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Newly crowned Sportswoman of the Year, Equestrian Yasmin Ingham, is taking part in the unique Virtual Eventing Competition next week 6th – 10th May, the same weekend that she would have been competing in the iconic Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucester, which, together with every Sporting event, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus.
Virtual Eventing is the brainchild of Former Advanced Event Rider and Director of Uptown Eventing, Rachel Wakefield. “After listening to various nurses plea's on Social Media at the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic, I decided that the NHS Nursing staff needed supporting in some way”. “With the cancellation of Badminton & Kentucky and no eventing for the foreseeable future I had this wacky idea that I could pull together a group of 5 star riders and put on a virtual competition with people competing from their yards at home. With the wonders of today’s technology I thought we could play this out on Livestream to the Public, whilst raising money for the front line medical Charities”
BBC’s Lizzie Greenwood Hughes will host the programme from her back garden and well known Equestrian commentator Spencer Sturmey will commentate Live from the comfort of his sofa!
The riders are raising money for Medical Charities all over the World, and Ingham’s fundraising supporters can choose between Hospice (IOM and NHS Charities Together.
Commenting on Yasmin’s fundraising activity, Steven Downward, Fundraising Manager at Hospice Isle of Man said: “We are delighted that such a high profile local sportswoman like Yasmin has chosen to fundraise for Hospice Isle of Man and in such an innovative way. We know that this will be an especially enjoyable event to watch online particularly as sporting events are currently postponed.
Throughout the pandemic, Hospice has continued to work closely with colleagues at the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care and in partnership with other third sector and community networks to ensure our important role in continuing to provide care to the Island for anyone living with a life-limiting or terminal condition. Early on, we refocused our services to support patients via tele-health and remote management and the Hospice Scholl Academic Centre’s Dr Giovanna Cruz, who is an experienced epidemiologist, has worked with the Isle of Man Government on clinical modelling for the impact of the virus. We are all in this together and the generous support of people like Yasmin really does help us to continue to be here for those who need us now, and in the future’’.
Alongside Manx girl Ingham, a multiple British Champion, a world class field of 50 Event Riders from around the globe have signed up to ‘compete’, including Olympians Chris Burton, Gemma Tattersall, William Fox-Pitt, Vittoria Pannizon, Andrew Heffernan and Andrew Hoy, with entries from the top American and Australian riders Boyd Martin & Joe Meyer, and Ireland’s Joseph Murphy
The event format has been tweaked to include a trot up with a difference, which should make for good online viewing, 5* Dressage Test marked by a Ground Jury of 3 top International FEI Judges of Les Smith, Annabel Scrimgeour & Jane Tolley, and with running commentary from The showjumping and cross country will include a series of fun challenges set out in an arena and will not include any jumping with a horse, due to the current restrictions and safety guidelines in place during the Coronavirus Pandemic
“We hope that everyone in the equestrian world will join in and watch the live streaming of the first ever Virtual Eventing Competition, which is scheduled to start at 2pm on the 6th May with the trot up, and will make a donation however big or small, to support the amazing work being done by frontline health workers at Hospice IOM, and the NHS Charities.
Ingham will be riding Sandman 7, a 14 year old gelding on whom she won the 2019 Under 25 British Championship and who is owned by Island resident Sue Davies, Yasmin’s main sponsor for a number of years. They will perform their Dressage Test on Thursday 7th May at 14.16, which can be viewed on the Website – Virtual Eventing.com, or their Facebook Page – Virtual Eventing.
If you would like to donate to Hospice IOM to help Yasmin in her fundraising, please use this link
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/virtualeventingisleofman
