AS with all other sporting events, the Covid-19 outbreak has resulted in unprecedented disruption to the equestrian calendar in Ireland and abroad, with almost all major competitions due to take place over the coming weeks having now either being cancelled or postponed, including the Longines FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas which were due to take place in April.

Showjumping Ireland, Eventing Ireland and Dressage Ireland are just some of the national affiliates who have announced that all competitions have ceased until March 29th at the earliest.

The majority of international shows due to take place this weekend have been cancelled or postponed, and those who have decided to finish out their planned schedules this weekend are doing so without spectators.

Win for Jordan Coyle

The Palm Beach Masters in Florida will conclude on Sunday, but not before Irish riders recorded some impressive results at the American venue on Friday. Derry’s Jordan Coyle and Eristov raced to victory in the five-star $89,500 Palm Beach Masters qualifier, while Cork’s Billy Twomey finished third with Lady Lou just ahead of Wexford’s Bertram Allen and Gun Powder in fourth.

“I think today he felt free,” Coyle continued. “When you’re doing the ‘right’ numbers all the time, it takes a lot of control. I don’t have much control over him much of the time. So today, wherever we were able to not have control [on course], it suited him.”

With a strong group of owners, Coyle is working to develop a string of new horses, a fact that has changed the way he rides Eristov, among others. “I jumped the 1.45m [$36,600 Suncast Welcome Stake] yesterday and went fast, which is something I never would do with him, and then also [went for the win] today. I think, actually, after doing it, it’s something I should do more often, because he came in and he enjoyed it.

“A year [or] six months ago, I would have never been able to do this, because I only had [Eristov in my string]. So, to be able to then go into the [$300,000 CSI5* CP Palm Beach Masters Final] on Sunday, you leave yourself no chance,” said Coyle, who plans to compete his second horse, Essenar Crixus, in Sunday’s 1.60m Grand Prix. “It’s great that we can use all the horses now.”

Stephen Moore and Team de Coquerie, owned by Vlock Show Stables, won the $36,000 Bruins Tour Challenge at the 2020 Palm Beach Masters Series

Victory for Stephen Moore

There was also an Irish win for Stephen Moore and Team de Coquerie in the $36,600 CSI2* Bruins Tour Challenge, the final event of the inaugural Sunset Challenge at the 2020 Palm Beach Masters Series.

With 17 combinations returning for the jump-off in the CSI2* $36,600 Bruins Tour Challenge, Moore had time to watch some of his competition prior to entering the ring, and he came away with one conclusion: He'd need to pull out all the stops to win.

He did just that, riding Team de Coquerie to the top of the final Sunset Challenge event of the 2020 Palm Beach Masters Series.

Moore and the 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding crossed the timers of Alan Wade's 1.45m shortened track in 37.24 seconds, besting Eve Jobs (USA) and Valentino Tuiliere on 38.37 seconds and Beat Mändli (SUI) and Dibatsja on 38.96 seconds.

"I saw [fourth-place finisher Spencer Smith] go early on, and I knew he was very fast, and I knew that Eve was even faster than him, so I thought, 'I just need to go with everything I possibly can here if I want to win,'" Moore said. "It’s a good way to end circuit now for him."

Jobs held the lead for much of the jump-off, until Moore caught her time with just three combinations remaining. He identified an oxer midway through the jump-off, along with the last line on course, as areas where he was able to pick up valuable time on the clock. He said he was able to take risks on course, thanks to his mount's footspeed and reliability over the fences.

"He’s just a naturally very fast horse. He’s always looking for the next jump and he just always wants to go," Moore detailed. "He’s so careful as well, that I knew I could just take a few chances everywhere."

Moore has been partnered on and off with the gelding, owned by Vlock Show Stables, for the past four years but only recently reunited with the bay this winter after he was campaigned with success by Darragh Kenny, another member of the Vlock Show Stables team.

"He's a great horse, and we've had him for a while. Teddy Vlock owns him, and he bought him as a nine-year-old. I rode him for a year, and then Darragh Kenny, whom we all work together with, campaigned him for a while," Moore detailed. "He had some great results on him as well, and now he’s ended up back with me. I’m just happy to have him and keep him going."

Competitions cancelled

Meanwhile, the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida has announced the cancellation of the final two weeks of action following the close of competition tomorrow Sunday. All remaining competitions this weekend are taking place behind closed doors and with strict regulations in place.

Dortmund show in Germany is continuing until Sunday but again without spectators. Tipperary’s Denis Lynch and GC Chopin’s Bushi took victory in Friday’s three-star 1.50m jump-off while Co Clare’s Eoin McMahon was also in the prizes, taking third place with Chacon 2.

Heike Holstein and Sambuca were sixth in Dortmund four-star Grand Prix

Heike Holstein placed

Irish dressage rider Heike Holstein and the Irish-bred mare Sambuca took sixth place in Friday’s four-star Grand Prix in Dortmund. Holstein scored 70.571% with victory going to reigning European eventing champion Ingrid Klimke and Franziskus 15 on a 75.217% total. Finland's Henri Ruoste (Kontestro Db) placed second on 72.717% with German rider Dorothee Schneider scoring 72.065% for third with Faustus 94.

FEI statement

Meanwhile equestrian sport’s international governing body, the FEI, issued a message to the equestrian community on Friday recommending the cancellation of FEI Events for the next four weeks due to Coronavirus, stating: “The spread of Covid-19 has taken a rapid turn for the worse and sport worldwide is affected. We as a community have to make our contribution to limit the spread of this virus, as the sooner it can be contained the sooner we will be able to get back to normal life and normal sport. And this is something that every other sport is doing.

“The FEI appreciates the amount of work and incredible investment every Organiser puts into their Event. While the FEI does not itself organise any FEI Events, in light of the escalating numbers of persons affected by the virus and the restrictions imposed by national governments, the FEI strongly recommends that Organisers should cancel all events for the next four weeks until a reassessment of the situation can be made.

“The FEI and Board will work together with the International Equestrian Organisers Alliance to evaluate what can be done to try and accommodate dates for events that have been impacted during this period.

“We are aware that this is no simple matter, as clearly no single organiser can be favoured to the detriment of others, and we do not know how many events will be impacted nor how long the current situation will last.

“We have decided that calendar fees for events that have had to be cancelled because of Covid-19 will be waived. We are also assessing the impact of cancellations of events on other areas such as ranking points and on athletes and horses seeking MERs for the Olympic or Paralympic Games and qualifications for FEI Championships.

“We can guarantee you that we are monitoring the situation hour-by-hour and that we are constantly looking at what specific situations need to be addressed. Our thoughts are with all of you and we strongly believe that our community will do the right thing and work to support each other through this crisis.”

Further updates on cancellations and postponements can be found on the Horse Sport Ireland website www.horesportireland.ie

Sources: Horse Sport Ireland and Palm Beach Masters press releases