by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 16, 2020
September’s Devon Fall Classic show jumping competition and fall festival held has been cancelled. Held at the Devon Horse Show grounds in suburban Philadelphia, it’s been a popular stop for riders from the region.
Devon Horse Show and Country Fair CEO Wayne Grafton explained that the decision to cancel was due to “the lack of regulatory guidelines within an adequate time frame in order to plan and execute the event.”
The organization “is very disappointed given the cancellation of the May DHSCF, but we are focused on the safety and well-being of our competitors, volunteers and spectators, as well as the overall community. We are putting all our efforts into planning the 125th Anniversary Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, to be held May 27-June 6, 2021.”
Dressage at Devon, a September competition put on by a different organizing group, was cancelled earlier in the spring. The Devon Fall Classic is expected to return in September 2021. For more information, go to www.devonhorseshow.net.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 8, 2020
It isn’t officially summer yet, but the questions have been coming for weeks about what will happen to the three shows on the North American Indoor Circuit this October and November.
The organizers of the Pennsylvania National, the Washington International and the National have been working together on how to host the competitions.
“In this most difficult year, we believe it is important to find the best solution to hold these events prioritizing the safety of participants and best interest of the sport, with cancellation as a last resort. We are in conversations with the USEF and the FEI, local and state governments, and venue management teams and will announce plans the first week of July,” said a statement released by the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
“We are also looking closely at potential modifications to qualification criteria given the changes to the competition calendar and will make a coordinated announcement on the same timing,” the statement continued.
“We recognize that competitors are anxious to make plans for the end of the season and thank you for your feedback and your patience.”
Last month, the Capital Challenge show, which precedes the North American circuit Sept. 25-Oct. 4, announced it “is working closely with state and local government officials and is looking forward to welcoming exhibitors to the show’s home, the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Md.
“In conjunction with the team at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center, Capital Challenge management is planning a comprehensive set of protocols to allow for a safe competition,” its statement said.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 5, 2020
Long Island’s Hampton Classic Horse Show, one of the most popular and well-attended U.S. equestrian competitions, is joining Devon, the World Cup finals and the Kentucky 5-star in the ranks of shows cancelled due to Covid-19.
The Labor Day weekend fixture, postponed until Aug. 29 – Sept. 5, 2021, is known as much for drawing celebrities to its VIP tent as it is for attracting stellar show jumpers, hunters and equitation riders. Just as Devon is a highlight of the spring, the Classic marks the waning days of the summer show season in style with the action involving six rings on 60 acres. It has been a “can’t miss” for competitors and spectators over the last 44 years.
Hampton Classic perennial winner McLain Ward is always a crowd favorite at the show. (Photo © by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“It is difficult to express how disappointing this is for everyone,” said Shanette Cohen, the show’s executive director.
“However, given the current situation and the uncertainty that lies ahead, our Board reached the conclusion that there really is no other option.
“Naturally, the safety and well-being of our exhibitors, and everyone involved with the Classic, takes first priority and the Board is unanimous in its belief that the wisest course of action is to put all our efforts and resources into ensuring that the Classic is able to return next year at the same high standard that everyone expects.”
Around the world, high-end shows like the Classic one by one have been postponed into 2021. Internationally, travel restrictions have made such major fixtures as Germany’s Aachen unable to proceed. But even domestic shows like the Classic that attract large numbers of spectators, have expansive (and expensive) VIP arrangements, offer a large vendor village (the Classic has 70 vendors) and are supported by major sponsors can’t proceed under Covid-related restrictions.
Social distancing makes selling sufficient seats to help pay for the shows impossible, and it can’t be effected in VIP areas that usually are jammed to begin with. Unfortunately, the Classic likely isn’t the last major show to cancel its 2020 edition, though there aren’t many in that category left that could run this year.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 4, 2020
October’s inaugural Maryland 5- star event at Fair Hill has been postponed for a year “due to health and safety factors, in addition to other challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic” and will take place October 14-17, 2021.
The decision, announced today after consultation with all the parties involved, was made because “not being able to guarantee the health and safety of everyone and producing the event in a limited capacity was not favorable for the Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill’s inaugural year.”
Event organizers and partners are now focused on producing the maiden event next year with a field of international competitors, as well as international spectators traveling to the event.at the newly constructed Special Event Zone at Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Cecil County, Maryland.
“It was a very difficult decision and we are very disappointed for the competitors, fans and Eventing community,” said Jeff Newman, president of the Fair Hill Organizing Committee.
“The Fair Hill Organizing Committee was created and tasked to plan and produce the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill as a world-class, international sporting event that includes an abundance of fan offerings drawing spectators from around the world to Cecil County and surrounding region.”
Newman added, “From the start of the pandemic until now, like many sports and entertainment properties, we’ve fully vetted out different scenarios ranging from a scaled back event with some fans, a competition-only event without spectators, or postponing the event to 2021. Ultimately, we felt that the uncertainties and risks that will remain throughout the year are too great to overcome. As a result, with the support of our sponsors and key constituents, postponing the inaugural event to 2021 best enables us to achieve our original goals and set the foundation for a tradition that will continue for many years.”
The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill is the newest CCI5*-L Three-Day competition on the international eventing circuit. Fair Hill is one of only seven eventing competitions in the world, and just the second in the U.S. with the 5-star distinction. Six out of the seven 5-stars have been cancelled this year due to problems related to the pandemic. Pau in France, scheduled to run the weekend after Fair Hill, is still trying to present its 5-star.
Sponsors of the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill were notified of the decision this week and backed the postponement. Primary partners include host location Cecil County and its agencies, Brown Advisory, Quarry View Building Group, Taylor Harris Insurance Services, Dubarry of Ireland, W.L. Gore, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Maryland Public Television (MPT) and The Sport Corp.
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and United States Eventing Association (USEA) were also informed, supported FHOC’s decision, and confirmed the new dates on the schedule for the event in October 2021.
“We recognize the difficulty of the decision to cancel the 2020 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill considering the excitement and positive momentum building towards the inaugural event in October. We look forward to working with the Organizing Committee to support a successful event in 2021,” commented USEF CEO Bill Moroney.
The 2020 USEF CCI3*-L National Championship, which was to run with the 5-star, will be reallocated to a new venu, with details announced in the coming weeks.
Mike Gill and Michael Hankin will remain as The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill’s co-chairs. They said, “Ultimately, postponing the event to 2021 was the right move for the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill’s first year because health and safety must come first. Our goal from the start was to showcase Maryland Pride to attending fans from around the world while also delivering a top-class competition for the riders and horses. However, due to the incredible challenges and uncertainty resulting from the pandemic, that’s just not possible this year. We look forward to producing an incredible event in 2021 and providing an economic stimulus.”
Fair Hill’s newly built Special Event Zone serving as the venue for the Maryland 5 Star features a new Ian Stark-designed cross-country course, as well as new dressage and show jumping areas constructed in the infield of the historic turf track. The USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championships and USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championship will run concurrently with the CCI5*-L competition in 2021.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 3, 2020
After a pandemic hiatus of more than two months (because nothing was happening on the New Jersey equestrian scene) the page listing shows and other activities in the state has returned. Couldn’t run it when there was nothing to list. Check it out on this website.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 2, 2020
There’s still a chance that there will be a 5-star three-day event somewhere this year. While Kentucky, Badminton, Burghley, Luhmuhlen and Adelaide have fallen by the pandemic wayside, Pau in France and the new Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill are continuing to look at running in October.
According to Jeff Newman, the president and CEO of the Maryland 5-star organizing committee, “On our end, we are still evaluating, monitoring and listening, but hope to finalize a course of action very soon.” The event, to run Oct. 15-18, also includes the Future Event Horse and Young Event Horse championships.
The team from Pau “is going to spare no effort and do everything possible” to run the Oct. 21-25 event (which also includes the world driving championship for singles), a statement from that fixture said.
Even though it’s only early June, there’s already concern about the fate of indoor shows around the world this autumn. The Helsinki, Finland, show, slated for Oct. 22-25, won’t be running because it “faces too many challenges.” It’s the second leg of the 2020-2021 Western European World Cup League to be cancelled, after the Madrid Horse Week scheduled for late November was put off until next year. The World Cup finals in Las Vegas was cancelled in April; this makes one wonder what will happen to the 2021 final in Sweden, if qualifiers don’t happen.
Noted Helsinki event director Tom Gordin, “Having all facts currently available, and estimations based on discussion with numerous experts on health issues, as well as sports people, we face a scenario which has too many extremely high risk consequences.”
The fear, common to all shows that are stepping aside this year, involved “late cancellation due to new restrictions, on traveling, border crossing and especially restrictions on visitor numbers allowed” indoors. Sponsors and exhibitors withdrawing or decreasing input play a big role in the event budget situation.
“Less ticket sales, due to social distance challenges or lack of vaccine are essential risk factors too,” said Gordin.
