Here is a practical guide for those of you who are going to organize a simple, fun and well-functioning club show jumping competition e.g. clear round, clear round or pay & jump, where all participants receive a prize rosette.

Plan the course - simple, safe and inviting

• Build a small and clear course: 6 to 8 obstacles are sufficient.

• Avoid technical lines, combinations and difficult turns.

• Feel free to use:

  • Crosses

  • Railings

  • Ground barriers

• Have generous turns and good canter lines.

• Put numbers clearly, many participants are unaccustomed to them.Think: training competition, not meeting.

Choose a simple competition set-up

For these forms, simplicity is key:

No re-jumping. No timing needed.

Officials - few roles, clear tasks

You don't need many, but the right people:

• Track staff - building & raising

• Entry - keeps order on the teams

• Referee/protocol - counts errors (can be coaches)

• Speaker - creates atmosphere and enhances the whole experience!

• Rosette manager - hands out directly after the ride

Prize rosettes & experience

• Buy simple participant rosettes in advance. Here you can find suggestions for Clear Round award rosettes

• Hand out the rosette directly when the rider goes out.

• Say something like:
  "Nice round! Here you go, a prize rosette for your ride!" It creates a wow feeling, especially for children and young people.

Timetable that sticks

A common mistake is to underestimate time.

Calculate like this: 3 minutes per team

Example:
30 starts = about 90 minutes + break.

Add:

• 10 min track time

• 5 min course adjustment between heights

Registration & payment - keep it simple

• Pre-register via:

  • Messenger group

  • List in the stall

  • Google Form

• Swish on site or in advance

• Set a fixed price, e.g. 150 SEK/start Drop-in works great on pay & jump.

Create the right feeling (this is more important than perfection)

• Play music in the arena

• Speaker cheering everyone on

• Allow restarts if something goes wrong

• Allow leaders for unsafe teams

• Allow trainers inside the arena if needed

This is training with a competitive feel.

Safety & flow in the arena

• A clear in/out route

• Max 3 teams inside at the same time (front riding)

• One team on the track

• Official controlling the flow

Checklist before first start

• Course tested

• Start list printed out

• Rosettes at hand

• Pens & protocol

• Speaker list

• Swish number posted

• Officials know their roles

After the competition

• Take pictures and put in the club group

• Thank the officials

• Ask participants what they thought

This builds club spirit and fills the next event immediately. The goal of this type of event is to create a positive experience for riders, officials and spectators.

GOOD LUCK!