Olympia 2008

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Comments

Anonymous said…
Do you remember when Olympia used to be on the TV? And you'd spend the evening watching the show-jumping? Can't find it in the schedules now...
22 December 2008 at 16:57
Jane Badger said…
Gosh yes! People were saying it was on tv, and not just Eurosport, but I don't know where, when or what. It used to be on straight after the news at 9.25, but I wasn't allowed to stay up that late and watch it until I was 15.
22 December 2008 at 18:23
Juxtabook said…
I remember watching it on the TV too. If they can resurect One Man and His Dog why not this? 9Not having a go at OMAHD - I quite like it!)
22 December 2008 at 20:26
Liz said…
I used to love watching it on TV in the 1970s - I remember Nick Skelton setting a puissance record with Everest Lastic there. And, of course, there was Dorian Williams's commentary - "It's gorn, it's gorn"! All the shows used to be on TV then - the Horse of the Year Show, the Royal International, Hickstead ... I used to really look forward to them.

In the 1980s I had the privilege of covering the show as a journalist and it was great fun - the World Cup round had come in by then and there were lots of world-class horses there, and the hospitality was just amazing - used to stagger back to the hotel after phoning over my story. I used to cover some of the other big shows too, but Olympia was the best. It had a very festive feeling.

Good to know it's still going at any rate.
22 December 2008 at 21:52
Anonymous said…
Ah, and the Shetlands?? I went in 2006 and ended up marooned in the press gallery which was rather like a staff room at a prep school. The BBC were deigning to cover some of the jumping for the first time in umpteen years. I was just dazzled by all the pink riding gear, and Ellen Whitaker's horse.
23 December 2008 at 10:05
Jane Badger said…
Susannah - yes, the Shetlands were there (daughter's favourite bit) but I didn't photograph as I didn't want to miss anything. There was also a presentation to the Riding Club Quadrille winners which I missed as I was buying (hideously expensive) sandwiches: amazing costumes I'm told (Quadrille not sandwiches).

Juxtabook: do entirely agree (and I like OMAHD too). And that reminds me, there was also dog agility relay, which was excellent fun.

Liz - I don't think Dorian Williams and Raymond Brooks-Ward have been topped, though Mike Tucker (I think it was he) irritated me less live than he does on tv.

Susannah and Liz - cor. I hope it was as fantastic covering the event as it sounds. Is the press box like the normal box? They get tv feed in there, and apart from the girls watching everything, hanging over the edge, everyone else in the boxes watched not one jot; just talked and drank.
23 December 2008 at 10:57
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