Figure Skating With Horses - Equestrian Vaulting Takes Over Arena

By Robert Thomas

At first glance the sort of equestrian vaulting might look like a modern invention and some hybrid combination of gymnastics, dance, figure skating and a modern soundtrack but you would only be partially correct as the sport has roots that goes back hundreds of years.

But the sport itself may have roots going back to Roman times - or even earlier - where acrobats on horse would entertain the masses. There may also be a military connection as it was used to train cavalry and riders alike.

No matter where it actually originated the sport with its acrobatics and associated difficulties was back in Moose Jaw over the weekend.

Trinity van der Sluijs from the Olds, Alberta Meadow Creek club competed on Sunday. van der Slujis is coached by her aunts Angelique Vick and Jenine van der Slujis and is taking part in the sport this year as a tribute to her mother who recently passed away - MJ Independent photo

“The coach who worked with my daughter worked with in the United states, who is two times world champion, said the closest sport he can align to vaulting is actually figure skating. It’s because it is very similar. It turns on a spot. It’s choreographed to music. It is a routine. My daughter did figure skating for 12 years before coming to vaulting and took to it very easily,” Sherri Ann Hanley, Saskatchewan Equestrian Vaulting Association (SEVA) provincial championships committee chair said.

The provincial championships brought 41 vaulters, nine horses plus five lungers, coaches and family members (approximately 100 people) to the three day event September 30th - October 2nd at the Golden Mile Arena on the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds. The majority of people attending the event stayed in three Moose Jaw hotels.

“This what they use to use in Europe to train their armies. (Today) it’s very big in Europe. The largest competition in the world is actually the German championships and you have to qualify to get to the German championships,” Hanley said.

Equestrian vaulting was an official sport at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics and has been a demonstration sport at the 1984 Atlanta Olympics and 1996 at the Los Angeles Olympics. The sport holds a world championship with this year the event held in Herning, Denmark with Equestrian Canada sending three athletes to compete.

The sport appeared in Saskatchewan about 2014 with the establishment of a provincial association.

Safety is of the utmost in equestrian vaulting and having a lunger control the horse the athlete can focus on their performance as Trinity van der Sluijs from the Olds, Alberta Meadow Creek club demonstrates - MJ Independent photo

“It has really started to grow in the last few years.”

Unlike other equestrian/rodeo sports the COVID - 19 pandemic was, because of a quirk, actually a boost for the sport in Saskatchewan.

“Actually COVID has been better for it. It seems we have grown since COVID. We were the only show in 2020 in all of Canada. We were able to have our show,” she said, adding it helped to create interest in the sport.

The event can only be held in limited arenas due to the safety restrictions in not only the size of the arena but also the height of the venue. The venue needs a minimum roof height of 18 feet leaving the Golden Mile Arena as a perfect venue for the event.

In the past - prior to 2018 - there was a Moose Jaw equestrian vaulting club but it disbanded. It’s something Hanley said she would just love to see started again given the number of phone calls she has been receiving expressing interest in the Regina and Moose Jaw areas. The club’s last appearance was the 2020 provincial championships held in North Battleford.

The club was featured in the past at the Moose Jaw Exhibition Association’s free show Christmas at the Ex where they did demonstrations of the sport.

Kalliee Billings from the Olds, Alberta Meadow Creek club runs in order to vault onto the horse - MJ Independent photo

“I would love to see one back in the community (Moose Jaw). I do get calls from people in this area wondering if there is vaulting happening down here. Moose Jaw and Regina I do get quite a few calls from.”

The sport of equestrian vaulting may look easy and something people may have seen a type of at things like the Shrine Circus. Cirque du Soleil is also famous for using equestrian vaulting in their performances.

The athletes need to possess a lot of skills that combine dance, gymnastics and figure skating on the back of a horse. It is scored based upon difficulty and routine - routines which have compulsory as well as free style portions.

Single riders have a one minute routine that are choreographed to music. Pairs have a 90 second choreographed routine. There is also a team event of six vaulters, up to three on the horse at one time, which is a four minute choreographed event.

The horse is mounted and dismounted on the go - either walking or running. Not an easy trick but takes practice and skill to accomplish.

“It’s not an easy sport. It takes technique. It doesn’t hurt the horse and very easy for the vaulter to get there. At the walk level most vaulters will get an assisted mount, somebody will boost them. But usually in the trot and the canter there is usually enough what we call lift from the horse so they can get themselves up there.”

The vaulter does not manage or control the horse the lunger with the long reign at the center of the performance ring does.

Trinity van der Sluijs from the Olds, Alberta Meadow Creek club prepares to vault onto the back of the horse - MJ Independent photo

Although a form of equestrian vaulting has been used in circuses of the past and present it has been used in the past to not only train troops in cavalry units but also entertain royals and other important figures.

The sport might have roots going back thousands of years it is still an evolving sport, she said.

“The rules are changing. They are constantly updating. It is to grow the sport it is getting bigger and better all of the time.”

The sport is not just for female athletes but also is for male athletes as well but Hanley does admit it suffers from the lack of male athletes the same as figure skating, gymnastics and dancing do.

“Anybody with some gymnastics training adapts quite easily to this. Also dance training. And figure skating,” Hanley said.

Horse ownership is not a requirement to be in the sport. The sport takes a lot of training that is safety based.

Riders learn not only to dismount at the proper time in their routine but they also learn to properly dismount if something goes wrong during their routine.

Being on the back of the horse is not where the riders learn their initial skills but they practice on the back of a special training barrel before they learn the technique on the back of horseback.

How To Get Involved

Hanley said if someone wants to get involved they should contact their local club.

If there is no local club there are members who will train at home and then at regular intervals - usually once a month - travel to the club to work with the horses.

People who train at home have their own training equipment where they practice and hone their skills.

“A lot of the training is done with a barrel. So with the handles on the barrel you do a lot of training at home.”

Arianna Welsch from the Olds, Alberta Meadow Creek club performs during the Moose Jaw show - MJ Independent photo

An Old Sport Boosted By Modern Technology

Although the sport of equestrian vaulting is likely over 2,000 years old the sport is benefitting massively through employing modern technology.

Hanley said to coach athletes they are now using the virtual world to train.

“We set up an electronic device up at the barn and she still does all of the coach through that electronic device. I set it up so it faces the barrel and she does all of the coaching on the barrel. And I get the horse ready and set up and she (other coach) has the power from her end to turn the device and move it around. So it will track the horse when we go to the horse. But if it loses track of the horse she can move the device to see what is going on.”

Asked how she felt having new modern technology helping to expand a sport associated with the Middle Ages for many, Hanley said “doesn’t that just bring it all together that something from so far away is still around.”

Technology helped continue and grow the sport during the COVID - 19 pandemic.

“When COVID hit my daughter was doing virtual lessons at that time. They did a lot of work with music at that time. Listening to music and interpreting music and anybody having a barrel were getting a barrel lesson virtually.”

It might seem easy but it is not as an up and coming athlete qualifies as part of a clinic held in conjunction with the competition - MJ Independent photo

For more information SEVA can be contacted through their Facebook page or individual coach’s names are listed on the Saskatchewan Horse Federation’s web-site.

Anyone in Saskatoon attending the Equine Expo at the end of October can check the sport out as there will be a demonstration of the sport there as part of the Saturday Youth Expo.

Check out the video below of a team pair competing.