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Showjumping is perhaps the most glamorous of all equestrian sports but it is made to look very easy on television; most people think that anyone with a horse able to jump big, wide fences has a chance of winning.

This film dispels that myth to show extreme skill and precision needed to ride a Grand Prix course, the problems in finding that rare animal which actually wants to jump cleanly and the incessant daily work required to keep the horses in the right physical and mental state for top competition.

Michael Matz and Leslie Burr-Lenehan, both World Cup winners from , and John and Michael Whitaker, Olympic Silver Medalists from , show the difficulties involved in finding the right formula for each horse - the balance between concession to its individual nature and control.

Paul Schockemohle, European Champion from , shows what he looks for in the potential world-beater, with the help of the 500-odd horses in his stables and stud farm.

Bill Steinkraus and Peter Robeson give rare insights into how to achieve a successful show jumping combination where both horse and rider are striving not just to do well but to win.

How are courses built and what is involved? This question is explored in depth as the film approaches its climax - the dramatic and controversial competition in which four riders all swap onto each other's horses to do battle for the title of World Champion.

 

This video is part of the "Horse in Sport" Series recognizably the finest documentary series ever produced about horses and horse people; the seven equestrian disciplines represented in this acclaimed series each stand alone in their spectacular photography, music and narration. No equestrian library would be complete without this timeless collection.


 

 

52 Minutes.

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