Equestrianism: Show jumpers mount a charm offensive: Horse of The Year Show brushes up its act to increase box office appeal. Maggie Brown reports

'WE are aiming to make it the pinnacle of equestrian excellence,' said Ian Dawson, the chief executive of the Horse of the Year Show, as he stood among the rows of 700 temporary wooden stables, perched on grimy Wembley concrete, which are about to be filled with prime horseflesh.

The six-day annual show, which starts today, is searching for a new direction to increase its appeal and claw back both the television cameras and the crowds. Riding may be flourishing, but bookings for Britain's most ambitious and comprehensive show jumping event are down on last year's pounds 500,000, when the show just broke even with a pounds 1,000 surplus.

Show jumping is no longer a hit with the public: last week the Three Counties Show organisers underlined the point and said people preferred ferrets. The Riding School of Vienna, with its famous white horses, is also visiting Britain in November, diverting some fans.

BBC2 is screening only highlights from the show a week today, two days after it ends, though Sky is devoting live air time. Television prefers three-day eventing, with its share of spills on the cross- country courses. Sponsorship from companies, crucial for prize-money, is also 'very difficult' Dawson added. Where would United Kingdom show jumping be without Everest double glazing? Despite a charm offensive aimed at attracting businesses no one has come forward to provide the pounds 20,000 prize-money for the grand prix and dressage events.

The Horse of the Year Show's image has been further tarnished by the death, last year, of Sir Arkay, the Swiss horse put down after it broke its leg on a 10ft bank: this obstacle was introduced in a misguided attempt to spice up the indoor Derby on the final Sunday. Instead, it reduced children to tears.

Brian Perry, the assistant show director and a veteran organiser, said it was an 'unfortunate, freak accident'. He added: 'We have not held our old audience, and we haven't brought in the young audience. They go to motor racing.'

Major changes are afoot. 'We're looking at everything. Learning where it fits in and what you have to do to enhance the show in the 1990s,' added Dawson, a former army officer and experienced marketing executive (he prefers rugby to horses) and was drafted in last year to give an overhaul. Contrary to some advice, the show, which began in 1949, will stay at Wembley at least until the year 2000, rather than migrating north to Birmingham or Sheffield.

The key strategy is to attract more top-class riders (and sponsors), while increasing the entertainment elements. The show is expected to host the Equestrian World Cup qualifiers for both show jumping and dressage from next year. This means that a far larger number of top European riders must cross the channel and attend the show.

To make sure these new events are properly accommodated the organisers are then going to alter the show's traditional structure, and work out where all the classes should go, for maximum audience and booking-office appeal, while always trying to retain, in Dawson's words, 'the essential tradition of a show which is a competitive equestrian event'.

It is the culmination of scores of county shows, the mecca for many aspiring riders and breeders, and has a wide range of competitive classes and disciplines, from best small hack to the Pony Club finals. Winning an event at the show can add thousands to the value of a horse or pony. However, some of these events can be boring to a general audience, and may be banished from the final three days, creating almost two shows in one.

This year the show is running a European Horseball Championship in the main arena, during the final weekend, which is more like seven-a-side rugby on horseback than polo: a new sport, open to amateur enthusiasts, this was tried out successfully last year.

It is also dispensing with the ritual mounted cavalry display, though not the heavy horses display, and introducing lasers and flares during the final spectacular cavalcade of all the winners, on Sunday night. As a final sign of increasing professionalism, it is also promising to end the evenings promptly, every night.

(Photograph omitted)