August 5, 2020 
It’s been a banner week for COVID-19 cancellations.
While debate rages on about the pandemic’s much anticipated second wave, one appears to be hitting equestrians square in the live events calendar, with a new spate of cancellations sweeping America and beyond this week.
Here’s what’s not coming up in 2020:
FEI Vaulting World Championships for Seniors
Originally scheduled for Jul. 29–Aug. 2 in Flyinge (SWE), the 2020 FEI Vaulting World Championships for Seniors has been canceled despite an offer from Saumur (FRA) to host the event later in the year. The FEI Board cited travel restrictions, a lack of opportunities to compete and the impossibility social distancing for pas-de-deux and squad competitions for the decision.
FEI Eventing European Championships for Ponies, Juniors and Young Riders
The 2020 FEI Eventing European Championships for Ponies was originally allocated to Strzegom (POL), Jul. 15–19. and the 2020 FEI Eventing European Championships for Juniors and Young Riders to Hartpury (GBR), Jul. 27–Aug. 2. Neither event could be rescheduled during school holidays, however, and were canceled as a result.
FEI Jumping European Ponies Championships
Also scheduled for Strzegom (POL), Jul. 15–19, the 2020 FEI Jumping European Ponies Championships will not be rescheduled due to “concerns that athletes and horses will not have had the opportunity to prepare fully and to avoid any risk to athletes and horses.”
FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders, Juniors & Children
As above. But in Vilamoura (POR).
USEF Pony Finals (Aug. 4–9)
Scheduled to start Tuesday, Aug. 4, USEF Pony Finals were cancelled on Aug. 1 in response to multiple COVID-19 positive cases on the show grounds at Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park during the preceding week’s Kentucky Summer Classic.
FEI Para Driving World Championship for Singles (Aug. 6–9)
Postponed to next year.
Bluegrass Festival (Aug. 11–16)
KHJA (Aug. 19–23)
USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – East Coast (Aug. 23–24)
That same outbreak at the Kentucky Horse Park that canceled Pony Finals led to Kentucky Horse Shows LLC and US Equestrian cancelling the Bluegrass Festival (Aug. 11–16), KHJA (Aug. 19–23), and USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – East Coast (Aug. 23–24), which were also scheduled to take place at the venue.
FEI Driving European Championship for Young Drivers, Juniors & Children (Aug. 24–30)
The FEI Driving European Championship for Young Drivers, Juniors & Children will not take place Aug. 24–30 in Lamotte-Beuvron (FRA) or in 2020, at all. It’s been postponed to 2021 and will abide by 2021 age limits.
Equitana USA (Sept. 25–27)
EQUITANA is the world’s largest equestrian trade fair and expo. Its inaugural event in North America, EQUITANA USA, was originally scheduled for Sept. 25–27 at—you guessed it!—Kentucky Horse Park. The event has now been moved to Oct. 1–3, 2021.
All American Quarter Horse Congress (Sept. 29–Oct. 25)
Technically this announcement came last week. The All American Quarter Horse Congress is the world’s largest single-breed horse show, with 25,000 entries in 2019. Held at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, the show attracts 650,000 people and, in the throws of a pandemic, too much risk to warrant moving forward in 2020. It’s scheduled to return in 2021.
2020 WDAA Western Dressage World Show (Sept. 25–Oct. 4)
Originally slated for Guthrie, OK at the end of September, the Western Dressage World Show has been canceled. An online version will run in its place.
Las Vegas National Horse Show (Nov. 16–22)
Held annually at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa and managed by Blenheim EquiSports, The Las Vegas National Horse Show is nationally recognized as a leg in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League series. It’s now the second fall indoor circuit event to be cancelled in 2020, along with the Royal Winter Agricultural Fair (Nov. 6–15) in Toronto.
FEI Jumping World Challenge Final
What’s fun about this event is that we didn’t even know it existed until it was canceled. The FEI Jumping World Challenge Final is held on the African continent and open to 20 riders, which are the 2 best-placed Category A from 10 regional Zones. It’s held outdoors on borrowed horses. But not in 2020.
On the upside, patting your horse and taking extra lessons with all the show fees you’ll save is not cancelled. So there’s that.
