HOYS

Horse of the Year Show – or HOYS as it is more commonly known within the British equestrian world – is the end of summer show that everyone wants to compete at.

Held indoors at the NEC in Birmingham, the show includes end of season national championships for showing and showjumping competitors, as well as international showjumping of the highest calibre.

Alongside two arenas of top-class competition, spectators can look forward to being delighted by outstanding displays and entertained by crowd-favourites including scurry driving and mounted games.

Horse & Hound’s team of expert equestrian journalists are on hand to keep fans up to date with all the news throughout the show, including up-to-the-minute reports, interviews and more.

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Your essential guide

For competitors

What date is Horse of the Year Show 2026?

The Horse of the Year Show 2026 (HOYS) will take place from Wednesday 7 October until Sunday 11 October.

Where is Horse of the Year Show held?

The Horse of the Year Show is held in October each year at the NEC in Birmingham. Some 50 acreas of the exhibition centre is transformed into a home-from-home for those taking part, including stabling for some 1,600 horses and ponies, while around 60,000 spectators can be expected to attend across the five days.

Is HOYS held at Olympia in London?

No. The horse show that used to be held at Olympia in December each year is called the London International Horse Show. It is a different horse show to HOYS. The Olympia show has now moved to the Excel in London’s docklands as the Olympia exhibition centre in Kensington is being redeveloped.

Does HOYS support any charities?

The official charity of Horse of the Year Show 2026 is Redwings Horse Sanctuary.

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