Following the updated Covid-19 restrictions laid out by the Belgian government last night, the organising committee of Jumping Mechelen – one of the three Longines FEI World Cup Western European League events that still were on the calendar for the 2020/2021 season – has today announced the cancellation of their 2020-edition. The event was meant  to run from December 26 to 30. 

On the official Jumping Mechelen Facebook page, the following statement has been released: 

“With pain in our sporty hearts, Jumping Mechelen now has no other choice than to focus on our 2021 edition! 

Dear friends of Jumping Mechelen,

Sadly, the new countermeasures introduced in Belgium against the pandemic mean that we have been left with no choice but to cancel Jumping Mechelen 2020.

We wanted it so badly, we were motivated, we had now worked out different scenarios and finally came up with a nice light version to end the year with a sporty highlight. We wanted to offer, as an end-of-the-year gift, to the visitors on site but also all our fans sitting next to their Christmas tree a few days of fantastic and beautiful sport. We will now have to replace these moments with the wonderful memories we have since 1980 and to focus on our next edition in 2021 in the Nekkerhal, where we can finally celebrate those 40 years all together!

We too must take responsibility, put the health of our own people and all of you first. Together we must fight this pandemic and look ahead!

We would like to thank everyone who has supported us in the last months especially our fantastic partners, our loyal employees, the mayors of Mechelen and Lier and the Azelhof!

We wish you a lot of strength, take good care of yourselves and each other and we will see you all again in 2021 for a wonderful edition of Jumping Mechelen from 26 to 30 December '21.” 

The Longines FEI World Cup Western European League is now left with only two events for the 2020/2021 season; Leipzig (GER) and Bordeaux (FRA).