by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 27, 2020
“The Games of yesterday will not be the Games of tomorrow,” stated Guy Drut, a member of the International Olympic Committee, calling for them to be reinvented in the wake of the Covid pandemic that postponed the 2020 Games to next year.
Drut, a former French minister of sports who was an Olympic champion at Montreal 1976 in the men’s 110-meter hurdles says the coronavirus crisis is an opportunity for the Olympic movement to look at itself. He has also called on the Paris Olympics 2024 to be reviewed, describing the project as “obsolete, outdated and disconnected from reality.”
He asked, as reported by France Televisions, “Can the response to this crisis translate into the mere postponement of dates, without the model, both economic and organizational, of the Games being also deeply rethought?”
Drut described the cost of the postponement of Tokyo 2020 as “very expensive” with some reports estimating it could be as much as $3 billion, though he insisted those Games must take place.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are a celebration, the meeting of a lifetime for athletes of all backgrounds and all nationalities,” said Drut.
“They are sport; a unique moment of universal peace, meetings and respect for others. The Games are useful–even more in times of crisis.”
That is why they must be adapted, “to keep them suitable for the changing world.”
He would like to see the IOC bring together organizing committee for the next Olympic Games through 2028 “to explore new avenues, to think useful, sober, and responsible.”
Drut also suggested that certain sports could take place at the same location wherever an Olympic Games is hosted.
“It is very expensive to build new equipment for an event that lasts only three or four days,” he explained.
“Take the case of surfing. The Olympic site could always be the same and be, for example, in Tahiti or Hawaii.You have to keep the unit of time with the Olympic Games which take place from such date to such date, but the unit of place and action can vary.” Remember how the equestrian portion of the 2008 Olympics was in Hong Kong, while the rest of the Games were in Beijing.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 27, 2020
Three pertinent webinars from eXtensionhorses.org have been archived so you can access them and learn something useful while so much of the horse world is on pause. Carey Williams, a Rutgers University professor and equine extension specialist, has called to our attention that webinars are available on Financial Assistance for Horse Farms, Bio-security and Sanitation for Horse Farms and Fine Tuning Boarding Contracts.
Go to https://www.youtube.com/user/eXHorses to access them.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 22, 2020
The World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany, has been cancelled, despite initial thoughts of postponing it from its June dates.
But the pandemic dictated otherwise.
“People’s health takes top priority,” said Frank Kemperman, chair of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein.
The announcement came on the heels of word that the Dublin Horse Show in July also has been cancelled.
The Dublin Horse Show is always a landmark of the season and plays to a packed house, with the Nations Cup for the Aga Khan trophy as the highlight.
Aachen, for its part, is considered by many as the world’s greatest horse show, since it offers multiple disciplines.
“This was a very emotional and very difficult decision for us,” stated Michael Mronz, general manager of the Aachener Reitturnier GmbH (ART). According to Mronz, in spite of the fact that the CHIO Aachen is well situated thanks to its reliable partners and the support of its loyal spectators, the situation still presented too big a challenge.
“We will organize a virtual CHIO Aachen 2020,” he said, maintaining it will at least be possible to experience the show’s atmosphere in digital form. More details will be forthcoming over the next few days.
Hmmm. Why do I think it won’t be quite the same as having the 10-day live show, with competition in dressage, jumping, eventing, four-in-hand driving and marvelous exhibitions, as well as 350,000 spectators?
International equestrian events have been staged in Aachen since the 1920s, with the only hiatus coming from 1940-45 during World War II. Showgoers love their Aachen,with many of the ticket holders deciding to forego having their ticket price reimbursed to demonstrate support for the show.
Alternatively, tickets that have been purchased can be converted into tickets for the CHIO Aachen 2021 June 25–-July 4. All information and further options can be found at chioaachen.com/tickets. The CHIO Aachen team will contact all registered ticket customers, but asks everyone to currently refrain from placing telephone inquiries because of the time it will take to set up the technical requirements needed for that purpose.
Also in Germany, the Luhmuhlen, Germany, 5-star three-day event, set for June 18-21, is reviewing its options.Plans call for reopening of some businesses in Germany in the next few weeks, but major events on the order of concerts will be banned until the end of August, another reason for cancelling Aachen.
Meanwhile, Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University, said he is “very pessimistic” about the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place next year. Japan Times reported he does not believe the coronavirus pandemic will be under control by next year.
“Holding the Olympics needs two conditions: one, controlling COVID-19 in Japan and (two) controlling COVID-19 everywhere – because you have to invite the athletes and the audience from all over the world,” he said.
“Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer, I wish we could, but I don’t think that would happen everywhere on Earth, so in this regard I’m very pessimistic about holding the Olympics Games next summer,” he said.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 21, 2020
One of the world’s greatest horse shows, held at the Royal Dublin Society showgrounds, will not be staged in Ireland during mid-July as scheduled. The Dublin Horse Show is always a landmark of the season and plays to a packed house, with the Nations Cup for the Aga Khan trophy as the highlight.
Michael Duffy, CEO of the RDS, explained, “We believe it is the most responsible decision we can make in the best interests of public health and safety.”
At the same time, the Luhmuhlen, Germany, 5-star three-day event, set for June 18-21, is reviewing its options.Plans call for reopening of some businesses in Germany in the next few weeks, but major events on the order of concerts will be banned until the end of August.
Meanwhile, Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University, said he is “very pessimistic” about the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place next year. Japan Times reported he does not believe the coronavirus pandemic will be under control by next year.
“Holding the Olympics needs two conditions: one, controlling COVID-19 in Japan and (two) controlling COVID-19 everywhere – because you have to invite the athletes and the audience from all over the world,” he said.
“Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer, I wish we could, but I don’t think that would happen everywhere on Earth, so in this regard I’m very pessimistic about holding the Olympics Games next summer,” he said.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 20, 2020
On Thursday April 23 at 6 p.m., Extension Horses will present a webinar on”Fine-Tuning Equine Boarding Contracts”.
It involves a discussion on the importance of having well developed equine boarding contracts. Julie Fershtman, an Equine Law practitioner and author, will cover the key components Time for questions will also be included. Julie Fershtman’s practice crosses all equine breeds and disciplines and serves stables, insurers, professionals, associations, businesses, show management, trainers, and clinicians across the U.S. Registration is free, but required. To register, visit https://pub.cce.cornell.edu/event_registration/main/events_landing.cfm?event=EquineBoardingContracts_225. Once registered, individuals will receive a link to join the webinar.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 15, 2020
Although the 2020 Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event was postponed from its original date next month, the event’s Organizing Committee found after looking at alternative dates that rescheduling the event is not possible for this year.
“When the crisis caused by the coronavirus made it impossible to hold our event as scheduled, we looked into possible dates where we could hold it later in the year,” said Morgan Rowsell, co-organizer of Jersey Fresh.
“However, no suitable date was possible and it simply is not going to work out. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold the event this year. Without the Olympics (Jersey was an observation trial for the U.S. Olympic team), without a reason to do the 4-star, you’re not going to necessarily get a lot of riders. You can’t bring the sponsors in without a lot of hoopla; you can’t have hoopla without a lot of riders. It’s unfortunate, so we’ll just circle our wagons and make a big deal out of next year,” said Morgan..
Top rider Will Coleman was a regular at the Jersey Fresh International event. (Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
The Saumur event in France found itself in the same position as Jersey Fresh. After deciding it couldn’t run May 21-24, it is hoping to postpone, but is still looking for the right date in the “second semester” of 2020, as it also prepares its 2021 edition as a qualifying event for the Olympics..
Jersey Fresh had been scheduled to take place at the Horse Park of New Jersey, May 6-10. Featured would have been CCI Four-Star and Three-Star divisions featuring top eventing horses and riders in addition to a new Preliminary Division for future stars in the sport.
“With the Olympics also moved to next year, we anticipate our event holding its usual place of significance on the eventing calendar,” added Morgan.
“We thank all our sponsors – especially major sponsors B.W. Furlong & Associates, Zoetis, AIG and Boehringer Ingelheim – for their support and we look forward to returning with a great event in 2021!”
An event is also planned for the end of June at the Horse Park of New Jersey, which is shuttered for the time being. The Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event/Horse Park of New Jersey is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit, Charitable and Educational organization. Further information about JFI is available at www.jfi3d.com. Further information about the Horse Park is available at www.horseparkofnewjersey.com.
Meanwhile, the Mars Equestrian Essex Horse Trials at Moorland Farm in Far Hills, is still on for July, a new date for the fixture which previously was held in June. Rowsell, who is also co-chair of Essex, said any changes would be up to the board, which doesn’t meet until May.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he anticipates the statewide lockdown going on into June, but didn’t say anything yet about July.
