Working to ensure our sport is one of the first to return

Federations have been working behind the scenes on ways to make horse sport work after lockdown

- ELEANOR JONES

NATIONAL federations have been working with governments to ensure equestrianism can be among the first sports to get going once lockdown is eased.

Events at all levels and in all sports have been cancelled owing to the coronavirus pandemic, but British Equestrian and Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) are among the bodies that have been working with decision-makers on how events could be run when safe.

A British Equestrian spokesman told H&H this is a complicated process as a number of stakeholders are involved.

“We’re working on it,” she said. “We’ve been having constant dialogue with government via UK Sport and the Sport and Recreation Alliance throughout, so the process towards resumption has never really stopped.”

The spokesman added that different British Equestrian member bodies have been working on individual plans for resumption, and that the federation will use these for its overall umbrella plan.