JU students compete in horse-riding championship
Every year, the equestrian sports Swedish Championship for Students is arranged where a Swedish champion in dressage and show-jumping is crowned. Two students from Jönköping University (JU) will participate in this year's event.
Sarah Kohl, a second-year student at Sustainable Supply Chain Management at the School of Engineering (JTH) and Sophie Wiedemann, studying on her third year of Public Relations at the School of Education and Communication (HLK), will represent JU at this year's competition.
Students come to the championship to compete in both show-jumping and dressage up to MSV level. The layout of student equestrian competitions is quite different from regular competitions. In this case, the organiser provides the competing riders with horses, i.e., they compete on horses that they have never met before. The competition consists of several rounds where the level rises with each round. In each round, up to three riders ride the same horse, and the one with the best result on each horse advances to the next round. In the end, the two best riders meet in a final. The competitors only get a few minutes to warm up before entering the ring, which places a great demand on their riding skills. The first rounds of jumping are determined by style assessment.
Sophie and Sara will participate in all disciplines and participate through JUSA EC, which is part of the Jönköping University Sports Association (JUSA) at the Jönköping Student Union. They are both looking forward to the competition and the opportunity to make contact with other student riders in Sweden.
“I am very excited about participating in the Swedish Championship for Students, representing JUSA EC and JU. I hope we will have a lot of fun with the other clubs from around Sweden and, of course, with the horses,” says Sophie Wiedemann.
Engaging in equestrian sports is time-consuming. However, Sara thinks it is perfectly possible to combine her interest with full-time studies.
“It's an advantage that the courses in my program include a lot of group work. It allows me to plan training and schoolwork in parallel with each other in a structured way. It feels great to stay trained while not being forced to compromise on my grades,” says Sara Kohl.The Swedish Academic Equestrian Association (SAR) is the central organisation for Sweden's student equestrian associations. SAR aims to act as a point of contact between the various member associations and the international student equestrian world. The academic equestrian associations, part of SAR, organise the equestrian sports Swedish Championship for Students, including both show-jumping and dressage. This year’s competition is arranged by UARK (Upsala Akademiska Ridklubb).
