Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

If horses could fly …

WHAT: Las Vegas World Invitational international horse show jumping.

WHERE: Thomas & Mack Center.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

TICKETS: $75, $85, $100, $150, $225, $500 per night, or $1,000 for a two-day VIP pass. 388-FANS.

1. HORSEPOWER REDUX

A world-class field of 25 riders will be competing for $1 million in prize money with a lot of it expected to wind up in the saddle bag of Rodigo Pessoa of Brazil by way of Belgium.

Pessoa and his mount, Baloubet du Rouet, won the gold medal at the Athens Olympics, and the rider said he has always been fascinated by horsepower of one type or another. Asked what he would do if he couldn't be an international show jumper, he didn't hesitate. "A Formula One race car driver."

Another rider worth keeping an eye on is Georgina Bloomberg of New York, the youngest daughter of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Just 22, "Bloomy's Girl," as the New York tabloids call her, was the youngest rider to ever qualify for the World Cup Finals, which were at the Thomas & Mack Center in April.

2. THE BASICS

Horse and rider must negotiate a twisting course composed of 15 to 20 fences or walls, each up to six feet high, that they must clear at the proper speed, angle and height. "Faults" are accrued and points subtracted from the rider's score whenever a horse knocks down a rail. The horse and rider with the fewest faults and fastest time are declared the winners.

Prior to an event, each rider will walk the course to study it, sort of like a golfer lining up a putt. A rider will determine the line he or she will take, basing the decision on the length of the horse's stride. The rider also will note the different types of fences and any places where he or she might pick up crucial fractions of a second.

3. THE HORSES

Sorry, Mister Ed. The horses for these courses include the Trakehner, Hanoverian, Dutch Warmblood, Oldenburg, Holsteiner, Selle Francais and Swedish Warmblood breeds, as well as a few Thoroughbreds. But no talking Palominos. Or even silent ones.

Size counts, as most big horses tend to be good jumpers although smaller horses have been known to outjump bigger ones. Regardless of size, a horse needs years of training before it's ready for the grand prix circuit.

4. THE COURSES

The course designer, like the golf course superintendent, has a significant effect on the quality of the competition and who ultimately wins. The idea is to arrange a difficult course, but not too difficult, with the goal of making it so that only 6 to 8 of the 25 riders can get around the obstacles without knocking one down.

In constructing a course, the designer takes into account the average horse's stride and speed in placing the obstacles. And don't think those flowers, plants and shrubs are only there to make the course pretty. Strategially placed, they can obscure a horse's vision and make the course more challenging.

5. HORSING AROUND THE DIAL

CBS Sports will air the Las Vegas World Invitational on tape delay Dec. 31, making New Year's Eve quite a day for horse lovers. After the show horse jumping it will be Broncos and Chargers -- not the equine kind, but the NFL kind, as the Las Vegas World Invitational will serve as a lead-in for CBS' national telecast of the Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers game.

"We will produce an extreme equestrian show jumping program for millions of American sports fans that has never been seen on television," Las Vegas World Invitational Chairman David R. Shriner said.

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