Latest news
11 November 2008
Celebrities on the hoof
Celebrity favourites Jodie Kidd and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson have signed up to take part in the Twenty20 of equestrianism.
The two TV stars will saddle up their horses for a celebrity jump-off at the very first Express Eventing International Cup at the Millennium Stadium on 30 November.
Strictly Come Dancing star and model Jodie and TV personality and presenter Tara will battle it out in their very own show jumping competition – tackling the same jumps as the world’s top riders who will be competing later in the day.
Avid rider Jodie Kidd is extremely excited about taking part, she said: “I think the Express Eventing International Cup is a great event and will be a real experience for spectators. I’m really looking forward to taking part on the day; I love riding and think it will be great fun to compete against Tara.”
Express Eventing is a new compact version of the sport, in association with British Eventing – condensing three days of dressage, show jumping and cross-country into half a day and under one roof. Nowhere else will spectators see twenty of the world’s top riders in one afternoon, such as eventing legend Mark Todd and British Olympians William Fox-Pitt, Mary King and Tina Cook.
Tara, who has been riding since a young age, said: "I know Jodie is a great rider and she is also a good friend. I may not be up to her standard but I definitely come from a fearless family."
Stuart Buntine, former international rider and director of Tricorn Events, the organising company, said: “The aim of Express Eventing is to introduce the thrill and challenge of traditional eventing to a much wider audience. Jodie and Tara are experienced and committed riders and I know they will be a great inspiration to people who are new to the sport. We won’t be making it easy for them though. This will be a tough competition with some serious jumps.”
For more information and to buy tickets for Express Eventing International Cup, go to www.eeicup.com <http://www.eeicup.com> or call the Express Eventing Ticketmaster hotline 08705 582582.
ends
In association with British Eventing
For further information, please contact
Express Eventing
Helen Barklam
01772 316924
07917 148900
Email: helen.barklam@tricornevents.com
Notes to editors
Express Eventing brings together the world’s top event riders to compete in a thrilling new compact version of the sport.
For the first time, spectators will be able to see all the action from one seat in a dramatic arena environment. They will be able to watch and compare the performance of every rider at every stage of the competition.
Expert commentaries, a new scoring system and state-of-the-art stadium technology will enable spectators to follow the progress of competitors, knowing exactly what each needs to do to win.
The competition starts with a freestyle dressage programme, set to music, where horse and rider are judged not only on the degree of difficulty, but on artistic interpretation. Competitors then enter the combined jumping stage, a first for eventing. After the last show jump is completed, a ‘pit-stop’ tack change enables horse and rider to prepare for the challenges of the cross-country course.
Rider who have signed up to take part in Express Eventing are:
British - Tina Cook, Mary King, William Fox-Pitt, Lucy Wiegersma, Oliver Townend
Australian - Clayton Fredericks, Lucinda Fredericks
New Zealand – Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson, Caroline Powell
China – Alex Hua Tian
Belgian - Karin Donckers
Germany - Dirk Schrade, Bettina Hoy
France - Nicolas Touzaint, Rodolphe Scherer
Italy - Vittoria Panizzon
Sweden - Linda Algotsson
American - Philip Dutton, Buck Davidson
Musto Clothing for Express Eventing
An innovative partnership
Musto, renowned for making the world’s leading sailing and country sports clothing for over 35 years, applies its technical expertise in design, fabrication, components and construction to make sure its products perform in the most testing conditions. It is fitting, therefore, that the company has been invited to design and produce a technical and functional five-piece collection for the riders at Express Eventing, the world’s newest, most dynamic and innovative development in competition riding.
GORE-TEX® Show Jumping Jacket
Constructed from a newly-developed, lightweight GORE-TEX® 2 layer laminate with a high twist polyester twill, which gives the fabric a soft hand feel but is durably waterproof, windproof and breathable. GORE-TEX® stretch panels are included in key areas – side and under arms - for increased ease of movement when you’re riding at full stretch. The jacket is mesh lined for optimum breathability and comfort when worn with the coordinating PrimaLoft® Jacket.
The Show Jumping Jacket has a sports-fit, which has been designed and shaped to perform in the arena and an ergonomic sleeve shape allows optimum movement and comfort. An innovative two-piece collar with detachable throat tab gives a smarter look and provides protection in foul weather. The centre two-way zip is protected by a shaped storm flap with partially concealed studs for a clean look. Adjustable cuffs, splash-proof zipped pockets, twin zipped gusseted rear vents and pommel flap make this the ultimate jacket in terms of performance, protection and technology.
