Ahead of the National Virtual Championships on 15th, 16th, and 17th November, we hear from Joe, who shares his journey of participating in the event and what it means to him.
Joe Murley shares his love for virtual equestrian competitions, citing the relaxed home environment as a major advantage. Free from the stress of crowds and with the support of trusted staff and instructors, Joe feels more focused and able to perform at his best.
Competing holds a special place in Joe’s life as it fuels his natural competitiveness and boosts his confidence. His passion for show jumping—especially at level 3—shines through. He describes it as his favourite event, appreciating both the exhilaration of jumping and the technical challenge of navigating the course in harmony with his horse.
We Can’t Do This Without Your Support!
At RDA, we rely on the support of people like you to make these events possible. Your involvement ensures that riders like Joe continue to have opportunities to compete, grow, and achieve their dreams. To find out how you can get involved, click here. Together, we can make a lasting impact and continue to bring joy, confidence, and inspiration to countless participants across the country.
I love the Virtuals as I like to compete in a more relaxed home environment which means less stress, no crowds, allowing me to focus on the activity and perform at my best.
“It is so unique because as stated above it allows me to compete at my own stables/centre with staff and instructors I trust and without crowds of other people.
Competing means a lot to me because I have always been a competitive person and it allows me to strive, to shine and gain confidence in myself and other people.
I took part in show jumping level 3.
I love Show jumping, it is my favourite event, it feels natural to me, and I feel energised when I am jumping and also enjoy the technical side of reading the course and going with the horse’s movements and reactions.
My horse is Bertie. We had only been riding together for a few weeks before the virtuals, he is a strong lad but he looks after me, he knows what the job is and he complements me. He is an amazing fit for me and I am loving riding him.
To sum up, I think the Virtuals is a good experience for many people, it is very inclusive and would urge anyone to participate and it is a good starting point for competing for any less experienced riders.”
Joe
Make sure to tune into our livestream 15th, 16th and 17th November 3:30PM – 8PM over on our YouTube @RDANational or our Facebook page
