Half of International Dressage Shows for Year Already Canceled in Coronavirus Pandemic

Re-scheduling the world famous Future Champions Nations Cups in Hagen, Germany and cancellation of a second World Cup qualifier in the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic has led to about half of international competitions being dropped or postponed for the entire year.

British organizations responsible for the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and jumping announced efforts to weigh steps to return to competition while many other countries suggested different ways to maintain equestrian activities.

From the World Cup in s’Hertogenbosch, Netherland in mid-March as the first international dressage competition canceled due to Covid-19, 85 of 158 dressage competitions, or 54%, have been put off for 2020 after only a third of the year. Among the events are cancellation of the World Cup Final in Las Vegas that had been set for earlier this month and deferring the Olympics for a year to the summer of 2021.

The United States with the most dressage competitions of the 36 nations with shows governed by the International Equestrian Federation international in 2020 has seen eight of its 23 competitions canceled as of the end of April.

The latest cancellation was the World Cup qualifier set for Saugerties, New York June 11-14. A World Cup event in Del Mar, California was dropped earlier this month.

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Article written by: KENNETH J. BRADDICK