"Contender ready! Gladiator ready! Bolesworth ready!"
Wednesday 13 May 2015
That is the exciting prospect for visitors to the Ashford Farm Bolesworth CSI**** International next month, when one of British television's cult programmes of the last 20 years makes an eagerly-awaited appearance at Bolesworth Castle.
Gladiators was must-watch viewing during its long peak-time ITV run as characters like Hunter, Cobra, Saracen and Wolf became household names.
Now, again under the watchful direction of long-time Gladiators referee John Anderson, the warriors will be back in action on Saturday, June 20, providing exciting family entertainment on a night that will also see the band Scouting for Girls performing to a packed audience.
Gladiators' arrival at the stunning Cheshire venue represents a major coup for Bolesworth International owner and show president Nina Barbour.
Gladiators at Bolesworth will comprise a knockout competition of three rounds, starting with eight teams, and include riders on horses, Gladiators and contenders battling it out across a variety of races and challlenges against each other, culminating in a relay-format final.
There will also be an opening ceremony and prize-giving as spectators get a rare opportunity to watch the Gladiators up close and live.
It promises to be 90 minutes of thrills and spills, and arguably the most famous Gladiator of all can't wait to get stuck into the action.
Hunter - actor, television presenter, fitness director and athlete James Crossley - enjoyed a nine-year run in Gladiator, and in the so-called "final showdown" in 1999 was crowned "The Ultimate Gladiator."
James said: "Some of the guys I have kept in touch with, and some I haven't seen for quite a long time, so it will be great to be back together at Bolesworth. We had a little reunion last week, which was part of a show about former Saturday night TV programmes, and Wolf flew over from New Zealand, which was fantastic.
"It was David versus Goliath, and everyone likes Super Heroes. At our peak, we had 18 million viewers, which was incredible, really.
"The last show of the ITV series we did Gladiators versus Gladiators. I think they wanted to go back to Roman days and have the ultimate winner. I remember I did the whole show with a dislocated shoulder! It was the last show, so I thought I might as well go for it.
James, who has presented fitness and lifestyle shows for ITV and Sky, is currently a partner and fitness director of the Ri Studio Centre in Croatia and Chelsea Fitness in London. He has competed in numerous triathlons, marathons and strength events.
He continued: "We are doing a test training day at Bolesworth this week. Some of us are going to be team leaders and helping with the warm-ups for the contestants.
"I still work in fitness, as does Wolf out in New Zealand, but everyone is doing different things, and getting together again at Bolesworth is something we are all really looking forward to."
This year's Bolesworth International will run at four-star level for the first time. Confirmed entries at Bolesworth Castle from June 18-21 include brilliant young American showjumper Jessica Springsteen, London 2012 Great Britain team gold medallist Nick Skelton and last year's Bolesworth Redrow Grand Prix champion William Whitaker.
World-class showjumping apart, Bolesworth 2015 will also include a puissance, freestyle dressage competition and an eventers' grand prix, in addition to pop concerts, extensive shopping facilities and numerous family attractions.
1xtpsebafdw52.jpg "Sienna Hutchings and Mia Pearson Soar to Success in the STX-UK Pony British Novice Second Rounds")
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t9euklj8o82i.jpg "Miles O’Donnell landed victory in the first Redpost Equestrian Senior Foxhunter Second Rounds at Stainsby Grange with Jackpot DS")