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Following a period of financial difficulties and a canceled 2023 edition, equissima® returned in 2024 with a new, reimagined concept and a redesigned approach – an equestrian festival – one that embraces the characteristics of festivalisation of sport events, with free access and a great deal of available activities alongside sports competitions.

The three-pillar construction of the event – immersion, performance, and entertainment – allow any audience to find their way around, meet their entertainment needs, and leave feeling satisfied, over the course of a packed two-day event.

Each dimension of the event is broken down into a series of complementary activities, allowing everyone to discover the world of horses: from leisure to competition, from horseback riding to cross-country riding, from hobby-horsing to equestrian aerobatics, from dressage to jumping.

The immersion pillar proposes the “Inspire” programme, dedicated to the discovery of equestrian sports and activities with varied activities adapted to everyone. How does a groom prepare the ponies? How to communicate with a horse? What horse-world related careers are available? These are some of the questions that were addressed during workshops and presentations. Introductions to vaulting or recognition of obstacle courses were also offered. And for the first time, equissima® teamed up with Special Olympics Switzerland to “immerse” visitors in the world of adapted horse riding. The ambition of the Special Olympics is to change the lives of people with mental disabilities through sport and promote their social inclusion.

The performance pillar, “Challenge”, is the competition section of the festival, offering all equestrian disciplines. Dressage allows you to find the perfect harmony between horse and rider; jumping embodies the precise control of the horse’s power; the eventing competition is a true equestrian triathlon; the hitch is the art of driving in any situation; and vaulting is similar to artistic gymnastics… on the back of a horse! High-level athletes – riders and horses – competed during the weekend in front of more than 3,200 enchanted visitors.

The entertainment pillar is located in the EQUISSIMA® VILLAGE, the festive and family corner. It includes catering, exhibitors, drawing competitions, and relaxation areas where everyone can meet to shop, ride inflatable ponies, share a meal, and find information on the world of horses. Regional and organic products are prioritised, and waste and recycling is managed in partnership with the City of Lausanne. equissima® has adopted an eco-responsible charter which includes the promotion of public transport, the use of 100% electric energy on-site, reusable tableware, and many more measures which reduce the event’s ecological footprint.

With the support of local actors and major institutional partners such as Lausanne Olympic Capital and the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), equissima® Lausanne has proven that a sport event can redefine itself and that becoming a festival is a successful conversion. After the success of this year’s event, the edition scheduled for 2025 will help determine if this new configuration is the correct course change for equissima® going forward.