Remember when you were having fun at horse shows? It was back in the early days of 2020, a time during which you also could go to the beach, eat in a restaurant with friends and family or get your hair done.
Before the pandemic, showing could be a fun occasion.( Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
That was before Covid-19 (or as I call it, Covid 1984) changed everything, possibly including your employment status or the solvency of your business.
With all U.S. Equestrian Federation-recognized competitions suspended from March 20 through May 31, we wondered impatiently how soon there would be a way back. And finally the good news came today during a USEF webinar, when we got a glimpse of how shows can go forward after June 1–state and local regulations permitting, of course.
“Personal and community responsibility will be the foundation of the new normal,” USEF CEO Bill Moroney advised, saying it’s all about safeguarding each athlete, as well as the horses.
The webinar also featured USEF attorney Sonja Keating; Dr. Mark Hart, the USEF team physician and head of the medical committee for the FEI (international equestrian federation); trainer John Madden and Michael Stone, president of Equestrian Sport Productions, which puts on the Winter Equestrian Festival and a variety of other shows.
Dr. Hart noted this is a “dynamic pandemic,” estimating it will “be here for the next 12-24 months.” But he added that equestrian is inherently safer than some other sports because it doesn’t involve close contact (with the exception of vaulting and para-dressage). It will be up to organizers to assess their competitions and determine whether it is safe to proceed, such as determining whether the number of those at the show won’t adversely impact local medical providers.
He said some localities make wearing a mask mandatory, although without a mask, “if you’re on a horse, you’re in a safe position from a medical point of view.” The physician noted even if masks aren’t required, “wearing a mask is a respectful thing to do.” Some Covid carriers are asymptomatic, he explained, so a mask provides insurance against having them transmit the disease.
How will it be possible to have riders on the podium when social distancing is in effect? Will we see scenes like this again anytime soon? Perhaps champagne is effective against the virus… (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
In order to hold shows, there will have to be restrictions, formulated along guidelines developed by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. They will bar spectators from sitting and watching. Attendance will be limited to “essential people.” In the case of ESP, Michael said, that is three people per horse in addition to the rider–the trainer, a groom and one more person, who would be a parent or guardian in the case of a minor. ESP will have “social distance officers” to make sure people don’t mingle closely.
“We have one chance to get this right,” said Michael. He warned that if mistakes are made and there is another outbreak, “it will be a long, long summer before we get going again.”
Michael Stone of ESP. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer}
John agreed, commenting. “We have to be really good citizens.” The pandemic is everywhere, “just part of our world.” He pointed out it isn’t like a hurricane or an earthquake, disasters that are more local or regional in scope.
“We have the opportunity to be part of the solution; we’re the front line leaders.” If something goes wrong, John continued, it goes downhill and “we’re where it ends up. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We need to follow what the experts tell us. We’re uniquely suited to do this well.”
Doing it well includes everything from taking the temperatures of volunteers, office workers and staff when they arrive at the show, to buying extra equipment when necessary to minimize the risk of infection. A few things still need to be worked out, including how to have a scribe sit with a dressage judge under the new parameters.
As Sonja pointed out, since there is no way to eliminate all risk, the USEF’s Covid 19 action plan will be “a living document” that changes with conditions. Standard liability waivers will now include a provision about contracting the virus.
USEF is still working out some things in connection with the re-start, including whether age limits for junior riders and green eligibility for horses will be adjusted.
It’s obvious that the financial burden of showing will increase because of all the restrictions and what needs to be done to keep everyone safe; “the cost is going to be borne by everybody,” said Bill. “We’re going to see everyone putting together to maintain equestrian sport in this new environment.”
The Winter Equestrian Festival, which lost its last two weeks of hunter/jumper/equitation showing in March because of the pandemic, is adding a week in January 2021 to make its circuit 13 weeks.
The cancellation “was very hard on all of our stakeholders,” said Michael.
“We are very cognizant of the hardships created by the abbreviated schedule and also keenly aware of the difficulties everyone is facing as the pandemic continues. We wanted to find a way to add value back to our competitors, sponsors, vendors, and VIP table holders and feel that we can best accomplish this by being able to offer more with an additional week on the WEF schedule in 2021.”
Andrew Philbrick had to cancel his April and May shows at Princeton Show Jumping in Skillman, Somerset County, but he’s all set to go in June with two one-day B-rated shows and one four-day show. In July, he has five shows. As the webinar was going on, he sent out an advisory about Covid 19 procedure that follows USEF guidelines. It notes there won’t be a VIP tent, but shade tents and picnic tables will be provided for those who purchase take-out food service or items from the food truck. In addition, it says, “We ask that you not gather anywhere on the show grounds except with people you have been quarantined with.”
Riders may take cellphone photos of the jumper courses, but are asked to move away from the board so others can do the same, instead of standing in front of the board and studying the routes. Andrew is emphasizing that those in attendance be “respectful,” and they have plenty of room to do that on his 100-acre property, especially since entries will be limited.
There’s lots of room for social distancing at Andrew Philbrick’s show facility in Somerset County. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
He notes that in New Jersey, horse shows are accepted by the Department of Agriculture as part of the agriculture business, which means they can run despite restrictions on other businesses. He’s had plenty of big names — Rodrigo Pessoa, McLain Ward and John Madden’s wife, Beezie, take part in his shows in the past. Noting his facility is centrally located, he’s expecting more top riders at a time when people have told him they aren’t interested in competing too far from home because of the pandemic.
Acknowledging there are folks who don’t think horse shows should be held at a time when everyone is concerned about Covid. Andrew expressed concern for those who make the shows run.
Citing farriers, vets, course designers, judges and other officials, grooms, office staff and jump crew, he pointed out, “These aren’t rich people riding around in circles. Horse shows for these people are not a pastime and play toy, it’s essential to their livelihood.”
Added Andrew, although “we lost four horse shows, Princeton Show Jumping can survive that. I’m worried about people who depend on horse shows to survive.”
“You have to be compassionate about these people. This is an industry; there are people who are depending on this industry, and we’ve got to support them.”
He added, “We’re going through a very tough time. I think we can still have real communion with our horses. We can enjoy their training and competitive nature. Community is important, but your relationship with your horse is paramount. If you concentrate on that, you’re going to be rewarded. We’ll survive this and get back to where we were. But in the meantime, how lucky are we that we get to spend time with the horses?”
The webinar will be posted in its entirety on the USEF website at https://www.usef.org/. Information to help cope with Covid is also available on the site.
