Royal International Show celebrates 100th birthday

The show, which began life at London's Olympia as the glittering highlight of the 1907 society season, is sponsored by Swiss watchmaker Longines. It is

owned by the British Horse Society, which inherited it from its forerunner, The Institute of the Horse and Pony Club, when the society was formed in 1947.

Only the two World Wars have interrupted the show, which in its life time has been held at Olympia, the White City Stadium, Wembley - both inside and outside on the football pitch - and the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

In 1992, when mounting costs forced it out of the NEC, the show's future looked in doubt until Hickstead owner Douglas Bunn stepped in to offer it a home at his All England Jumping Course in Sussex.

Since then he has expanded both the showjumping and showing schedule to the point where Hickstead's six arenas now sustain a hectic six-day programme.

( for full story see West Sussex Gazette April 4