For many sport disciplines 2020 represents a lost year and from an economical perspective the year has been disastrous for many business sectors. Seen in that light the selection of guidelines for the equestrian sector was not too irreconcilably depressing after all. At least when we think of breeding. Maybe we got a bit lucky, because the roadmap for lifting guidelines does not always seem all that straightforward.
On the other hand, the equestrian sector was quick to approach the government and their lobby proved successful. Then again, it’s also a matter of being creative in the face of given circumstances. Such as the inspections on location and aptitude tests with adjusted protocols. Therefore these breeding activities never came to a standstill within the KFPS. For this we also have to thank the training stables and the entrants for their cooperation and leniency. All this will certainly contribute to the consistently positive response regarding numbers of stud services and the trade. In cooperation with the breeding chapters the foal inspections will start again this weekend. That this whole situation has had an impact on the social aspect is self-explanatory.
But there have been advantages too. Thanks to livestreaming the inspections were popular with more followers than ever before. Especially nice to see that the inspections were now watched by a remarkable number of breeders from elsewhere on the planet. The footage also proves to be an extra bonus as valuable material for standardisation sessions for the Jury body, which have been going on throughout the inspection season, and also for a proper online assessment competition for members.
But there are worries too. In terms of sport the equestrian sector found itself on the wrong side of what is and what isn’t allowed. The Studbook shares the annoyance of the KNHS in this respect. Because in fact, many elements can be organised within the 1½ meter guideline with no problem at all.
In addition, a considerable part of the foreign inspections were cancelled, one of them the biggest inspection tour, the one in North America. A great disappointment for the breeders that were hit by this. This year, thinking in scenarios has become something of a second nature and that won’t stop after September the 1st. It’s anybody’s guess what the situation will be like in the second weekend of January next year, but it’s something spinning around in the minds of many breeders. It’s more a matter of hoping than expecting that everything will have returned to the old normal by then. The old normal with here and there a touch of new, may be. In any case, by pitching together we have jointly made sure this is definitely not a lost year.
