Officials from the Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L announced on May 14 that the top Dutch event, scheduled to run from Oct. 1-4 in Boekelo, the Netherlands, is canceled due to COVID-19. This year’s event would have marked the 50th anniversary.

“The possibility to continue the Military, possibly without an audience, has been considered until the last moment,” read a statement from the event organizers. “The 4-star level at which Military Boekelo – Enschede is run is of an international and Olympic level and requires a top sports facility and an infrastructure that cannot be compromised. Without the public and the large lack of financial support, this is impossible to achieve. Moreover, the organization and its partners believe that it is in line with their own responsibility to put the health of society first in these times.”

The popular event is host to the FEI Nations Cup Final for eventing and the Dutch National Championship. In 2019 it hosted a test of the new Olympic format.

“Since the start of the corona crisis, we have always looked at the options that were possible to continue this top sport event,” said chairman Robert Zandstra. “Everything has been reviewed. Without public and adapted measures, everything. We worked together with the FEI to see if we could let the competition go through. The Military is all about bringing horses and people together in an environment where top sport comes first. Getting society slowly started is now extremely important. That is why we are not going to muddle through but are postponing it for one year. Then everyone knows where they stand.”

The 2021 edition will be held Oct. 7-10.