While more equestrian competitions are being called off because of the pandemic, others are running, enabling the industry to begin healing from months of inactivity.
There will be no Global Champions Tour in 2020. The GCT, a rich international circuit with shows from China to Miami Beach, announced today it has cancelled all competitions until 2021.
“In these exceptional circumstances, it is not realistic to safely stage a global championship circuit this year. We must follow the laws of national governments and public health authorities, which change regularly and at short notice, having a major impact on international planning,” GCT said in its statement.
Restrictions on travel mean not all riders would be able to compete, the GCT announcement explained.. The threat of a second wave later in the year and the lack of a cure or a vaccine also contributed to the decision.
The state of New York’s failure to lift restrictions in time for HITS to have its first show at Saugerties in early June has meant the series there will start later in the month than planned.
Meanwhile, Equestrian Sport Productions just held successful schooling shows in Wellington, Fla., with all kinds of precautions, including masks, taking temperatures and lots of sanitizing. That was a dress rehearsal for recognized shows that begin next month, after the U.S. Equestrian Federation lifts its restrictions on earning points and qualifying criteria.
David Burton Jr., the show manager at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, said, “I feel that we demonstrated that we can run our sport safely in the middle of this pandemic. It is my sincere hope that we have all begun to navigate our way forward without having to shut down our industry again.”
Yesterday, the Ocala Jockey Club announced about its CCI4-star L national eventing championship, “Based on what we know at this time, we feel confident that the 2020 event can run as scheduled.” Important for Olympics qualifying purposes, it is set for Nov. 12-15 in Reddick, Fla., and will be held in conjunction with three other FEI levels of competition, the CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L and the CCI4*-S. Each of the levels also features special recognition and prizes for young horses and off-track Thoroughbreds, with the Thoroughbred Makeover Masterclass event showcased by the Retired Racehorse Project.
Plantation Field in Pennsylvania is hoping to hold horse trials June 6 and 7 (and possibly June 5) if the state’s stay-at-home order is lifted in time. No final decision will be made on whether to run until “the very last moment.” This organizer is also scheduled to hold an international horse trials Sept. 17-20. If things can’t run by then, we’re in big trouble…