The German top rider Ludger Beerbaum barely needs an introduction. He is one of the riders who has been around the longest and he thinks our sport will have to reinvent itself after this Coronacrisis.
"In the first place, it think it's necessary to revaluate the system we had before Corona outbreak. I think it will take a while before riders will return to the form and level they had before this crisis. It will not be possible for us to jump a CSI5* Grand Prix after doing nothing for a few weeks or months. I expect many riders to jump a lower level than usual after this crisis and prize money will not be that important. I don't see long distance flights happen any time soon so I think most riders will stay in their home countries at first. I don't know what this will mean for big competitions in other parts of the world", Beerbaum says.
"I also think we need to consider it will not be possible at all to return to the sport as we know it. As I already said, most riders are in an airplane more than they are at home and they were traveling from one country to another. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I don't know if this will still be possible in the future. This crisis could last for weeks, months or even years. I expect us the carry the consequences from this current crisis for many more years".
Ludger however remains positive for the future: "I don't think we need to worry about our sport. Our sport is unique, we're working with animals, man and women are riding the same competitions, ... I don't think our sport will be in danger after this crisis, not at all,..."
Source: Clipmyhorse