As the leading outdoor show jumping venue in England, Hickstead has become almost synonymous with the sport. The course is located in a rural area of West Sussex near the town of Hayward Heath; this country ambience is ideal for this popular equestrian event.

This venue which opened in 1960 was created by Douglas Bunn, with the intention of creating a world class show jumping course on par with those found in the United States and Europe. Today, the Hickstead Show Jumping Course boasts of six different arenas with the capacity to seat 5,000; an additional dressage arena was also added in 1993.

This venue which has been hailed as one of the finest in the world has hosted the 1965 World Ladies Championship, and the 1974 World Championships in addition to numerous European Championships. Among the popular annual events at Hickstead is the British Jumping Derby which is considered to be the premier show jumping event in Britain; over 15,000 fans flock to the stadium to witness this championship. Other competitions include the Longines International Horse Show, the Hurstpierpoint College National Schools and Pony Club Championships and Dressage events.

For visitors who are not interested in the fine art of show jumping numerous other attractions such as Polo, an elegant restaurant, bar and hundreds of shops can be found at the venue. The Copthorne Hotel London Gatwick which is located close to Hickstead puts you in touch with the region’s best attraction while also being conveniently located close to the city of London. The hotel in Gatwick provides you with easy accessibility to the busy international airport as well.