Page 60 - Brandon Sun | Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Special Section

60 THE BRANDON SUN • ROYAL MANITOBA WINTER FAIR • MARCH 27 — APRIL 1, 2017

The ins and outs of show jumping

Show jumping is the only sport where two living beings combination is considered one obstacle (with 2 or 3 difficulties).
compete together: a horse and a rider. Course-designer: The designer must consider the level of
The Horse: The horses are the product of long and patient the competitors, the class, the table and its relevant rules. The
work, the studying of genetics and hours of training. The young goal is to adjust the level of difficulty to favour the best riders,
horse begins his sporting life at three with light schooling and while allowing all competitors to complete the course safely.
usually takes part in his first competition at four. A good horse Elimination: After a second stop (refusal) or a fall of the
starts to be successful at eight, peaks in his career from 10 to horse and/or the rider, the pair is eliminated.
15 years old, but can keep performing until the age of 20. Jump-off: It’s the tiebreak. The jump-off takes place at the
The Rider: The rider is the pilot, who usually begins riding end of some Table A classes to decide between the competitors
at a young age. The rider is the brain of this “athlete who are tied after the main round. The jump-off course is
combination.” The rider must have skill and talent: an eye, and shorter and different than the course used for the main round,
a sense of balance not to disturb the horse. He/she is the one and is a timed event.
who “molds” the horse, requiring years of work, education, Mixed: Show jumping is one of the few sports in which male
dressage and patience. On the course, the eye of the rider and and female competitors (both horses and riders) compete in
their ability to make quick decisions are as important as the the same classes.
skill of the horse, as well as the rider’s physical aptitude or Obstacles (fences or jumps): There are two major types of
carefulness. obstacles: wide (spread-jumps) and vertical. The latter is a fence
Arena: The arena is the stage. Westman Place has a capacity comprising at least two poles arranged vertically. On the other
of more than 5,000 spectators and during show time, it is filled hand, a spread is wide as well as high. It may be wider than it
with people, TV cameras and, in the arena itself, the obstacles is high and be lower at the front (rising) or the same height
surrounded by decorations, like flowers, which may distract (parallel). A spread with two elements is called an oxer. A rising
the horses. spread with three or more elements is called a triple-bar. A
Combination: A combination is a series of two or three normal course comprises 11-14 obstacles. A combination of
fences separated by one or two cantering strides. If the horse jumps is considered to be one obstacle.
refuses one fence of the combination or runs out between two
elements, the pair has to jump all two or three fences again. A

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