Olympia Horse Show Viewing Tour 2017
- FRC フリーダム・ライディング・クラブ
- Jul 8
- 7 min read
Yumiko Obi Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture — Company Employee
The purpose of this trip was to attend the Olympia Horse Show and to experience a trail ride at Windsor Great Park. At Olympia, I was captivated by everything, from the FEI Dressage Grand Prix, to show jumping, four-in-hand carriage races, breathtaking performances by mounted police and the Chilean Riders, junior pony races, and the Christmas show. The Grand Prix performances were so solemn and moving that it felt almost disrespectful to watch them up close. I am sure every horse and rider was aiming for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Another highlight was the "Masterclass." This year, Charlotte Dujardin, who was not competing, demonstrated a full range of dressage movements, from collected and extended trot to piaffe and pirouette. Carl Hester, standing at the center of the arena, explained each movement in detail with a sense of humor — a treat unique to Olympia.
According to Carl, Charlotte's greatest strength is her exceptionally strong core.
He also emphasized that it is crucial to make the horse perform the necessary movements, and that a rider must not be tired — a point that struck painfully close to home for me.
Even for someone like me, still far from mastering "equestrianism," it was a truly valuable lesson. On the final day at Windsor, I enjoyed a trail ride on a sturdy Irish Cob. Blessed with the best weather of the trip, I spent about two hours riding across the vast estate. Since the land is owned by the Queen, special permission is required to ride there.
Our guide, Jennifer, told us about Prince Andrew’s white mansion and Elton John’s estate, along with many other stories.
It was a precious and unique experience of British culture.
Taeko Gunji
Tokyo — Real Estate Rental Business
Once again, I realized how different the relationship between horses and people is in Japan and Britain. The Olympia venue was as lively as a soccer match in Japan. I now understand why British children grow up familiar with horses and wish for ponies on their birthdays.
The competition began amid great excitement, and — unbelievably — I was able to see Charlotte Dujardin and Edward Gal perform live❣
Of course, I wanted to see everything with my own eyes, but I also wanted to capture it all with my camera and video, resulting in an intense internal struggle — I wished I had another set of eyes! Besides the competitions, there were many incredible shows as well.
The mounted police amazed us with unbelievable feats — jumping through rings of fire, taking off and putting on jackets while riding over obstacles, even removing armor and saddles at a canter and jumping over hurdles while carrying them. There were also carriage races, children's pony competitions, a rare show from Chile... it was an endless series of excitements.
There were about 250 shops at the venue, too many to visit all. Naturally, when checking in our luggage on the way back, I had an extra suitcase. On the final day, we visited Windsor Castle (I heard Her Majesty still rides horses!) and enjoyed a trail ride at Windsor Great Park.
The weather was perfect, and we fully enjoyed the vast grounds.
The horse I rode was an Irish Cob that had appeared in the movie War Horse! (Though I forgot to ask for its autograph.)
It was a trip where I could truly savor the presence of horses in British life.
Yoshifumi Fujimoto
Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture — Medical Doctor
【First Day: December 13】 Sightseeing in London and First Horse Show
On the first day, we went sightseeing in London. We headed to the Horse Guard Parade for the Changing of the Guard — not the one at Buckingham Palace with the foot guards, but the ceremony of the Household Cavalry. We waited at a café in St. James’s Park, having breakfast while watching the line of horses arrive at the parade ground.
It is something only true horse lovers would appreciate: spending a full hour from 10:30 AM carefully observing the ceremony.
The horses of the Household Cavalry, led by mounted police officers, were beautiful, dignified, and yet so quiet and gentle.
Where horses walk, there are droppings — and following the procession, a "dropping collection vehicle" came by to clean everything neatly. I was impressed. I recalled hearing how, during a snowstorm some years ago, Heathrow Airport was overwhelmed due to a lack of snowplows — yet here, they had a dedicated droppings vehicle. As expected of Britain, the "horse country."
We arrived at Olympia at 2:00 PM, just after it opened. Although we couldn't enter the stands yet, we enjoyed shopping in the vast shopping area next to the arena, which was even larger than the competition area itself. With over 200 equestrian shops, it was easy to load up on souvenirs quickly. (Though I was no match for the three women who bought several pairs of boots.)
The competition started around 4:00 PM with jumping, followed immediately by showtime.
In the Chilean circus performance, the combination of female dancers and horses' movements was breathtaking. The mounted police show, where horses jumped through rings of fire with high speed, was amazing. When horses crossed paths at the center of the ring, they looked close enough to collide. It reminded me of the mass games of Nippon Sport Science University — perfect, synchronized performances.
The Shetland Pony Grand National, a pony race, started with adorable paddock scenes and finished with a short, high-speed race of just three laps — it was thoroughly enjoyable.
The main event at 7:00 PM was the dressage freestyle (Kür). As expected from a World Cup event, the horses were stunningly beautiful, and the performances were like watching the Olympics.
However, from around the third competitor onward, I was attacked by a wave of sleepiness. Jet lag combined with morning sightseeing exhaustion took its toll, and there was nothing I could do.
Unfortunately, I had to leave midway, returning to the hotel while the dressage-loving members stayed behind. Later, I learned that after we left, there were still seven more competitors, including Edward Gal — the Grand Prix winner from the day before!
I deeply regretted not checking the competitor list more carefully.
【Second Day: December 14】 The main event on the second day was the show jumping competition in the afternoon, with a jump height of 155 cm.
Both John Whitaker and Michael Whitaker competed, drawing huge cheers. Even among the British, cheers varied depending on the rider — showing the depth of equestrian fandom.
Michael advanced to the jump-off with a clear round.
The jump-off was thrilling. The sharp U-turn toward the final obstacle decided the winners. Though all horses jumped impressively high, the smoothness of their turns masked the height of 155 cm, showcasing the riders’ top-notch skills.
Michael Whitaker, despite the loud cheers, ended up third after being overtaken. John Whitaker placed 15th. During the awards ceremony, John briefly removed his helmet to bow to the audience, revealing his completely bald head. Though the next generation is active now, his popularity and skill remain exceptional.
During the 30-minute break after the main event, the shopping area became too crowded to shop comfortably. In hindsight, we should have used this time to watch the warm-ups in the lounge area (we had tickets). (Tanaka-san, you should have told us earlier!)
After returning to our seats with some wine, another delightful showtime began.
The dog agility show featured adorable dogs performing high-speed jumps and slaloms, guided only by their handlers’ finger-pointing directions.
The pony race was just like the day before, but with different competitors, providing fresh excitement. Even the accompanying parents seemed delighted by the crowd's cheers.
Watching these young riders, I realized again how European children grow up in an environment where horses are a natural part of life — something truly enviable.
The mounted police show again featured the stunning "stirrup removal while running" and "saddle removal" feats. They were so flawlessly executed that I still couldn’t figure out how it was done.
After another intermission, the venue transformed for carriage driving competitions. It was a grand and heroic spectacle rarely seen elsewhere.
Four-in-hand teams, with each horse remarkable in its own right, raced through narrow courses with incredible agility. The leaders skillfully navigated obstacles under the reins of the carriage driver. The second and third riders leaned dramatically to balance the carriage, like sailors in a yacht race.
On straightaways, the speed was tremendous — being pulled by four powerful horses must be a breathtaking experience.
This is truly a sport unique to Europe, where flatlands are abundant. The final winner was the Australian team, who won with a flawless performance, prompting a standing ovation.
Afterward, the venue transformed into a Christmas wonderland, and the final show was held. It was a warm and festive ending to a cold season.
Fully satisfied with the Olympia Horse Show, we took a classic British black taxi back to our hotel. 【Third Day: December 15】 Mr. and Mrs. Sembongi from the "IGIRISU JOBA Club" picked us up at the hotel.
Although we did not meet Her Majesty, we had a precious riding experience in Windsor Great Park. It was more like a "horse stroll" along paved paths rather than vigorous riding.
The weather was cold but sunny — rare for the season — and perfect for the ride.
Ms. Obi rode formally dressed in a jacket and white breeches, showing her respect for riding in the Queen’s garden.
In the center of the park, a wide grassy road stretched all the way to Windsor Castle. Although it was labeled "Horse Road," it seemed almost untouched. During races, it is said that the royal family rides carriages from the castle to the racetrack along this road.
It resembled, though in no way comparable, the "firebreaks" often seen in trail riding at Yatsugatake in Japan.
【Fourth Day: Sightseeing and Return】
Even during the day, London was dark and rainy. I thought it would be "foggy London," but nowadays it's more "rainy London."
Locals often wear hooded coats instead of using umbrellas. My hooded down jacket was extremely useful for sightseeing in the cold, dark city.
Being able to watch the world’s greatest equestrian show, experience riding in the Queen’s garden, and enjoy sightseeing during free time — it was a jam-packed and unforgettable 3-night, 5-day journey.
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