It seems fitting with the Sydney Summer Jumping Championships on this weekend, that the first Nags Natter Blog for the year has a Show Jumping theme. I finally got the chance to watch Jump Off this past week on the 7plus App, and I am truly impressed! Jump Off is a tv series that showcases five teams of race horse trainers and show jumpers battling it out for $100,000 prize money in a 1.10m Show Jumping Finale. Over 5 months each team selects and trains the best 2 of their OTT Thoroughbreds, (most of which have never jumped before), to be competitive mounts for the Show Jumping Finale at Boneo Park Equestrian Centre.
One of the biggest things that is demonstrated by Jump Off is how horses can have lives after their first discipline/purpose. The Thoroughbreds in the show are given starts in Show Jumping lives after racing. Generally any breed of horse that has the right temperament to be trained for another discipline, can start a career in something else. As Vicki Roycroft says in Jump Off, a talented horse with a bad attitude is not as good as a horse with no natural talent but a willingness to learn.
Season One of Jump Off can be viewed on the 7plus App or at Racing.com
Feature Image courtesy of the Jump Off Facebook Page.
-Skye Pickering Dip. Horse Business Management.