LOCOG have announced that Bob Ellis (GBR) has been appointed as the jumping course designer for the London 2012 Olympic Games, H&C is excited to learn. The British designer produced the courses for last year’s Alltech FEI European Jumping Championships.

Ellis will be responsible for the courses for all the jumping competitions and also for the jumping test of the Eventing at the Olympic venue in Greenwich Park. He will be supported by an experienced international team, which includes Kelvin Bywater (GBR), Stephen Renouard (GBR), Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR) and Alan Wade (IRL).

Working closely with LOCOG’s equestrian events manager Tim Hadaway, Ellis will develop design concepts for fences that showcase the themes of UK culture, London’s heritage and landmarks, and the history of Greenwich itself. He will also oversee jumping courses for the test event in July 2011.

“The FEI welcomes the appointment of Bob Ellis as course designer for the London 2012 Olympic Games”, said John Roche, FEI Director Jumping. “Bob has proved his talent as a course designer at the top level of the sport and it is wonderful that he is being given the opportunity to showcase that talent on home turf at the Olympic and Paralympic equestrian venue in Greenwich Park.”

Bob Ellis attained FEI International status as a course designer in 1989, and became an FEI Candidate International Judge in 1999. In 2004 he was appointed an Official International Course Designer by the FEI. He currently designs the courses at the British international shows at Hickstead, Olympia (the London International Horse Show), the Horse of the Year Show and British Open at Birmingham.