Virtual eventing? It’s even got its own T-shirt. These days in the horse world, it seems as if it’s virtual everything.
The USEF’s announcement that recognized competitions won’t run before the end of May is another push for equestrian sport to expand in the virtual universe. It’s not USEF’s fault that shows are on hold during the pandemic, of course; it’s a question in America of state restrictions that come first, but it’s also a worldwide problem. Equestrian organizations around the globe are following suit as even the venerable Aachen, Germany, fixture was called off.
For competition organizers who had hoped to start up in May, however, it’s a blow at the time when the outdoor show season across the country usually is in full swing. But this May, no one will ride under the famous “Where Champions Meet” arch at Devon.
So everyone is going to the internet (as if we don’t spend enough time on line already) to try scratching the horse show itch. USEF presented a virtual event “live”? of the 2012 Rolex Kentucky cross-country Saturday (when it should have been cross-country day for 2020 Land Rover Kentucky). The FEI is making its TV free “while live sport is on hold.” The Global Champions Tour is having a “Stay at Home Special” of replays from last year’s competitions and Tryon International Equestrian Center offered a bracketed social media jump-off tournament powered by votes on Facebook and Instagram.
In Britain, the Royal Windsor Horse Show has gone virtual, while Virtual Eventing is holding, well, a virtual event May 6-10, pre-recorded and live scored. Each rider will be raising money for the National Health Service in the United Kingdom or a charity that will benefit Covid 19 frontline medical staff in their own country.
The riders are videoed at home doing a dressage test, then jump cross-country and stadium without their horses. Those participating include Boyd Martin, William Fox-Pitt and Meg Kepferle.To watch, starting with the trot-up (expect some unusual outfits) go to www.virtualeventing.com.
Let’s hope this is not the wave of the future, but is simply something to fill in the blank until shows start up again, whenever that might be.
Nona Garson and her partner, George D’Ambrosio, are trying to do something virtual that’s more personal for their Garden State Horse Show, which can’t happen as planned at the Ridge at Riverview showgrounds in Asbury, Warren County. It would have been the first time they were to host what was once the largest horse show in New Jersey. But making the best of it, they came up with the Garden State Stay at Home Classic.
George D’Ambrosio and Nona Garson.
The prizelist has separate categories for video and still photo submissions, with classes ranging from Mother’s Day leadline, bareback, and horseless jumping (including poles on the ground). Grand prix classes will be judged on style, speed, agility and efficiency; hunters on performance, soundness and manners; equitation on execution and position. There will also be dog competitions.
How did the couple come up with the concept?
“We were sitting there every day watching what’s happening in the world,” Nona explained.
“It’s so disheartening. We thought it was a way we could interact and have people enjoy the thought of horse showing while they stay safe at home. It’s to give you the feeling that you’re showing without leaving the comfort of your living room.” She added with a chuckle, “There will be no drug testing.”
Nona, an international show jumper who has ridden for the U.S. team and judged intercollegiate shows, will be doing the judging, but has enlisted friends to help judge if the entries are more than she can handle.
“We’re learning as we go here,” said Nona. “I’m not sure what kind of response we’re going to get.”
The idea worked so well with Royal Windsor that it has thousands of virtual entries, so it will be interesting to see if it is as popular on this side of the Atlantic.
For the rules and how to enter, go to http://www.ridgeshowjumping.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Virtual-Show.pdf. The entry deadline is May 2.
All winning entries will be featured on the Ridge’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Ribbons will be mailed for first through fourth-place winners; fifth through eighth will get virtual ribbons. Other prizes include products from sponsors, including leather goods and feed, that will be awarded in some divisions, while champions will receive a coupon for 10 percent off their entries at one future show at the Ridge at Riverview during the 2020 show season. The leading trainer will have a free tack stall at one show at the Ridge at Riverview while the Hunter Derby winner gets 50 percent off one stall and 20 percent off their entries at one show.
Ribbons can’t be presented in person by Nona Garson at the Garden State virtual horse show, but they will get to prize winners by mail.
Garden State was supposed to run April 28-May3, but the Ridge was also scheduled to hold three other shows in May that can’t happen now. The first two June shows are unrecognized, which could offer some leeway if the Governor eases restrictions on what’s happening in New Jersey
Nona believes that there will be no problem holding shows on the Ridge’s 50-acre property while maintaining social distancing, as they did in their final Turf Tour show in Wellington, Fla., during March.
“I spread the schedule out and had people come in small groups all day long and it worked perfectly. There were never more than eight exhibitors and everybody kept their distance. They did their entries electronically so no one had to go in the office.” Classes ran for hours, so people cold schedule when they would come. Riders and trainers were able to walk the course in the middle of the class if they had just arrived on the grounds.
There are plenty of wide open spaces around the Ridge at Riverview.
Asked if she would consider doing the same sort of thing in New Jersey, she said, “100 percent.” She believes at such shows, people barely have to interact in person.
“I think we need to revisit how we do things, but making people stop entirely is not the answer either.”
Tom Struzzieri, the impresario of the HITS show series, already has a plan worked out on how to achieve appropriate social distancing when his competitions start.
Tom Struzzieri of HITS.
HITS has bought the Lamplight property in Illinois, where the USEF’s Dressage Festival of Champions is held. He noted that his previous Chicago-area property, Balmoral, wasn’t popular with exhibitors, who made a plea for him to go to Lamplight.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to reinvent ourselves again in the Midwest,” he said. “We’re going to expand, as we grow into the property, the money we spend” on jumper and hunter prizes.
He’s hoping to start his shows at Lamplight and Saugerties, N.Y., the first week of June if local authorities say he can go.
Meanwhile, Tom and his family are doing what they can to help during this crisis, having given away 5,000 meals last week to people who have been adversely affected by the pandemic situation.
He’s tailoring his shows to the current situation.
“We’re going to do a terrific amount of work for social distancing for everyone at the horse show,” he commented.
That includes modifying the computer program for entries so exhibitors don’t have to spend time in the office. The food service will be set up as a grab-and-go and stabling will be arranged in quadrants so exhibitors are in charge of their own areas. The schedule is still being written, but the idea is to have it organized as show-and-go, with days added to minimize density if the USEF permits. Everything is refundable because the situation is evolving.
It looks like this is going to be the new normal, and who knows for how long. It’s a challenge, but how encouraging to see the equestrian industry is stepping up to find solutions so we can move from the virtual to the real thing.
