Charlotte Jumper Classic

The Charlotte Jumper Classic is the Carolinas premier equestrian competition. This three-day Grand Prix competition is part of the million-dollar AGA Grand Prix series where the highest level equestrians compete including Olympians and international riders.

The Charlotte Jumper Classic is a fun, family-friendly equestrian experience. In just three short years, the Charlotte Jumper Classic has become one of the most anticipated and talked about events in the community.

What is Show Jumping?

Show Jumping is an Olympic sport where riders jump an obstacle course of between 15-20 fences set on a twisting, turning course with the goal of not dropping a rail or falling off the horse. If more than one horse and rider complete the course without any faults there is a jump – off round — the sport’s version of sudden death overtime. In the jump off, speed and accuracy are of the essence. The rider with the fastest time and the fewest jumping faults is declared the winner.

Show jumping is one of the few sports where men and women compete as equals. Riders come from all walks of life and vary in age from 16 to 60. Often a rider will compete on more than one horse in a Grand Prix, which requires extraordinary riding ability, as each horse has different characteristics and temperaments.

How it Works

The starting order, or line-up for each event, is determined in a drawing before the class so that each rider has an equal chance of attaining a favorable position. Riders near the end of the starting order have the advantage of seeing how the first riders complete the course.

Once the course is set, rider’s preview their upcoming rides in advance by walking the line they intend to ride. This is the only time the riders get to look at the course. The horse sees the course only when they enter the ring to compete.

Each rider knows the length of his horse’s stride, and walks the course accordingly (roughly 12 to 14 human paces equals one canter stride of a horse). The riders pace off the distance between fences and determine how best to adjust this to their own horse’s strides. Riders also take note of the different types of fences offered, their relationship to one another, the course footing and any other potential problem areas and regulate the horses stride accordingly. Furthermore, they try to find where a tighter line can save vital time when jumping against the clock. The rider’s job is to guide his horse to each fence in a controlled and balanced manner, so that the horse may jump easily and land galloping onto the next fence without having to regain balance or break stride.

Sixth Annual Charlotte Jumper Classic

April 10-12, 2009 - more information coming soon!