Showjumping
A hobby for the brave 🐎
Show jumping is one of the Olympic equestrian sports. It consists of a
horse and rider combination jumping around a course of fences, set to a
particular height, within the time allowed. Penalties are incurred in a
horse knocks a jump or refuses. Penalties are also incurred in you
exceed the time allowed. There are various types of competitions,
including team and individual. Often the final round of a competition is
decided by a ‘jump-off’, this is when the fastest clear round is deemed
the winner.
A very popular competition is the Puissance where
riders attempt to jump a wall that gets progressively higher after each
round. National competitions take place around Ireland with classes of
courses of various heights, usually progressing in 5cm or 10cm
increases. The technical skills required also tend to increase with the
increase in the height of the fences. International Shows are overseen
by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) and are graded according
to the height of the fences, technical skill required and the level of
prize money on offer. The highest level show is a CSI5* competition.
Ireland hosts various international competitions throughout the
year, details of which can be found on the Showjumping Ireland website.
The RDS Dublin Horse Show is the only CSI5* competition which takes
place in Ireland.