Should shows be cancelled?

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Seems most shows and comps are now cancelled for next couple of months, Royal Windsor is the only big one that hasn't yet announced tho it has a statement about taking information etc on the website. I'll not bother entering as can save part of entry that wont get refunded if they do cancel.

All ACU events off till end April at earliest (argh to self, DH will be home every weekend and no bikes to fix as final prepping was done at weekend! )

 

[Muddywellies]

Cannot for the life of me understand why local dressage or showjumping needs to be cancelled if the dressage judge brings their own writer (many do already), the cafe is shut, the scorers sit well apart, nobody shakes hands on passing a rosette, and people stand apart in the burger van queue.

Except perhaps to show some weird sort of solidarity with those who are locked down, which in reality helps nobody and will probably result in plenty of depressed horse owners.

.

I said this yesterday yet was fairly unpopular for saying it.
I honestly think there needs to be better information and stats from 'those in the know'. What is needed here is some control over the level of panic and over reaction. When I compete, I certainly don't come within 2m of anyone. I'm not totally blasé. Before I left the office, I disinfected all my equipment and hands, and washed them when I arrived home. I myself, due to a health condition, am considered to be high risk, and I have an elderly parent. But with some modification to how we go about things, much of life can carry on.

 

[Chianti]

Medical adviser to govt earlier called to health select committee. Said if we're lucky deaths will only be twice the usual number lost to flu each year- that's 20,000. If we don't get it under control deaths could be in six figures. The virus lives much longer on surfaces than other flu viruses so is easier to spread.

 

[Cloball]

They are choosing for doctors to have to change disciplines and go and work in areas that they did not choose and do not have knowledge about - and to expose themselves and their families to the disease.

I know it is being scary and I can't say for all health boards but doctors are not being asked to work in areas they are not qualified or competent to work in. The advice for redeployment is only to areas you have experience in and the relevant skills and with a thorough induction. Post graduate training is very varied and a large number of junior doctors are used to changing specialties and cross covering. They are just going to be stretched a lot thinner than usual.

 

[TPO]

The Highland Show is cancelled.

Local PC is cancelled

Showing shows have been cancelled

Unsure if BS, BDand unaffiliated are still going ahead.

Some places have cancelled arena hire but others have not ??‍

 

[Sail_away]

Lots of venues near me are now cancelling unaffiliated/clear round shows as well as affiliated. Sure, it’s a first world problem, but I’m absolutely gutted. Was going to be the year paddy and I got out and did some proper shows at the level I’ve always wanted to do; it has been a long old journey to get him here but he was finally coming in to his own.
Like others have said and I mentioned on another thread, horse riding is ‘social distancing’ by nature. It’s very easy to get your numbers from the secretary, two metres away, in ten seconds, and that’s the closest you need to go to anyone. Plus, with regards to shows cancelling to reduce the pressure on hospitals - how often do people fall off and end up in an intensive care unit, potentially taking away from Coronavirus victims? At a local 60-90cm clear round? I’m thinking incredibly low, if you’re going to ban it on those grounds then things such as driving should be banned too (no, I’m not suggesting we do that...) .
I can understand large shows that require more medical personnel and gather crowds, but I just don’t see the sense in cancelling small events.
Ah well. I’m now contemplating hiring out the local venues (which now have plenty of space with all the cancelled events?) and simulating a show if I need to... a few warm-up jumps, then a 90 round, a metre round and a metre point five. So when shows start again - not this summer by the looks of it - we will be up and running and ready to go in at the bigger heights. Just trying to think of goals to keep me going...

 

[Winters100]

I know it is being scary and I can't say for all health boards but doctors are not being asked to work in areas they are not qualified or competent to work in. The advice for redeployment is only to areas you have experience in and the relevant skills and with a thorough induction. Post graduate training is very varied and a large number of junior doctors are used to changing specialties and cross covering. They are just going to be stretched a lot thinner than usual.

That is not true where I live, nor in Italy, and it won't be true in the UK when it gets worse. I live with an orthopaedic surgeon and he has already been told to expect to be sent to an infectious disease unit. Sure he has some knowledge, he is qualified to work in this area, but that is similar to asking your horse vet to take a look at your dog, they have knowledge, but only to a point. The UK is also talking about using retired doctors. This is pretty much a last resort.
We accept that this will happen as it is his duty. He will manage, and will get the knowledge that he needs, but he will still be second best to a doctor who picked this as their specialisation. People don't seem to realise that doctors are people too, they also have families, so when I see posts of people on facebook saying that they don't want to limit their social interactions it makes me want to tell them not to go to the hospital when they need help. There is no way that the health system in any European country is adequately prepared for this - we could not be - but now our only hope is for everyone to listen to advice and to act as if everyone they meet is a carrier - for the UK who took action so late it is even more important.