last updated on November 04, 2009 18:04

In its second year of a four year deal to broadcast Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the BBC for the first time has extended its coverage to provide LIVE broadcast of Dressage.

The FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle to Music will be available LIVE through the BBC’s red button and internet services on Wednesday evening, 16th December.

This major decision in support of Dressage was taken after the BBC recorded outstanding viewing figures of its coverage from the Dressage finals of the recent Alltech FEI European Jumping & Dressage Championships at Windsor in August.

Olympia Show Director, Simon Brooks-Ward said: “It is certainly a sign of the times that the BBC have committed to support this discipline. Dressage is on a meteoric rise in terms of public interest and we’re delighted the BBC has decided to include it in its Olympia coverage.”
As well as the Dressage on Wednesday, the BBC will broadcast the Accenture Christmas Puissance on Friday 18th December, also through its red button service. Highlights of the Accenture Christmas Puissance will then be shown on BBC2 on the afternoon of Saturday 19th December. On Sunday 20th, the FEI World Cup™ Show Jumping Qualifier will broadcast LIVE on BBC2. Then on the evening of Monday 21st, the entire evening performance will be shown on the Red Button Service, LIVE.

Exact details of how to access the coverage on the red button service will be available ahead of Olympia. Please check www.olympiahorseshow.com for more detail a week ahead of the show.

For more details on going digital visit www.digitaluk.co.uk or telephone Digital UK on 08456 50 50 50. Other informative websites include: www.freesatfromsky.co.uk;
www.freesat.co.uk and www.freeview.co.uk

There are sponsorship opportunities available for this exciting evening of Dressage. Please call Desi Dillingham on 07785 292103 for more information.

For those looking to spectate at the show, Olympia is also set to announce a special offer to BD members inthe next couple of days, watch this space...