Seven international jumping teams will compete in the Kerrygold Nation's Cup for the Aga Khan Challenge Trophy on Friday, the highlight of this year's Horse Show, which opens in the RDS in Dublin tomorrow.
Teams from Britain, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and Ireland will be compete for the trophy.
The show will see more than 1,500 horses competing in 127 showing classes and competitions with in excess of €415,000 in prize money and 52 trophies.
Leading international and national riders from 10 countries will be at the show including Peter Charles and Cian O'Connor from Ireland, Tim Stockdale and Robert Smith from Britain and Patrice Delaveau from France. Both Charles and O'Connor have been chosen to represent Ireland in the Nation's Cup with Kevin Babington and Dermot Lennon.
There will be a strong commercial side to the show as well with 236 companies from across Europe exhibiting in the exhibition halls.
The event is the major advertising vehicle for the Irish Dairy Board, which has been sponsoring the show since the late 1980s and uses it as a marketing tool for overseas buyers and customers.
Thursday will be Ladies Day and one of the women taking part in the most stylish dressed competition will drive away in a new SEAT Leon worth €18,000. Other attractions at the show will be a daily lunchtime performance by the Guinness Jazz band.
The Galway-based theatre group, Macnas, will be performing their new show, The Fascinating Adventures of Captain Zoom Zoom and his Flying Minstrel Dwing on the Band Lawn, three times daily.
General admission to the show is €11 for adults and €7 for children, students and senior citizens. Pre-purchased stand tickets to gain entry to the jumping competitions range from €20 to €33 for adults and €15 to €28 for children, students and senior citizens.