Five days, three World Cups, the Shetland Pony Grand National and a Christmas shopping village the size of a small town. The London International Horse Show is back at ExCeL London from Thursday 17 to Monday 21 December 2026 — and it’s the biggest night out in the British horse world’s calendar.
What it’s all about
Known for decades as “Olympia”, the show spent 49 years in west London before moving to ExCeL in the Royal Docks in 2021. It’s now the UK’s largest indoor horse show and the only one on home soil to host all three FEI World Cup™ qualifiers — in jumping, dressage and driving.
- 5* show jumping in the International Arena, including the famous Puissance high-jump wall.
- The FEI World Cup™ in jumping, dressage freestyle to music, and four-in-hand driving.
- The Defender Shetland Pony Grand National and Kennel Club dog agility — guaranteed crowd-pleasers.
- A second arena for the London International Showing Series finals and expert masterclasses.
- A Shopping Village of over 200 equestrian and country brands — Christmas presents sorted.
Why it matters
For British riders, London is the one World Cup qualifier in front of a home crowd, with vital points on the line for the finals in the spring. For everyone else, it’s a pre-Christmas ritual: more than 80,000 people pass through the doors over the five days, and the atmosphere under the lights is like nothing else in the sport.
World-class riders to watch
Last December was one to remember. Lottie Fry and Glamourdale swept the dressage, winning both the World Cup Grand Prix and the Freestyle with a stunning 89.17%, ahead of Becky Moody and Charlotte Dujardin. In the jumping, Austria’s Max Kühner won the World Cup with EIC Cooley Jump The Q, while in the driving Australia’s Boyd Exell and the Netherlands’ IJsbrand Chardon traded wins. Entries for 2026 are announced nearer the show — expect many of these names back, alongside the cream of British show jumping.
Dates and venue
- When: Thursday 17 – Monday 21 December 2026, with afternoon and evening performances.
- Where: ExCeL London, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL.
Getting there from Pentonville Lodge
- By car (about 25 miles): A121 to the M25 at junction 26, then the M11 south, the A406 North Circular and the A13 to ExCeL. Parking is on site and can be booked ahead — allow an hour or more in pre-Christmas traffic.
- By train: from Broxbourne to London Liverpool Street (about half an hour), then the Elizabeth line to Custom House for ExCeL’s west entrance.
- Full travel details are on ExCeL’s visitor page.
Tickets
Book online through the official show website or its ticket site. International Arena seats are reserved, so pick your seats when you book; London Arena seating is unreserved, and General Entry tickets give access to the Shopping Village. British Showjumping, British Dressage and British Carriagedriving members have had discount codes in past years — worth checking before you book. Weekend evenings sell out first.
Our tip: go for an afternoon performance, then give yourself a couple of hours in the Shopping Village before the evening crowds arrive.
Watch this space
London is just the start. We’ve put together the big UK shows of 2027 — Badminton, Royal Windsor, Hickstead, Burghley, Blenheim and Horse of the Year Show — and we’ll be writing about each one as it comes round. See you there!
Nikki Ward · Pentonville Lodge
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