May 2020 Issue

Page 6 May 2020 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN FREE Classifieds for print subscribers! See page 22 for details. Not a print subscriber? Join the ongoing mailing list for just $20. See page 23 or visit eastcoastequestrian.net submission dates and processing dates. Under these rules there is also a Mileage Exemption Request process in place by which competitions can be added to the calendar within the boundary mileage of an existing competition and this is one of the mechanisms that we will utilize in managing changes to the calendar due to the pandemic,” Lowell said. Breed and discipline or- ganizations are working with the USEF to follow similar procedures with their programs while honoring the suspension of competitions. In a USHJA press release, that organization expressed its commitment “… to supporting date changes for any USHJA properties scheduled to occur between March 16 and May 3, as rescheduling is in the best interest of the sport”. Fall Shows Hopeful Shows with fall dates are hoping to continue as usual but are watching for new developments. “As you know, this is a fluid situation that changes by the hour. Our primary concern is, of course, the safety of all involved. It's premature for us to make any projections and we will not make a decision until June, at the earli- est. We certainly hope that things will have resolved by the fall and we can hold Dressage at Devon 2020,“ said Lori Kaminski, pres- ident of Dressage at Devon. The show is scheduled for September 22-27. Susie Webb, executive direc- tor of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show is cautiously posi- tive. “We’re just taking it one day at a time. The whole horse show world has really been shut down along with everything else. At this point we’re still proceeding forward,” she said. Because the show is held at a state-owned facility, that could be a factor in the availability of the site. This is the 75th year of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show at the Farm Show Com- plex, scheduled for October 8-17. “At this point, we’re still looking forward to having the horse show and having the 75th year celebration. We want to stay positive and hope everything will get back to normal,” Webb said. From the competitor’s point of view, there is very little that can be done until the pandemic situation is resolved. Top professional hunter rider Louise Serio returned to her home base in Pennsylvania earlier than usual when showing was suspended. “Fortunately we spent the winter in Florida, so my horses could do with a little break. We actually would still be in Florida right now, but I came back fairly quickly after they can- celled everything,” she said. Serio noted that even if the USEF were to lift restrictions now, there are state by state restrictions that would have to be considered by each horse show. Serio has seen a wide variety of reactions to the situation. “Some are quite upset; some are very understanding and under- stand the danger of just going out and catching the virus. Everybody reacts differently,” she said. “I just hope everybody stays safe and be careful and try to stay in as much as you can right now so maybe they can let us out sooner.” Horse Shows Grapple with the Impact of Covid-19 (Continued from page 1)