HORSE POWER

NEW ARENA TAKES SHAPE

Taking the reins

The London International Horse Show moved to ExCeL London, giving the revered equestrian event the opportunity to make major changes. H Power chats

What do you do when you find out that the venue which has been your home for the last 49 years brings its redevelopment schedule forward and tells you that you can no longer hold your event there? That was the exact scenario faced by the organisers of the London International Horse Show when COVID accelerated Olympia London’s new build schedule. The revised construction programme restricted the use of the venue, leaving Clarion, which own the show, and H Power, which manage the show, with no option but to find new digs.

“We didn’t have many options,” explained Jo Peck, marketing and communications director at H Power. “It had to be in London, and it had to be big.”

Clarion secured the space – ExCeL London – and H Power rallied the troops, a team of event delivery experts that could scramble new site designs together, including a new-look arena that would work with ExCeL’s low ceiling height.

“It’s been a sea change for us,” continued Peck. “We have been at Olympia for 49 years. Most of us who have worked on the show have been on it for more than 20 years. A change like this makes you think; you consider the customers even more and you have this opportunity to change things.”

SHAKE THINGS UP

And things have changed considerably. “At Olympia, we used every square inch of space. ExCeL gives us so much more space [from N4 to N11 on the north side and N8 to N11 on the south]. Even the horses have more space. Before, they would enter the arena from one large combined warm up ring and collecting ring. At ExCeL, we have one warm up ring and one collecting ring, and we have given the public access to both rings, with a Champagne bar and garden on one side.”

NICK BROOKS-WARD AND JO PECK

Whilst the move has enabled Clarion and H Power to “shake things up”, more than 90,000 fans still can experience the best international competition, including FEI World Cup qualifiers in jumping, dressage and driving, alongside the usual mix of equestrian displays. However, to accommodate large crowds of equestrian fans, the creation of a new main arena has been central.

Peck added: “At Olympia, our hospitality boxes would sit on the gallery level of the Grand Hall. At ExCeL, there’s no gallery and a 10-metre ceiling height so as well as a new arena, we have had to build a platform to house the hospitality boxes.”

NOD TO OLYMPIA

Martin Clark, project director at Arena Seating, has worked closely with H Power’s Nick Brooks-Ward, operations director, and Marisa Beckman, operations consultant, to design a new arena, including 19 hospitality boxes and a Royal Box.

More than 60 crew and 50 artics of kit have been needed to create the arena, which has acknowledged its roots with a nod to Olympia in terms of design.

“It’s been a complicated build,” Clark said. “We started planning it in February. I was given carte blanche to design it and it is based on Olympia to a degree. But trying to fit an arena into this hall has been tight. We needed to maximise capacity and keep it feeling intimate.”

The show’s main ring has increased in size – it is ten metres longer – and capacity has increased. The arena can now accommodate almost 9,000 people compared to 7,500 at Olympia London. It means that H Power only need to manage 11 live performances and not 12 because of the arena’s increased seating capacity.

“It’s been a big build,” continued Clark. “Once we had the design, we had to look at the build and how much time we had to build it. Initially, we had seven days but that was impossible. We tried to factor in overnight builds but that was not effective. It was decided between the client and ExCeL that we would be given more time.”

Clark and his team – Nathan May, project manager, and Dan Butler, site manager – have tweaked the arena design even whilst on site. It has been imperative to tweak sightlines, move staircases, and adjust the height of seats.

Interestingly, each grandstand has been built independently of each other and out of sequence. Arena engaged a surveyor, who visited ExCeL with Clark and plotted points. It has meant that the arena build has been able to be started anywhere. Plotting the site was crucial as there is just eight to ten inches between each grandstand.

CHANGES FOR THE BETTER

Clark called the arena “impressive” and is already looking ahead to 2022, where he can see that efficiencies can be made with regards to logistics and build.

Peck added: “The move wasn’t one we anticipated but it challenged us and has allowed us to make some pretty major changes and changes for the better. We have an emotional attachment to Olympia but if this works, will we want to go back? It’s not an answer we know the answer to yet.

“I do know that our move is going to make the experience for our participants better. They have easier access to car parking, and our guests will love our updated production

values and the fact that they can access backstage and look at the collecting ring and warm up ring.”

According to Peck, with six days until the doors open to guests, ticket sales are performing well. Three performances have sold out and the rest have sold 70 per cent of tickets. Two other performances are close to selling out and there will be profitability. This is great news for Clarion and H Power as tickets did not go on sale until May [usually April] as the show’s new layout and licensing had to be agreed.

It’s the result of teamwork and for H Power, the team includes Simon Brooks-Ward, event director, Jonathan Gould, commercial director, Madeleine Marston, operations, Harry Guthrie, production, Andy Paul, in charge of floor management, and Andy Reid, who is looking after the show’s broadcast element.

“We already know when our wash up meeting will be,” commented Peck. “I don’t suppose we will be back in Olympia next year. We’ll definitely have a show. I have never worked so hard on a show in all my life, and I can’t wait to see people walking into ExCeL, with the venue looking all Christmassy.”

SUPPLIERS LIST

Temporary structures – Arena Structures and Ascot Structures Sound – Delta

Signage, branding and graphics –

Henson Franklyn and Fresh Graphics Health and safety – ACT Carpet – GES Screens – LED Screenhire Waste – A1 Arena surface – Martin Collins Fabric drapes – Stitch Furniture – Thorns, Creative and Ya Hire

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Putting you in the picture

Big screen experts discuss event trends, new products and how LED tech can bring huge value to an event

ADI IN ACTION

LED screens play a huge role in how attendees experience an event. They display vital messaging, allow crystal clear communication, and draw the audience in, by displaying the best content that your guests do not want to miss.

Currently, in Dubai, guests are in awe of the UK’s Pavilion at Expo 2020; a 25-metre-high façade, integrated into a wooden structure that uses artificial intelligence to allow visitors to add words to a continuously changing “collective message” to the universe.

The messages are displayed on LED modules, supplied by PRG, which was appointed by Pico to deliver the engineering of 2,000 customised LED tiles. PRG’s Projects team sourced the tech from PRG China and a customised immersive audio system, which was then installed by PRG in Dubai.

Whilst the 2,000 tiles are small, collectively they have a huge impact, engaging visitors, who want to interact with the experience, created by designer Es Devlin.

PRG Projects’ Frederic Opsomer, general manager, described the project as a “beautiful challenge” and one of the most remarkable projects of his entire career.

TECH BRINGS HUGE VALUE

Thomas Taylor, head of sales at ADI, said that when combined with incredible content, event settings can be even more dynamic, inspiring, and engaging for

LIGHTMEDIA DISPLAYS

audiences. He commented: “We’re being asked for more creative applications in LED; we know it’s essential for live video relay and image magnification, but as a technology it brings huge value when creating interactive and immersive experiences, activating, and amplifying brand partners, or transforming the look and feel of a venue instantly.”

Taylor confirmed that ADI is looking at more projects that incorporate LED screens and digital signage into event infrastructure and hospitality settings, not just staging.

He continued: “It’s been extremely positive; a year of growth and repositioning for the ADI brand. We’ve supported the launch of Extreme E, provided an expansion of our services to the Formula E World Championship, and delivered a record screen solution to the 2021 Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone as they welcomed back a full capacity crowd – these are just a few of the highlights! It was great to see the return of many popular UK live events, and of course their audiences, participants, and fans.”

LOOK AND FEEL

Extreme E is designed as a sport broadcast event. Therefore, the application of creative LED displays, lighting and AV is vital to achieving the look and feel of a stateof-the-art broadcast studio, despite the remote environments the extreme racing series travels to.

ADI supplies the event with a Command Centre, which plays a focal role in the live race broadcasts. Operating like a futuristic strategy room, this purpose-built studio is where key team players watch the race unfold and make strategic decisions.

Taylor explained: “Inside the ‘Command Centre’, our team of event production specialists have integrated fine pitch LED displays, audio and lighting with innovative content play-out and media servers. Extreme E’s sports presentation is completely reactive to events during the race, and uniquely engaging for the viewer.

“In addition to the Command Centre solution, ADI provide a large-format outdoor modular screen for live race broadcast in the X Prix hospitality area. Featuring high-res LED and supporting structure, the large display provides constant live coverage to the VIP’s and team members on-site.”

NO SCREEN AVAILABILITY

Next year, ADI will be working on some of the biggest events to take place in the UK and across Europe, including the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the re-launch of the Women’s Tour de France and The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. These will be alongside annual occasions like Royal Ascot, the Great North Run, Goodwood Festival of Speed, and many more that it is contracted to supply.

Similarly, Lightmedia Displays has a busy order book for next year. Eddie ElliottSmith, managing director of the Leedsbased business, said: “2022 is looking very healthy. Forward bookings are great – clients who had to postpone their events in the pandemic have now confirmed their events in 2022. There are a number of large events planned for 2022 - the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, Rugby World Cup, and Commonwealth Games, as well as all the other regional events… so let’s keep our fingers crossed it carries on like this.”

Next year, Lightmedia Displays will be supplying screens to several event, marking the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. In fact, Lightmedia Displays has no screen availability for the extended Bank Holiday weekend.

Elliott-Smith continued: “Event organisers are still very cautious; artists fees are rising so budgets are tighter than ever. Organisers appreciate that 2022 is going to be a busy year for the events industry and we have found that companies/organisers are booking their equipment earlier than usual.”

INVESTING IN KIT

Lightmedia Displays recently supplied big screens to Gateways Festival, Skipton. It was a challenging site. Lightmedia supplied 2 x 45sqm 5mm pixel trailer screens, one 12sqm demount screen, full production with four cameras and a Jimmy Jib, all encased in a weekend of monsoon weather.

Elliott-Smith added: “It was one of the best family events I have seen in years with something for everyone. Friday saw a film festival with films for the children in the afternoon and then one for the parents later in the evening on our massive LED screens.

“For the team, it was just fantastic to be back out and working in live events, seeing the crowds. It was a reminder of why we do this job.”

To cope with demand, Lightmedia Displays has purchased more 12sqm truck mounted LED screens to add to its portfolio. ADI has added to its suite of kit too.

Taylor concluded: “We are continually investing in our modular LED products and our fleet of iCONIC mobile screens, but this year we’ve chosen to significantly broaden our live event services, offering complete event production solutions. This is part of our re-positioning of the ADI brand, offering clients a wider range of event services from a single provider.”