The London International Horse Show dressage programme will expand in 2026 with four new national classes for seven-year-old horses and future Grand Prix prospects joining two days of FEI World Cup action at Excel London.
London International Horse Show has announced new dressage competitions for seven-year-old and nine to 11-year-old horses as part of an expanded programme for 2026.
Introduced in partnership with British Dressage, the four national classes will give spectators an early look at some of the horses expected to progress towards international Grand Prix competition.
The London International Horse Show takes place at Excel London from 17 to 21 December 2026, with its main dressage programme scheduled for Thursday 17 and Friday 18 December.
Alongside the new young horse classes, visitors can watch the FEI Dressage World Cup Grand Prix and Freestyle to Music, Richard Davison’s returning Dressage Masterclass and a series of dressage sessions in the Talk Horse Live Zone.
New dressage classes for London 2026
The newly announced competitions will be staged in the London Arena across the opening two days of the show.
An invited field will contest the new Seven-Year-Old Horse Competition on Thursday and Friday. The classes are designed to give talented young horses experience of competing in the distinctive atmosphere of one of Britain’s leading indoor equestrian events.
At seven years old, many dressage horses are beginning to demonstrate their potential for the higher levels of the sport. Competing at London will offer them valuable exposure to a busy arena, an enthusiastic audience and the demands of a major championship environment.
A second competition, Grand Prix Horses of the Future, will be open to invited horses aged between nine and 11.
These more experienced combinations will perform the FEI Intermediate A test on Thursday, followed by the FEI Intermediate B test on Friday. The two tests will be judged as separate competitions.
Both tests sit on the pathway towards Grand Prix and include increasingly advanced movements. The classes should therefore offer an intriguing indication of which partnerships may emerge at the top of British dressage during the next Olympic cycle.
Presented by British Dressage, the competitions will provide a significant platform for developing horses while adding another competitive element to the show’s dressage programme.
FEI Dressage World Cup returns to London
The international action begins on Thursday 17 December with the FEI Dressage World Cup Grand Prix.
Leading combinations will perform the compulsory Grand Prix test, demonstrating movements including piaffe, passage, one-time flying changes and pirouettes.
The top partnerships will return on Friday 18 December for the popular FEI Dressage World Cup Freestyle to Music. The class combines technical difficulty with individually choreographed routines and regularly produces one of the most memorable atmospheres of the London show.
London is the UK’s only FEI Dressage World Cup qualifier and gives riders the opportunity to collect points towards qualification for the series final.
Lottie Fry and Glamourdale completed a Grand Prix and Freestyle double at the 2025 show. The British combination subsequently retained both individual FEI World Championship titles at Aachen in August 2026, winning gold in the Grand Prix Special and Freestyle.
Their journey also underlines the importance of young horse competition. Fry and Glamourdale won the seven-year-old World Breeding Championship in 2018 before progressing to the highest level of international dressage.
Richard Davison Dressage Masterclass returns
Olympic rider and trainer Richard Davison will return with his popular Dressage Masterclass on Thursday 17 December.
Featuring leading riders and trainers, the session will explore how dressage horses are developed through the levels, from building strong foundations in younger horses to refining the movements required at Grand Prix.
Davison’s masterclasses combine practical demonstrations with an explanation of the training principles being used, giving riders and dressage enthusiasts an opportunity to understand the work taking place behind each performance.
Further information about the riders and horses joining Davison will be announced in September.
More for dressage fans at London
Dressage will also feature in the Talk Horse Live Zone, where visitors can watch demonstrations and hear discussions with riders, trainers and other leading figures from the sport.
British Dressage members will be able to attend a dedicated Dressage Breakfast on Friday morning. Held in the Equiyd Bar overlooking the London Arena competitions, the event will include pastries, coffee and discussion hosted by a leading dressage personality. Bookings are expected to open in September.
Private Hospitality Box guests will also have access to a new VIP Backstage Stable Experience, offering an opportunity to see behind the scenes and learn more about the care of horses competing at the show.
London International Horse Show 2026 runs from Thursday 17 to Monday 21 December at Excel London. Tickets and further information are available from the official London International Horse Show website.
Feature image: Last year’s London FEI Dressage World Cup™ Qualifier winners and current World Champions, Lottie Fry and Glamourdale Credit London International Horse Show / Peter Nixon
