Washington, D.C. – October 22, 2012 – Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) is excited to announce that the $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix, CSI 3*-W will be aired on NBC Sports Network on Sunday, October 28, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. EST. The coverage will show competition from one of the most competitive grand prix events in North America and will be broadcast nationally on NBC Sports Network, home of coverage as wide ranging as the Olympics, Major League Soccer and IndyCar racing to name a few.
The $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix, a World Cup Qualifier, will be held at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C., on Saturday, October 27, and will be broadcast on Sunday afternoon.
WIHS President Juliet W. Reid stated, “It is a fantastic indoor equestrian event in the heart of the nation’s capital, and with the President’s Cup Grand Prix, has the prestige and history of more than five decades. We are proud to work with NBC Sports Network, which has a heritage of broadcasting the Olympic Games and top equestrian sport. To be able to see a grand prix competition in 75 million homes just one day after it happens is thrilling and unprecedented.”
Carr-Hughes Productions will bring the great sport of show jumping into the homes of millions along with highlights from the Washington, D.C. event and the history of the horse show. With NBC on-air talent Kenny Rice and Melanie Smith-Taylor, the broadcast is essentially a live production. “This represents a very rare opportunity for show jumping,” said Bob Hughes. “Not only will the President’s Cup Grand Prix be on a national network, but the quick turnaround lets people see the event in less than 24 hours from it happening.”
With competition held in Washington D.C.’s state-of-the-art sports venue Verizon Center, the NBC Sports Network production will be able to capture the intimate, exciting environment that is indoor show jumping.
Hughes agreed, “Setting is very important, and this venue helps make it great. There will be a sports arena feel that is more akin to the experience of watching other major sports.”
“We want to make show jumping visible to a broader audience,” said Bridget Love Meehan, Executive Director of WIHS. “WIHS is the event in which to do that. No other show jumping event in the United States has this timely and visible presence on television. We have the team that can set a new standard, from the highest level equestrian competition, to the best production company to document and produce a high-quality show for a national TV sports audience. With those pieces in place, our goal of reaching new fans becomes more attainable. We think this sets WIHS apart as the premier international show jumping event in our country.”
To buy your ticket for the President’s Cup Grand Prix at Washington International Horse Show and be a part of show jumping history, please visit www.wihs.org/tickets/.
Tune in at 3:30 p.m. EST on the NBC Sports Network to watch the President’s Cup Grand Prix at Washington International Horse Show. Click here to find NBC Sports Network in your area.
About the Washington International Horse Show (www.wihs.org) An equestrian tradition since 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is the country’s leading metropolitan indoor horse show and the pinnacle of the equestrian year with top riders, including Olympic medalists and their world-class horses. More than 500 horses participate in show jumping, hunter and equitation events during the six-day show, with many competing all year just to qualify. Highlights include the $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix (a World Cup qualifier), the Puissance (high jump) and WIHS Equitation Finals featuring the country’s top junior riders. Exciting equestrian exhibitions, boutique shopping and community activities, such as Kids’ Day and Breakfast with the Mounted Police, round out this family-friendly event.
Since its debut, the WIHS has been a Washington, D.C. institution attended by celebrities, business, military, and diplomatic leaders, as well as countless horse enthusiasts of all ages. Washington International Horse Show Association, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.
© 2012 Jennifer Wood Media Inc. Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.: Writing. Photography. Equestrian Public Relations and Marketing
