THE 2024 RDS Dublin Horse Show was launched in Ring 2 at the RDS on Tuesday, followed by a gathering of industry personnel and socialites in The Church on Simmonscourt Road.

The show takes place from August 14th-18th at the Ballsbridge venue, with plenty of changes afoot. It is the first year of the partnership with Rolex, who will sponsor Sunday’s Grand Prix to the tune of €500,000, while it will be the last show with the old Anglesea Stand, which will be knocked down after the event, as part of a wider campus development plan at the RDS.

After huge engagement in ‘Positive Strides’ last year, Festina Lente is back at the show and will provide both practical demonstrations and panel discussions underpinning how beneficial equine therapy is for horse and rider. This year, occupational therapist Audrey Darby will share her insights on the power of equine therapy. In addition, Audrey and the Horse Show equine team will launch an accredited list of equine therapists to add validity to this burgeoning area of expertise during the show.

As well as the half a million euro Grand Prix, the Nations Cup of Ireland or commonly known as The Aga Khan Trophy will take place on Friday, August 16th, with a prize fund of €250,000. Along with 166 other competitions over the five days, both national and international, the total prize fund of over €1.45 million makes this prize fund one of the biggest in Europe for the sport.

The RDS unveiled 1664 Blanc as this year’s sponsor for Best Dressed, which takes place on Thursday, August 15th, on the Band Lawn. The winner of the Best Dressed will receive a huge €10,000 cash prize, whilst the runner-up will walk away with two nights B&B at the 5-star Morrison Dublin, Curio Collection by Hilton, plus two nights B&B at the Aleph Rome Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton and a €100 airline voucher.

Speaking at the launch, RDS CEO Liam Kavanagh said: “The RDS Dublin Horse Show is a unique event in Ireland, and we look forward to welcoming all our competitors, spectators, and visitors in August. This year, we are delighted to welcome Rolex as a key partner. This signals a very exciting phase for the RDS and underpins the importance of the show on the international show jumping calendar.”

The RDS mission is to contribute to the cultural and economic development of Ireland. The Dublin Horse Show is an RDS social impact initiative.