Are you missing going to horse shows? Virtual may be useful, but it can’t match the thrill of being in the stands or on the rail to watch a competition. The U.S. Equestrian Federation has barred the general public from shows since last June due to Covid (shows were shuttered from March 20-May 31 when the pandemic broke out.)
But now there’s hope that you can watch your favorite athletes from across the ring rather than from across your living room. The USEF announced today it is “optimistic” it will be able to permit a limited number of spectators at USEF-licensed competitions by mid-May. The federation will offer more details in the next weeks “so that organizers and spectators have time to prepare in advance.”
A word of caution before you start making your travel plans: USEF warns that the only exceptions to its decision permitting fans “involve instances where state, county, or local government and health authorities or a particular competition organizer have more stringent requirements in place, in which case those more stringent requirements take precedence.”