Today, the prestigious Spanish Riding School of Vienna announces its upcoming UK tour with dates in October 2024 in London and Aberdeen with tickets on sale from 10am on Friday 24 May via LiveNation.co.uk.
Arriving in the UK adorned with dazzling white deerskin saddles, gold bridles, luxurious velvet saddle pads and iconic uniforms, eight riders and up to 26 horses will present the performances on the tour, showcasing perfectly synchronised routines to the sound of classical Viennese music.
Celebrating the Riding School’s return to the UK for the first time in eight years, the opening appearance of the world-famous snowy-white Lipizzans, loved by Queen Elizabeth II, will take place across three days on Friday 18th, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October 2024 at London’s OVO Arena Wembley.
Following this, the tour takes the stallions and their team to Aberdeen, marking the very first time the Spanish Riding School will perform in Scotland. Three performances will take place at P&J Live on 25th, 26th and 27th October.
The majestic performances by the Lipizzans will be hosted by the nation’s much-loved radio and TV presenter Nicki Chapman (BBC Radio 2 and Escape to the Country), with tickets available from ages three and up. This cultural experience promises to provide a fantastic day out for not only horse lovers but also families and groups seeking world-class entertainment, full of choreography, music and wonder.
Audiences attending this unforgettable experience will be mesmerised by famous choreographies including “All the Steps and Movements of the High School”, “On the Long Rein” and the famous “School Quadrille”, also known as the “ballet of the eight white stallions”.
As the world’s oldest riding academy, the Spanish Riding School of Vienna has been maintaining and practising classical horsemanship in its Renaissance tradition of the “High School” for over 459 years, with the horses’ welfare paramount. H.R.H. Princess Anne visited the Spanish Riding School several times, and Queen Elizabeth II was so fond of the school and its Lipizzaner horses, she not only visited them in Vienna, but also made a trip to the riding school’s stud farm in Piber, Styria, where all of the stallions have been bred since 1920.
Now the UK public can look forward to the wonderful opportunity to see the Lipizzans and their riders demonstrate their first-rate equestrian skills once again in a remarkable celebration of European history and Austrian cultural heritage.
Alfred Hudler, General Manager of the Spanish Riding School, said: “We are excited to tour the UK and are already looking forward to October. Our team is ready to show their world-class skills and to fascinate the UK audience beyond belief. A tour is always very special for our riders and horses, and travelling to countries with rich equestrian history and tradition is an exceptional pleasure.”