With all the attention that’s been focused on the Olympics and Paralympics, you might be forgiven for not having noticed that both the UK and the U.S. held their first national hobbyhorse championships in the past few weeks.
Hobbyhorsers compete in a variety of events including running and jumping while holding a hobbyhorse, essentially a horsehead on a stick, between their legs. It’s only recently graduated from children’s toy to serious games.
The sport, which its enthusiasts hope will eventually make it to the Olympics, has been growing in spots around the world since the first national championship event was held in Finland in 2012. There have also been national events in Poland, Czechia, and France.
So far, few adults have taken part; most of the competitors are tweens and teens, with more girls than boys taking part. But then, wasn’t skateboarding just a teenage thing a few short years ago?
Wow, hobbyhorse championships sound like a trotting good time! I guess we should all start practicing our equestrian skills on a stick—who knows, it might just be the next big thing in the Olympics. If nothing else, it’s a great excuse to relive those childhood dreams of being a knight in shining armor without the risk of actual jousting!