Latest news
24 November 2008
Jodie Kidd trades her dancing shoes for a horse
Model Jodie Kidd stepped out today at Hickstead, Britain’s home of show jumping, to model the new high performance clothing that the world’s top riders will be wearing at this Sunday’s Express Eventing International Cup at the Millennium Stadium. The Strictly Come Dancing star managed to fit in some practice for her next big challenge, a celebrity jump-off against friend Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, which will be one of the highlights of this first Express Eventing competition.
Equestrian clothing brand Musto has created a fashionable new range of high performance sports clothing specially for the event.
Express Eventing is a radical new compact version of the sport of eventing, organised in association with British Eventing, which condenses three days of world class dressage, show jumping and cross-country into just half a day. Twenty top riders from around the world will be competing together at the Millennium Stadium this Sunday for the first time under one roof.
Avid rider Jodie offered her international modelling experience to help showcase the clothing that has been developed for Express Eventing competitors by performance clothing specialists Musto. Among the competitors will be eventing legend Mark Todd and British Olympians William Fox-Pitt, Mary King and Tina Cook.
In the celebrity jump-off, Jodie will be tackling many of the same jumps as top riders later in the day and she is determined to show Tara her competitive edge: “I’ve always loved riding and I’m so happy to be back in the jumping seat. It’s going to be a different type of competition to what I’ve been doing recently but I’m confident that my horse and I are going to fly round that arena!"
Thousands of spectators are expected at the Millennium Stadium this Sunday and they will be encouraged to celebrate the day by helping to raise money for nominated charity, Macmillan Cancer Support. Macmillan helps to improve the lives of people affected by cancer, providing practical, emotional and financial support.
Stuart Buntine, former international rider and director of Tricorn Events, the organising company, said: “Jodie and Tara are great competitors and I know the jump-off will be an exciting addition to the programme. Eventing is a fantastic sport, for riders and spectators alike, and with the help of Jodie and Tara we hope to bring it to a whole new audience.”
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.
