showjuumping+(engelsk+oppgave)

Show jumping

Show jumping is a part of the equestrian. There are a lot of great riders in our area. Geir Gulliksen is one of them. He’s a horse seller, and a general manager of “stall Gullik” how does we actually find horses? Show jumping is a sport that doesn’t appear in the media, but that doesn`t mean it’s not popular. Competitions are a big part of the show jumping, what does we actually do at a competition?

Some are born with skis on their legs. Others are most comfortable on their horse. I am one of those who have done riding in pretty much all my life. Show jumping is a sport you’ll get very addicted to, it is quiet difficult to end it. You’ll have a much better health, I advise you to try it!

We have few riders on top. Some of them are Geir Gulliksen, Morten Djupvik, Tony Andre Hansen, Stein Endresen, Kirstin Svaboe and Nina B Johnsen. The first mentioned is on the national team. They started Olympic Games in Beijing, but unfortunately for them, they lost their bronze medal because of drugs. All of the riders live in Norway, except Morten Djupvik who lives in the Netherlands.

The olympic team. From left: Geir Gulliksen, Morten Djupvik, Stein Endresen and Tony Andre Hansen.

We pass Lier`s biggest mall, Liertoppen. We fallow a long forest road, and farther we can see a big white idyllic house, and a stable, but this isn’t all of it! When we drive farther we can see a big riding hall and more stables. Geir`s wife Elisabeth and their horse carrier comes and shows us around. When we walk into the big riding hall, we ca see a big Rolex watch hanging on the roof, Geir won it. Geir is riding his greatest horse, Cattani. His daughter Victoria jumps a white pony named showman over a 160 centimetre fence.

Geir Gulliksen is the rider in Lier, we hear most about, because he lives here. Geir has a large stud farm in Lierskogen. Here he coach other horses, including his own. His children Victoria and Johan do also help him. Victoria coach horses, and sometimes ponies. And Johan coach ponies. They are very good riders all three. Victoria is on the national team and won NM indoors and outdoors this year.

Geir drags on competitions over the whole world and use a lot of resources on this. His last major gathering was the World Cup in Las Vegas. Here he ended on number 13. He is also with his son on skis. Geir's motto is never give up anything is possible!

On the picture: Geir Gulliksen and his horse Cattani.

Riding in general is an expensive sport, if you want to be really good! All equipment can cost about 60 000 dollars, or more. You also need to pay the stable bill, veterinarian, food, etc. the year prise for a horse can reach up to 100 000 Norwegian crowners. Since riding is such an expensive sport, there are few riders in the top. Do you want to be really good you have to concentrate fully on riding and sacrifice everything: You also need parents who want to use their money on you.

At competitions it is important to be well prepared. White saddle blanket, white riding pants, black boots and jacket are things you need. You can start different classes it depend on the level you are at, and how good the horse is. You can start right from 50 cm to 1.60 m.

Horses and ponies compete separately because the ponies have shorter steps than the horse. Pony classes do also have another term for classes, for example. In the pony classes, they have letters that say how high the hurdles are. LD, is 50 cm for the smallest pony called the category 3 it’s less than 130 cm. LD is 60 cm for a category 2 pony that is under 140 m, and 70 cm for a category 1 pony that are under 148 cm. The classes start on LD and go all the way to MA. Competitions for everyone in the country will start most often in LB, and go up to MA. MA is 120 cm for the category 1 ponies, 110 cm for the category 2 ponies and 100 cm for the category 3 ponies. At national competitions or elite competitions such as the Norwegian championship, it may go higher than 120 cm. It is called Grand Prix.

Horse classes are named 80 cm, 90 cm, 100 cm, etc. at district competitions, it start at 70 cm and goes up to 120 cm. There may go higher, but it is very rarely. Country competitions can go up to 140, while the elite competitions can go right up to the Gran prix, 160 cm.

When you go to a competition, you always want to win. To do this, the rider and the horse jump through a series of obstacles without refusing or fall. In some classes are the judging penalties and style. Then you might win if you ride pretty. Elsewhere, it is the horse with the fastest time and less penalties who wins.

Show Jumping is both a complicated and a dangerous sport. Each day riders die after falling of his horse, so it is extremely important to have durable equipment. Very many think show jumping and riding is a girl sport and very easy, but it is not. There are actually more men than women in the top. I think riding is a more demanding sport than football. For each obstacle, you must be awake. Otherwise the worst thing can happen! But these are the words to a show jumper, a football player thinks surely the same thing about their sport.

On an obstacle course it may varies from reaches and double reaches. Water graves, walls, bars and triple combinations also appear. Since there are so many different obstacles you have to look at every obstacle and awake.

If you are lucky and get to the podium, remember to smile and bow to the audience and take the judge in his hand when he / she shall put rosettes on the horse. If you win you get a red, white and blue rosette, if you get second place a red rosette, thierd place a blue rosette, fourth place a green ribbon, fifth place a yellow ribbon. 1 / 3 are positioned, for example if there are 20 starting, there are handed out 6 loops. When the prize ceremony is finished, you ride in fast canter around the track, led by the winner.

If you want to find a good horse, you should talk with your coach, he / she have probably some contacts throughout Europe, and you’ll have a much cheaper horse. Are you quite fresh www.finn.no can also be a nice place to find an inexpensive horse or pony. If you want a young horse, you can go to the Netherlands. Most good ponies are from Ireland. You can also drag here.

When you buy a horse you have to think about whether you really want to invest so much in this sport, it is very easy to be disappointed. At least you’ll need money capacity and courage to keep on. You need a number of lections before you are ready for your own horse.

If you are one of those who could imagine, and engage in this sport, you need to think through whether this is really something you want. If you want to compete with your horse, you must practice on the obstacles mentioned. You must have plenty of support from parents, you must use the tips above and find your dream horse, cost what it would cost. This is a sport you’ll love, but of course not for everyone. You will not regret it!

Sources:

[] [] []