The precision of show jumping and the excitement of racing is set to combine this weekend at the finals of ‘Sportjumping’. The competition will be held at Gleneagles Equestrian Centre in Scotland on Saturday 15 October, and highlights from this fast-paced event will be shown soon on Horse & Country TV.

Taking a gamble

Sportjumping is based along the traditions of show jumping, where riders have to jump a set course of fences. The difference is that knock-downs don’t result in faults but in additional time penalties, and the horses start with time handicaps based on their recent form and ability.

“Our handicapping is different from horseracing in that we do not put weights on the horses and we handicap both the jockey and the horse,” explains Sportjumping founder Bill Alexander. “We take into account factors such as the horse’s ability, its experience, winnings, technique and who the rider is, then we handicap by adding time to each combination, increasing in severity as you get to the favourites. We hope to get a level playing field so that in theory everybody has an equal chance.”

Heading to Gleneagles

Among the riders heading to Gleneagles for the Sportjumping final is Aileen Craig, who recently won the British Showjumping Amateur Classic at HOYS. She’ll be taking part in the 1.15m Pro-Duct (Fife) Ltd Handicap Chase at Gleneagles, but classes start at 85cm, making the format accessible to all.

Betting will open at midday, and entry costs just £5 to spectators. Bill Alexander hopes it will encourage a whole new group of fans into equestrian sport.

“Shows like ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ and ‘X Factor’ have demonstrated that the public like to see people to get the opportunity to shine,” he says. “We hope some of the riders in Sportjumping can become as well-known to the public as the professionals.”

For more information about the sport, visit the Sportjumping website.