Renowned as the most famous horse show in the world, the Horse of the Year Show is the perfect Special Events break for equine enthusiasts.
The show marks the end of the equestrian season - the finale to the showing year and the climax to the domestic show jumping year.
See first-hand the world’s best horses and riders and experience the most thrilling competitions, trials and spectacular displays.
Whether you are a keen horse enthusiast, competitive or novice rider, or simply looking for a great day out, the Horse of the Year Show has something for everyone.
Every October Birmingham’s NEC Arena becomes an equestrian lover’s paradise as the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) transforms 50 acres of the site into a thrilling five-day event, with an exhilarating programme of displays and competitions.
The competitions include the crowd favourite Puissance, which pushes horses and their riders to their absolute limit as they attempt to scale a huge red wall that exceeds heights of 7ft.
Other jumping highlights include the Leading Pony Show Jumper of the Year which is fiercely contested by the top junior riders in the UK and the Senior Foxhunter Championship, described as the FA Cup of domestic show jumping, as novice horses from across the country do battle over the fences.
All this acts as a warm up to the Leading Show Jumper of the Year competition, which sees the top horses and riders from the international qualification events take on some of the biggest obstacles for the prestigious prize.
Enjoy the exhilaration of the Pony Club Mounted Games as teams compete for the Prince Philip Cup during a series of fun games and races including favourites Bending, Flag and Mug as well as more obscure ones, like The Tack Shop, Beanbag and The Pony Club Pole.
Away from the show arenas, there’s also the Retail Village where you can buy all your equine essentials as well as arts, crafts and gourmet food.
The Horse of the Year Show remains a National Institution so don’t miss out on this terrific short break with National Holidays!