The Directors of the All England Jumping Course at Hickstead released an official statement today (Wednesday) regarding their forthcoming season, in response to the current coronavirus situation. The Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting, scheduled to take place from 24 to 28 June, has been postponed. The organisers hope it will be able to run in combination with their national show, the Science Supplements All England Jumping Championships, from 1 to 6 September, subject to approval from the relevant governing bodies. At present, preparations for the Longines Royal International Horse Show (21 to 26 July 2020) are continuing, although this will be reassessed on an ongoing basis. The All England Jumping Course at Hickstead was first opened in 1960, and this season it is due to celebrate its 60th anniversary. The Hickstead statement said: "After considering the recent government announcements, we have had to make the difficult decision to postpone the Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting, scheduled to take place 24 - 28 June. We are currently working towards combining it with our national show, the Science Supplements All England Jumping Championships, from 1 - 6 September, pending approval from British Showjumping and the FEI. "The intention will be to merge classes from both events to include a number of age jumping championships alongside the Science Supplements Speed Derby and the 60th running of the Al Shira'aa Derby. The showing schedule will remain the same, i.e. classes running on the same days from Thursday to Sunday. A full schedule will be issued in due course. The popular Charles Owen Shopping Village will also relocate to the 3 - 6 September. "The Hickstead office is now closed, but trade exhibitors, hospitality and ticket purchasers will be contacted directly by email with the option to either transfer to the new dates or receive a refund as per our terms and conditions. "At present, we are continuing with preparations for the Longines Royal International Horse Show still planned for 21 - 26 July 2020. We will of course continue to monitor all sources of information. There will be some complications re qualified horses, but we may well run it along similar lines to the foot and mouth year of 2001. Basically, those already qualified will be accepted and then the classes will be opened up, with non-qualified entrants paying an increased entry fee. "We wish to thank all of our sponsors, trade exhibitors, competitors and stakeholders for their continued support during this unprecedented time. We ask that you remain patient, and we will update you further when we have more information." A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton: Thank you for reading this story on our website. But I also have an urgent plea to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality local news on this free-to-read site and in print, please purchase a copy of our newspaper as well. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on our town centres and many of our valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you buying a copy. Our journalists are highly trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards anywhere in the world. Our content is universally trusted - as all independent research proves. As Baroness Barran said in a House of Lords debate this week on the importance of journalists: "Not only are they a trusted source of facts, but they will have a role to play in rallying communities and getting the message across about how we can keep ourselves and our families safe, and protect our NHS. Undoubtedly, they have a critical role." But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. In return we will continue to forensically cover the local news - not only the impact of the virus but all the positive and uplifting news happening in these dark days. We thank all our readers and advertisers for their understanding and support - and we wish YOU all the best in the coming weeks. Keep safe, and follow the Government advice. Thank you.