Del Mar Will Host Equestrian Challenge

North County will soon play host to one of the premier equestrian events in the world: the 15th Volvo World Cup, the yearly world championship for equestrian show jumping. The event will be held April 15-19 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

In all, 50 riders from around the world, including some who will compete in this summer’s Olympic Games, will take part in the main event. Riders earned the right to compete in the world cup by accumulating points in a series of preliminary Grand Prix events over the past year. Two ancillary competitions, the International Series and Junior Amateur Series will also be staged.

Previous sites of the championship have included Paris, Vienna and Gothenberg, Sweden. Shawn Riley, spokesperson for the 22nd District Agricultural Assn., said the district managed to sell the idea of hosting the cup to the sport’s governing body.

“We made several presentations to the Federation Equestra Internationale,” she said. “We said, ‘We have the perfect facility for you, and we would be honored as a state to hold the event.’ ”

That facility is the fairground’s new $5.4-million equestrian arena. The federation also liked the idea of conducting the championship in an area rich in horse heritage, Riley said. The fact that several top riders, including Rancho Santa Fe’s Bernie Traurig and Hap Hansen of Encinitas, live in this area also helped.

Although riders tend to get the credit, it is the horses who do most of the work in show jumping. That’s why the Volvo World Cup, like the Olympics, makes no distinction between male and female riders. It also explains why riders range in age from 20 to 50.

Scoring in show jumping is complex but basically it amounts to successfully jumping over barriers around a measured course.

If a horse knocks down part of the barrier, that failure is called a fault and is added to the horse’s score. But the horses are also timed; the lower the time the better. So, horses with the lowest number of faults and the best times move ahead in the competition.

Several styles of competition will be staged over the four-day period. The top finisher in overall standings will receive the winner’s share of 240,000 Swiss francs and a car.

Although most prime seats, like boxes, have long been sold out, daily general admission tickets are still available. Tickets for events starting at 1 p.m. on April 15, 16, 17 and at 10 a.m. on April 18 are $10. Events beginning at 3 p.m. on those dates are $15. Tickets for the finals, slated for noon April 19, cost $25.

Several events are scheduled in addition to the Volvo World Cup, including dressage shows like the Galloping Gossips, a group of women who square dance on horseback. The fairgrounds will also feature exhibitions of cultural and culinary items from participating countries. Items will be available for sale in the exhibition barn.

For tickets or more information call 1-800-233-JUMP.

1992 Volvo World Cup Finals

Main Arena Schedule

April 15

1 p.m. Junior and Amateur Warm-up, Volvo World Cup Warm-up I

7 p.m. Volvo World Cup Warm-up II, Volvo World Cup Warm-up III

April 16

1 p.m. International Jump-off, International Six Bar

7 p.m. Volvo World Cup Finals--1st Competition, Junior and Amateur Speed Class

April 17

1 p.m. International Power and Speed Class, Junior and Amateur Jump-off Class, International Top Score

7 p.m. Volvo World Cup Finals--2nd Competition

April 18

10 a.m. International Fault and Out, Junior and Amateur Owner Grand Prix

3 p.m. International Grand Prix of Del Mar

April 19

Noon. Volvo World Cup Finals--Final Competition, Closing Ceremonies