Horse show hit by inter-island ferry issues

Showjumpers from Guernsey and Jersey say they have been unable to enter events on each other's islands due to the ferry timetables
- Published
The inter-island ferry schedule is making it difficult for horse riders to enter events, they say.
British Showjumping Guernsey said it had no entries from Jersey for the first time to its Horse of the Year Show, which started at the Chemin Le Roi Showground on Wednesday and runs until Sunday.
Sarah Mills, from British Showjumping Guernsey, and Martin Mitchell, from British Showjumping Jersey, said DFDS and Brittany Ferries running cross-island services on different days had made entering competitions difficult due to the extra costs and logistics involved.
The BBC has contacted DFDS and Brittany Ferries for comment.
Danish-based firm DFDS, which took over running Jersey's ferry services in March, runs a weekly Jersey to Guernsey service on Mondays.
Brittany Ferries, Guernsey's ferry operator, have a Guernsey to Jersey service running on Wednesdays.
A daily foot passenger ferry is operated between Jersey and Guernsey by Islands Unlimited.
'Aftermath of a battle'
Ms Mills said it felt strange not having competitors from Jersey at its Horse of the Year Show.
"We obviously encouraged them to come, but financially and with the boat situation it's just not viable for them," she said.
Mr Mitchell said British Showjumping Jersey had faced a similar situation earlier this year when no Guernsey entrants came to its Liberation Show, which he said affected revenues.
"The companies are battling each other and we're having to deal with the aftermath of a battle that's going on between the two of them and that's not good," he said.
DFDS route director Chris Parker previously said cross-island services were under review.
He said passenger numbers using the DFDS Jersey to Guernsey ferry on Mondays had been disappointing and a loss-making exercise so far.
"We just need to think collectively to look at it as the Channel Islands in terms of what is that connectivity and how should that look like," he said.
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