SJ lottery funding in jeopardy

This will be a “crucial year” in the history of British show jumping, as the potential of the sport to secure future funding hangs in the balance, following its failure to qualify for next year’s Olympic Games.

The British team took ninth place last week at the European Show Jumping Championships in Donaueschingen, Germany, being beaten to the third qualifying slot by the Italians, with Switzerland and Ireland achieving the other qualifications.

UK Sport, the organisation that administers the lottery funding for the elite level of equestrian sport, will review funding for all sports in October. With regards to show jumping, it will follow the recommendations of an agreement to be reached in September between UK Sport and the BSJA, which will assess progress and results within the discipline.

Matt Crawcour of UK Sport explained that a number of possible scenarios had already been set out between UK Sport and the BSJA, and that show jumping has now failed to reach targets, which were based on Olympic qualification and results. While stressing that nothing was definite until after the meeting, Mr Crawcour warned: “This has a serious impact on their funding potential”.

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