Home / Equestrian sports / Show jumping
Olympic disciplines
Show jumping is riding a horse over a course of fences in an arena. The goal is to finish the course clean, without knocking anything down, and within the time allowed.
| Group | Olympic disciplines |
|---|---|
| Also called | jumping, stadium jumping, showjumping |
| Olympic | yes |
| Governing body | FEI |
| Where it is popular | Show jumping is held all over the world and is especially popular in Europe and North America. |
The rider jumps a course of fences in a set order; at Grand Prix level that is 10 to 16 obstacles up to 1.60 m high. A knockdown or a refusal costs 4 faults, and under FEI rules a second refusal means elimination. Going over the time allowed also adds faults. When several riders tie on the fewest faults, a jump-off over a shortened course is decided by time. There are individual and team classes: Nations Cup teams have four riders, Olympic teams have three.
Top jumpers are mostly tall warmbloods and Thoroughbreds, which have powerful hindquarters, courage and quick reactions. Children start on ponies.
Riders must wear an approved helmet with a fastened harness and boots; a body protector is recommended for children and beginners. The horse has a forward-cut jumping saddle, leg boots and often a breastplate to keep the saddle in place.
The biggest events are Olympic show jumping, the FEI Nations Cup series, the FEI Jumping World Cup Final and CHIO Aachen in Germany, which held its first Nations Cup in 1929.
In Russia, equestrian sports schools accept children from age 7: the youngest ride ponies, and full-size horses usually come at around 10. Riders first learn position and all three gaits, then poles on the ground and small fences, always in a helmet and with a coach.
Show jumping is one of the main hobby horsing disciplines, along with hunter and puissance (high jump) classes. What is hobby horsing →
The official FEI high jump record is 2.47 m, set by the horse Huaso and Captain Alberto Larraguibel in Chile on 5 February 1949, and it still stands.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com, guinnessworldrecords.com, chioaachen.de