British showjumping has enjoyed a fruitful history glittered with iconic venues like Olympia, Hickstead and Wembley, as well as events such as Horse of the Year Show, the Royal International and London International.
The first major show jumping competition held in England was at Olympia in 1907. Most of the competitors were members of the military and it became clear at this competition and in the subsequent years, that there was no uniformity of rules for the sport.
Judges marked purely on their opinions. A meeting was held in 1923 which led to the formation of the BSJA in 1925, now BS (British Showjumping). Following the implementation of rules, showjumping first appeared in the Olympic Games in 1900.
Showjumpers who became household names over the years include David Broome, Harvey Smith, John Whitaker and Nick Skelton. Wonder-horses including Milton, Ryan’s Son, Hello Sanctos and Foxhunter have also surely inspired many budding equestrians.
Successes at the highest level have also placed the sport front and centre in the minds of equestrians with Olympic gold for the 1952 team of Harry Llewellyn, Duggie Stewart and Wilf White being unforgettably replicated on home soil at Greenwich Park 60 years later by Nick Skelton, Scott Brash, Ben Maher and Peter Charles.
There were individual Olympian feats to savour as well, notably that of the mighty Stroller, a 14.2hh pony ridden to silver medal success by Marion Coakes at Mexico City 48 years ago; Ann Moore's 1972 silver with Psalm; Broome's two bronze (1960 and 1968) and one for Peter Robeson at the Tokyo 1964 Games.
Today, the sport continues to grow at all levels and appeals to a wide audience thanks to glamorous events such as the Longines Global Champions Series which takes in locations such as Miami Beach and Paris.
