The evening began with a fascinating lecture demo by member of the senior British eventing team and European Individual Silver and Team Gold Medallist, Piggy French. Once the exciting competition got underway over 30 eventers tackled the bespoke course of fences comprising show jumps and cross country fences.

This competition is a real spectator sport with plenty of speed and agility needed in equal amounts to get round clear and fast. Nicola Wilson is clearly becoming a specialist in this field after winning convincingly last year and returning with the same form for this year. She came into the ring meaning business and with her foot very much to the floor on her lovely mount, Portersize Top Dollar, she rode round in a time that just couldn’t be beaten to take first place. In second was Sally Chamberlain riding Leroy and third was Lauren Shannon riding Quixotic. All three riders will now join leading eventers in the British Open Indoor Cross Country competition on Thursday 8th April.

The Indoor Cross Country competition at the British Open Show Jumping Championships is a competition not to be missed. Britain’s top equestrian course designer, Bob Ellis, and Eventing guru Mike Tucker will create the course of approximately 16 jumps consisting of show jumps and cross country fences – some of which will be jumped in both directions. The show jumps will be set at near maximum height allowed in eventing and will form the first phase of the course. The exhilarating event was launched to great acclaim at the 2006 British Open Show Jumping Championships continuing each year to provide visitors the only opportunity in the UK to witness top-level indoor cross country alongside world-class show jumping and thrilling equestrian entertainment.

The British Open Show Jumping Championships takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from Wednesday 7th – Saturday 10th April 2010. For tickets, call the Box Office on 0844 581 1301 or visit the official website by clicking here.

Richard will be assisted by members of his family to demonstrate a range of training tips to help get you and your horse on the right track for Dressage. Team Davison will enlighten the British Open audience with their expertise, assisting both those looking to improve in the sport and those interested in using the techniques to best effect in other equestrian disciplines.

Gillian Davison, Richard’s wife, who has ridden internationally at grand prix level, will be taking part in the demonstration riding either grand prix dressage horse Hiscox Komanchi or Hiscox Aliano.  Whilst Richard’s youngest son, up and coming Show Jumper Joe Davison, will also take part in the demo riding one of his Show Jumpers Egano Star or Lantino. Joe is current British National Under 18 yrs Champion and a member of the Tretorn Young Rider International Squad. Joe also hopes to qualify Egano Star for the World Class Development Championship which takes place on Thursday 8^th April.

Richard will use the two pupils to highlight the importance of dressage as a basis for all equestrian disciplines and demonstrate a range of training tips showing how fun and uncomplicated dressage can be. Richard is a highly successful and internationally acclaimed dressage rider based in Combridge, Staffordshire. He has won two European medals, represented Great Britain at three Olympic Games and at two World Championships, as well as having been the British number one International Dressage Rider for six years.   He regularly competes up to Grand Prix level and has a horse aimed for the 2012 Olympics. As well as being the British Dressage Team Captain, Richard also trains with top show jumpers, helping them improve their dressage and flatwork.

The Dressage Masterclass will form part of the unique programme of world-class show jumping, bespoke competitions such as Indoor Cross Country and mesmerising equestrian displays at this innovative event.

The British Open Show Jumping Championships takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from Wednesday 7^th – Saturday 10^th April 2010. For tickets call the Box Office on 0844 581 1301 or visit the official website by clicking here.

Book a standard ticket for ANY performance and if you’re one of the first ten to book quoting “VAL,” you will win an exclusive backstage tour and a £20 gift voucher to spend as you please in the British Open Official Merchandise store! It’s the perfect present for Valentines or Mother’s Day! Get on the phone to the box office NOW by calling 0844 581 1301 and quote “VAL.”

The 2010 dates, Wednesday 7^th – Saturday 10^th April, have been allocated to close the Show with the Championship Final performance on Saturday evening and with no split performances, tickets are now valid all-day on the day you purchase.

The Bailey’s Jumping and Style series (JAS) is an ‘Indoor Eventing’ competition run from January to February to provide competition experience in preparation for the start of the British Eventing season. Horse and rider compete over a show jumping course followed by a second round against the clock over a series of indoor cross country style fences. Riders are also given a ‘style’ mark by the judges which is combined with penalties to arrive at the final score. The winner will be the horse with the lowest penalty score at the end of the competition. The penalty score will consist of: a style mark for the horse and rider judged by an accredited trainer or elite rider over the show jumps and cross country fences, awarded out of 60 and converted to penalty marks. This will be added to the cross country time penalties and jumping penalties incurred during both phases.

18 year old Wills Goodhew finished on an impressive total score of only 5.0 penalties with his aptly named, nine year old gelding, More Luck. ‘Lucky’ (stable name) jumped foot perfectly on the night to take the title from an impressive start list including former British Open Indoor Cross Country winner, Georgie Spence. Lucky can be nervous and spooky occasionally but showed his quality to comfortably take the lead finishing with only two time penalties to add to his style score. This bodes very well for Wills’ plans to campaign the Young Rider classes with him this season.

Wills’ mother, Pella Goodhew commented ‘We are thrilled to qualify for the British Open! Wills and Lucky took the lead with ten more still to jump so it was extremely nerve wracking watching the competition, fearing Wills would be pipped to the post at any time!’’

Third placed Gaby Cooke also qualified after David Doel chose to withdraw from the British Open Final with other commitments lined up. Gabby and her 15 year old gelding, Northcroft Frontier, finished on a final score of 10.0 penalties and are now on course for the British Open Indoor Cross Country Final! 

The Indoor Cross Country competition at the British Open Show Jumping Championships is a competition not to be missed. Britain’s top equestrian course designer, Bob Ellis, and Eventing guru Mike Tucker will create the course of approximately 16 jumps consisting of show jumps and cross country fences – some of which will be jumped in both directions. The show jumps will be set at near maximum height allowed in Eventing and will form the first phase of the course. The exhilarating event was launched to great acclaim at the 2006 British Open Show Jumping Championships continuing each year to provide visitors the only opportunity in the UK to witness top-level indoor cross country alongside world-class show jumping and thrilling equestrian entertainment.

The British Open Show Jumping Championships takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from Wednesday 7th – Saturday 10th April 2010. For tickets, call the Box Office on 0844 581 1301 or visit the official website by clicking here.

The British Open Indoor Cross Country attracts some of the most famous names in the world of eventing including former competitors, Zara Phillips MBE, William Fox-Pitt and Oliver Townend. Twenty-seven top eventers have once again been invited to the 2010 competition to contend for the Championship title and £5,550 prize fund.  Vibrant music enhances the competition adding to the energetic atmosphere, showcasing cross country in an unprecedented and totally unique environment.

British Open Show Jumping Championships 2010

Indoor Cross Country Championship Invited Riders

New to the 2010 Show, competitors from the Baileys JAS British Eventing series will also have chance to compete at the British Open. The top two placed competitors from the intermediate level of the British Eventing JAS 2010 Final will be invited to go on and compete at the British Open Indoor Cross Country Championship. For more information about the Baileys JAS Eventing series please visit www.britisheventing.com

A qualifier will also be held at Addington Equestrian Centre, Buckinghamshire, on Friday 5^th March 2010 giving those riders who haven’t been invited a chance to compete at the British Open alongside some of the world’s best eventers. The two highest placed riders at Addington secure a wildcard place.

The British Open Show Jumping Championships takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from Wednesday 7^th – Saturday 10^th April 2010. For tickets, call the Box Office on 0844 581 1301 or click here.

Visitors to the event will be able to browse a multitude of stands in the Shopping Forum where a range of equestrian and also non-equestrian products will be on offer. If carrying all those bags is a tiresome job, visitors can take advantage of the dedicated collection point where they can leave their purchases while taking a break in the catering area, or enjoying the entertainment in the International Arena.

There will also be fantastic opportunities each day to get top show jumpers’ autographs. Riders who met their fans during Rider Signings in the British Open Shopping Forum last year included, John, Michael, Ellen and Robert Whitaker, Ben Maher, Tim Stockdale and Billy Twomey.

The venue’s central location is easily accessible to visitors across the UK with 25,000 expected to attend this four day equestrian feast. The Show has an action-packed programme of equestrian competition and entertainment and attracts top international show jumpers from Britain and abroad.

The British Open Show Jumping Championships takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from Wednesday 7^th – Saturday 10^th April 2010. For tickets call the Box Office on 0844 581 1301 or click here.

The Parelli Zone will feature the following seminars: 

Wednesday 7th April
10.15-11.45 am Solving Problems Naturally
With Neil Pye & the Parelli Savvy Team

12.45-1.45pm Riding with Confidence
Building Confidence for you and your horse

2.30-4.00pm Natural Approach to Trailer Loading
It’s all about confidence, preparation, trust and the relationship

5.00-6.00pm Savvy Spotlights
Horseplay at its best and part of the International Parelli Games
A world where everyone is a winner, especially the horses!

Thursday 8th April
10.00-10.30 am Play & Relax

10.45-11.50pm Solving Problems Naturally
With Neil Pye & the Parelli Savvy Team

12.30-2.15pm Natural Approach to Trailer Loading
It’s all about confidence, preparation, trust and the relationship

2.55-3.55pm Riding with Confidence
Building Confidence for you and your horse

5.00-6.00pm Savvy Spotlights
Horseplay at its best and part of the International Parelli Games
A world where everyone is a winner, especially the horses!

Friday 9th April
10.45-12.15 pm Solving Problems Naturally
With Neil Pye & the Parelli Savvy Team

1.00-2.15pm Riding with Confidence
Building Confidence for you and your horse

2.45-4.00pm Natural Approach to Trailer Loading
It’s all about confidence, preparation, trust and the relationship

4.45-6.15pm Savvy Spotlights
Horseplay at its best and part of the International Parelli Games
A world where everyone is a winner, especially the horses!

Saturday 10th April
10.00-10.45 am Play & Relax

11.00-12.30pm Solving Problems Naturally
With Neil Pye & the Parelli Savvy Team

1.15-2.00pm Riding with Confidence
Building Confidence for you and your horse

2.15-3.30pm Natural Approach to Trailer Loading
It’s all about confidence, preparation, trust and the relationship

4.15-6.00pm Savvy Spotlights
Horseplay at its best and part of the International Parelli Games
A world where everyone is a winner, especially the horses!

For more information, please visit www.britishopenshowjumping.com

The British Open Show Jumping Championships takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from Wednesday 7th – Saturday 10th April 2010. For further information click here.

It is not every day you see a horse jumping in the centre of Birmingham! However, today, for the first time in history, a life size, specially commissioned piece of equestrian art was installed in Centenary Square to celebrate Birmingham hosting the 8th British Open Show Jumping Championships which is held at the NEC’s LG Arena during this Easter holiday, from 7th- 10th April. The British Open Beauty, aka “Bob”, will be on display alongside the Birmingham Wheel until 22nd February 2010.

A selection of copyright-free images are available for press use. Please see the images below. If you would like high-res versions of the images or a quote from the Organisers or Sculptor please contact the Grandstand Press Office:

British Open Press Office
Grandstand Event Management
Tel: 01582 711411
Email: press@grandstand.co.uk

After fighting off fierce competition at the Addington Manor Equestrian Centre British Open wild card qualifier last week (27th-30th January), Tina Fletcher and Paul Barker will now join leading British and foreign riders at the British Open Show Jumping Championships (7th -10th April 2010 at Birmingham’s NEC). 

Tina Fletcher and Paul Barker are in flying form and sealed the deal on their qualification finishing only one point ahead of third placed Lynne Bevan. Riding Hallo Sailor and Amadeus V respectively, Tina and Paul thrive on this intense competition and are becoming experts at securing these sought after wild card places having both also qualified for HOYS last year through the wild card system. Both riders are very consistent at this level of competition and The British Open organisers, Grandstand Event Management Ltd, are looking forward to welcoming them to this year’s show.

The wild card qualifier brought out all the big guns and many top combinations were fighting for their chance to qualify, including last year’s winner, Helen Tredwell who finished 5th overall. Tina and Paul jumped fluently throughout the weekend to secure the top spots in the overall points table to qualify them for the British Open this Easter (7th-10th April). 

Addington Manor Equestrian Centre is hosting a feast of British Open qualifiers this year and not to be missed are the Baileys JAS British Eventing Final on the 27th February and the Indoor Cross Country Wild Card competition on the 5th March. New to the 2010 Show, competitors from the Baileys JAS British Eventing series will have the chance to compete at the British Open. The top two placed competitors from the intermediate level of the British Eventing JAS 2010 Final will be invited to go on and compete at the British Open Indoor Cross Country Championship. For more information about the Baileys JAS Eventing series visit www.britisheventing.com.

The Indoor Cross Country Championship wild card on the 5th will be an exciting evening of competition. The class is open to any combination qualified for a 2* or above and the first three places will go through to compete at the British Open! For further information visit www.addingtonmanor.co.uk.

Tickets are still available for the British Open. To book tickets call the NEC Box Office on 0844 581 1301 or click here.

Helena Pettit, Managing Director of Grandstand Group, commented ‘We are thrilled to launch our new online booking system and really feel we are offering the user a fast and efficient way of securing their reservations with us. The system has been carefully designed and will be of real value to people limited to making bookings in the evenings and weekends as with this process we are now able to operate a 24 hour booking system!’

To book Hotel Accommodation, Season Tickets, Packages or Hospitality for the British Open please click here. If you would prefer to make your booking over the phone, please call 01582 711 411 and our reservations team will be happy to help.

The British Open Show Jumping Championships takes place at the NEC, Birmingham from Wednesday 7th – Saturday 10th April 2010. For further information visit the official website at www.britishopenshowjumping.com.