Equestrian events take up the vast majority of competitions at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, and the Horse Jumping event is by far of the most spectated and skilful events the show has to offer. The ribbons presented at the show are some of the most prestigious awards in the agricultural calendar. With the show cancelled this year however, how are the horses and their riders meant to maintain standards?
Jumping is probably the best known of the equestrian disciplines recognised by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, or FEI. In all equestrian events, men and women compete as equals in both individual and team events. In modern Jumping competitions, horses and their riders are required to complete a course of 10 to 13 jumps, the objective of which is to test the pair’s skill, accuracy and training.
The Show is part of a series of competitions all leading up to Australian Jumping Championships held in Victoria every November. There is a tremendous strain as to whether Australian equestrian teams will be ready for this major event. Many upcoming events have been cancelled or postponed, with regular competitions not scheduled to resume until late July. With three months taken out of competition, trainers are missing out on regular routines and competition to put skills to the test. The 2020 Summer Olympics have also been called off; another prestigious event is missing from the equestrian calendar.
It’s tough times for many parts of regional communities, especially those that rely on events like the Show for their livelihood. This is however still a developing situation, and time will tell just how well business and sports competitors will recover in time for major events hopefully schedules to resume later in the year.
