Racing concerns – showjumping highlights and dressage rankings

Showjumping continued at the highest level in Florida; Racing concerns in the UK following figures published that race going attendance had fallen once again in 2019; and Dujardin comes fourth on the FEI dressage rankings. Finally in the news this week; the Coronavirus has taken its first show off the calendar in Hong Kong.

Show jumping alive and well, particularly in Florida

In the show jumping, there were no less than eleven FEI CSI’s over the weekend. There were no 5 star events but there was one World Cup qualifier among the eleven, in Florida at Palm Beach. At the Wellington World Cup qualifier, there were 16 jumping efforts required over the Alan Wade designed course for the Palm Beach Masters.  This was an outdoor class held on grass. There were only three clears to qualify for the jump off and all three went clear again with Ireland’s Darragh Kenny winning with an excellent time of 36.70 seconds a good two seconds faster than his nearest rival from Cassio Rivetti from Brazil and in third from the USA was Devin Ryan.

Tiger Roll looking to roar into the record books

The entries for the Aintree Grand National were published this week with Tiger Roll in the line-up hoping to run and be the first ever to win three Nationals on the bounce.

Racing Attendance in UK falls for a fourth year

News broke this week that UK racing attendance numbers have fallen for the fourth year in a row. A total of 5.62 million people went racing in 2019, down from 5.77 million the year before. The BHA are concerned that they are not attracting enough younger people to the sport and recognise that there is much more choice for everyone for their leisure time than used to be the case.

Hong Kong Cancels the Masters Show

The Coronavirus has claimed its first international event. The organisers of the Longines Masters of Hong Kong have cancelled the show which was due to take place on February 14 to 16. Christophe Ameeuw explained that the safety of all of the participants and the expected 35,000 audience over the three days was of paramount concern and their safety had to come first.

William Whitaker parts with Rushy

Show jumper, William Whitaker from Great Britain has parted company with Rushy Marsh Farm, Florida,  after only a year. Whitaker had several big wins riding their horses in 2019 and the move will almost certainly mean that he will have no part in the Tokyo Olympics later this year.

Charlotte Dujardin climbs the FEI rankings

The latest FEI world athlete rankings have been published. The first of 2020 with Isabell Werth remaining at numbers one and two with Dorothee Schneider in third. Charlotte Dujardin however has moved up to number four following her success in Amsterdam recently. Seven Germans occupy the top ten places with two from Denmark and one from Great Britain.

Grand Prix Special to be held at Windsor

Windsor Horse Show, to be run in May, have announced that for the first time they will be running a Grand Prix Special class as well as the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle for dressage. The idea is to give international hopefuls the full programme in which they can compete and which they would have to do at the Tokyo Olympics in front of a full international seven judge panel.

Sharing is caring!