittering London social calendar, with formal dress governed by the time of day - silk hats and morning coats for the afternoon and full evening dress for later.

In 1907 showing and driving dominated the show schedule, and hunters need a certificate from a Master of Foxhounds stating that they regularly followed hounds. There were only 12 jumping classes including a high jump with £100 in prizemoney and a "wide jump" competition. In 1912 there was great interest in an exhibition of English and foreign breeds of horses, and the programme included gymkhana classes like musical chairs while there was also a Military Trials class which resembled the modern sport of eventing. World War I led to the suspension of the show for six years and when it resumed, until it was interrupted again in 1939, displays became a major attraction. There was a call for "more showmanship" to ensure better entertainment for the public - something many show directors today may well still understand - and what we today might describe as "stunt riding" was introduced under the direction of the legendary Col. Mike Ansell. However rising costs and the need for bigger audiences led to the move from the confines of Olympia to the White City which could hold 30,000 spectators at each performance.

The All England Show Jumping Course at Hickstead, creation of entrepreneur and former show jumper Douglas Bunn and renowned for its formidable Derby track, is very different to the London venue but has been a happy home to the Royal International for the last 15 years and the show has staged a leg of the premier Samsung Super League with FEI since the series' inception in 2003. This Friday, Great Britain takes on the seven other participating nations in the sixth event of the 2007 season, and nothing will please the home side more than to hold aloft the coveted Prince of Wales Cup presented to the victors. That would be a fitting anniversary result for a fixture with such a long and distinguished legacy.

Perhaps best then to leave the final word to the show's patron, HRH Queen Elizabeth II, who penned the following to British Horse Society Chairman, Patrick Print:

"To become a centenarian is an occasion for celebration. For a horse show to have achieved 100 years through the tumultuous years of the last century is truly a great achievement.

To have survived the swings in public interest, the change in the status of the horse - from a position of everyday life to the service of leisure and sport - or the dreadful toll of two world wars, is a mark of its popularity and its importance.

The Royal International Horse Show has held a special place in the hearts of so many people who have a love of horses. One can only hope that horses will continue to command public affection over the decades to come. I extend my congratulations for a great celebration of the last century and my best wishes for the future.

Elizabeth R."