England’s Robert (“Bob”) Ellis is one of only a dozen or so internationally acclaimed show jumping course designers in the world. The pinnacle of his career to date: designing the London 2012 Olympics. This year, the esteemed builder will set the stage in the Grand Prix field at Live Oak International!
Get to know LOI course designer, “Bob the Builder.”
Back in the 1970s, Ellis, a show jumper at the time, went to work for former BBC commentator Steve Hadley. When Hadley decided to host a few shows, he tapped his rider to design and build the courses. That was it—Ellis was hooked! He went on to design courses for friends who were hosting shows and, in 1993, embarked on his course designing career proper.
From Pony European Championships, Young Rider Europeans and Junior Europeans to Senior European Championships, World Cups, Nations Cups, and his crowning achievement—the London 2012 Olympic Games—Bob Ellis has been there and built that.
Ellis reckons that he’s designed thousands, if not tens of thousands, of courses over his storied career. In a 2008 interview with Phelps Sports, he recounted the 2007 World Cup Qualifier in Olympia as one of his favorites: “I was really pleased with the layout of the course; it was very difficult. We had 38 of the top riders in Europe there; we had seven clears and the best jump-off I have ever seen, which was won by Jessica Kurten.”
According to Ellis, course-building has become far more technically-demanding over the past two decades.
“The heights of the fences haven’t got any bigger, but it is more technical and the fences are more adventurous. You have got your European poles now that are kiln-dried, which makes them a lot lighter, and you need good horses,” he told britishshowjumping.com.
“You play with distances a little bit more that you used to, but the quality of riders and horses now is incredible. The horses are better schooled now, the riders are better trained, and they often find the distances so easily, whatever you do.”
“I once put too much blue dye in the water jump. We then had one of our top riders fall in it and he came out looking like a Smurf,” recalled Ellis to Horse and Hound’s Jennifer Donald.
A diehard Wolves fan, Ellis has been a season ticket holder for 42 years. “I was only seven when I first went to a game with my dad, by the time I was nine or 10 I was going to Molineux [Stadium] by myself,” he told Express and Star Newspaper. He’s even been known to plan his course designing travel itinerary around the Wolves’ game schedule.
Discover what Bob Ellis challenges await at this year’s Live Oak International! Tickets start at just $10. Buy yours today at liveoakinternational.com/shop!
