Olympia Horse Show
So last week I got to go to the Olympia Horse Show! I've watched it numerous times over the years. I remember Damien Griffin coming joint second there in the Puissance. But this is the first time I've ever gone!!
Olympia is divided into Afternoon & Evening Sessions. So you cannot stay all day at it. My ticket was for the Thursday afternoon session. So after numerous Tubes and then walking from the tube station, as there was no sign of the shuttle bus, I arrived. There was no queue to get in, which was great. I eventually found my seat and went to sit down. The Santa Stakes were on. The great thing about the arena for the audience, is that you are right on top of the action. You can smell the horses.....for the horse & rider though, I don't know that I'd like that!!
For me, it was really nice to sit down for a few hours - I'd walked all over London the day before, so the limbs were feeling tired. Once the jumping was over and the jump off began, they took out all the extra jumps, then when that was over they took away all the jumps. Everything was super fast, they were like crazy worker ants just running all over the arena. You really don't have to move, every performance is after each other and then there may be a small intermission. So the show comes to you.....
I was disappointed that I'd missed the dressage, I would have loved to have watched the big players in action, and that is definitely on the to-do list.
The Portuguese Lusitanos were fabulous to watch. Poetry in motion and so many of them! Beautiful horses.
The Shetland Grand National was quite funny and very cute. A few National Hunt jockeys in the making I reckon!
There was also the Kennel Club Dog Jumping Grand Prix. Which was really amazing. Especially seeing as a few of them were rescues. As soon as I heard that someone started cutting onions beside me.......I swear......maybe........
Extreme Driving was on too.......that was crazy......I never realised there were so many people involved. I would not like to be the person on the back! They get nothing but dirt in their face and the driver gets all the glory! Some amazing technique though........
Santi Serra was another of the performances. I'd already seen him at the RDS Dublin Horse Show, but he was still great to watch.....if only my boys would do half of that, we'd fly at the dressage!!
During the interval I did a spot of window shopping. Mostly because I only had hand luggage and I really really need to stop buying horse related items........it's an addition! I did end up buying gloves, but you can never have enough gloves, and mine have seen better days. And the other good pair I bought keep going missing - story of my life. 2017 will be the year of serious organisation!!
Olympia is now something that I can tick off the bucket list......I don't think I'd go back if I'm honest. Unless someone I knew was competing. It's expensive. Tickets retail from £20-£65 and that's only for one session (ie afternoon or evening). You need a special ticket to watch the warm up ring! For someone that's been to the Dublin Horse Show many's a time, I can honestly say it is far better. You have various different things on all the time, you move around, you get to see the horses warm up ( for free) and get to really absorb the horse show atmosphere. Olympia was like any normal show, but it had horses in the arena. Apart from that (and the beautiful smell of horse shite) you wouldn't notice any difference between it and any other type of show. I also have a new found respect for the Dublin Horse Show! Hopefully this year I'll have a horse at it!!
Olympia is divided into Afternoon & Evening Sessions. So you cannot stay all day at it. My ticket was for the Thursday afternoon session. So after numerous Tubes and then walking from the tube station, as there was no sign of the shuttle bus, I arrived. There was no queue to get in, which was great. I eventually found my seat and went to sit down. The Santa Stakes were on. The great thing about the arena for the audience, is that you are right on top of the action. You can smell the horses.....for the horse & rider though, I don't know that I'd like that!!
For me, it was really nice to sit down for a few hours - I'd walked all over London the day before, so the limbs were feeling tired. Once the jumping was over and the jump off began, they took out all the extra jumps, then when that was over they took away all the jumps. Everything was super fast, they were like crazy worker ants just running all over the arena. You really don't have to move, every performance is after each other and then there may be a small intermission. So the show comes to you.....
I was disappointed that I'd missed the dressage, I would have loved to have watched the big players in action, and that is definitely on the to-do list.
The Shetland Grand National was quite funny and very cute. A few National Hunt jockeys in the making I reckon!
There was also the Kennel Club Dog Jumping Grand Prix. Which was really amazing. Especially seeing as a few of them were rescues. As soon as I heard that someone started cutting onions beside me.......I swear......maybe........
Extreme Driving was on too.......that was crazy......I never realised there were so many people involved. I would not like to be the person on the back! They get nothing but dirt in their face and the driver gets all the glory! Some amazing technique though........
Santi Serra was another of the performances. I'd already seen him at the RDS Dublin Horse Show, but he was still great to watch.....if only my boys would do half of that, we'd fly at the dressage!!
Then there was the Finale, which was pretty top notch I have to say. Circus performers, kids, carriages, just phenomenal.
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| The rug obsession continues.... |
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| Dog beds...... |
I have to say things were no cheaper than at home and that was without taking into account Sterling Vs Euro so really, they would have been more expensive for a lot of things. So if you're going for bargain shopping, you may forget about that now.........
Olympia is now something that I can tick off the bucket list......I don't think I'd go back if I'm honest. Unless someone I knew was competing. It's expensive. Tickets retail from £20-£65 and that's only for one session (ie afternoon or evening). You need a special ticket to watch the warm up ring! For someone that's been to the Dublin Horse Show many's a time, I can honestly say it is far better. You have various different things on all the time, you move around, you get to see the horses warm up ( for free) and get to really absorb the horse show atmosphere. Olympia was like any normal show, but it had horses in the arena. Apart from that (and the beautiful smell of horse shite) you wouldn't notice any difference between it and any other type of show. I also have a new found respect for the Dublin Horse Show! Hopefully this year I'll have a horse at it!!
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| The Finale |
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