Hobby Horse Championship

If you love horse shows and show jumping, but you can't afford to buy and board a horse, then the sport of hobby horsing may be for you. The sport's biggest championship took place a couple weeks ago in Vantaa, Finland. Around 200 competitors and a thousand spectators gathered to crown winners in several events and celebrate their peculiar sport. 

(YouTube link)

From the Washington Post:

Hobby-horsing has gained momentum outside Finland because of this year’s release of the documentary “Hobbyhorse Revolution” by the Finnish Oscar-nominated director Selma Vilhunen. Over a year, she followed young hobbyhorse enthusiasts and their preparations for a competition.

Some actual horse riders may look down on hobby-horsing as childlike past-time not suitable for anyone aged over 10, but Fred Sundwall, the secretary general of the Equestrian Federation of Finland, disagrees.

“We think it’s simply wonderful that hobby-horsing has become a phenomenon and so popular,” Sundwall said. “It gives a chance to those children and teens who don’t own horses to interact with them also outside stables and riding schools.”