Buzz
While horses dominate the world of competitive jumping, other animals like dogs in agility courses and humans in hurdle races occasionally join the fray. However, the term 'show jumping' almost always brings horses to mind. Yet, they aren’t the only creatures capable of such feats.
1. These Bunnies
Rabbits are known for their love of carrots, their tiny round droppings, their long, soft ears, and, of course, their incredible hopping ability. This natural talent has been harnessed by enthusiasts for both sport and entertainment. Rabbit jumping originated in Sweden during the 1970s within rabbit-owning clubs, evolving from a quirky hobby into a competitive activity. Initially modeled after horse jumping rules, the sport was later adapted to suit rabbits' unique capabilities. The Swedish Federation of Rabbit Jumping, established in 1994, oversees the sport and organizes two annual championship events. Competitions feature four categories: straight course, crooked course, high jump, and long jump, each self-explanatory in nature. The sport is gaining popularity, with Finland and Norway forming their own federations, and countries like the U.S., Denmark, and the UK hosting their own events.
2. This Bovine
Despite their reputation for clumsiness, cows can surprise you. Regina Mayer, a determined German teenager, proved this when her parents denied her a horse. At just 13, she began
3. and 4. These Llamas and Alpacas
Llamas and alpacas might not strike you as natural jumpers, but they’ve become stars in agility displays at livestock shows. Watching these charming, bucktoothed creatures leap over fences alongside their handlers is both amusing and fascinating. In the UK, the Black Rock Llama farm showcases their “super llama” teams at agricultural events, demonstrating their animals’ agility on courses with jumps reaching up to three feet.
5. This Zebra
Zebras, essentially striped and less domesticated versions of horses, share some similarities but are smaller and less structurally robust due to the lack of centuries of domestication. Zack, a zebra owned by Sammi Jo Stohler, the Zebra Guru of Willis, Texas, surprised his owner by leaping over five-foot fences to escape his paddock. Stohler decided to train him as a show jumper, and now Zack can be ridden in both Western and English styles, clearing fences up to three feet high. He shares his home with Charlie, another zebra trained to pull carts, a zorse (a horse-zebra hybrid) with similar skills, and a zonkey (a donkey-zebra hybrid) that can also be ridden.
6. This Feline
This section is primarily an opportunity to share a delightful video of a cat navigating a makeshift obstacle course using broom handles and furniture. It’s a charming addition, perfectly suited for cat lovers and the internet’s endless appetite for feline antics.
7. These Sheep
While sheep are naturally inclined to jump, they’re not typically trainable—after all, they’re sheep. Hettie, however, stands out as an exceptional show-jumping sheep. Hettie gained fame in 2006 when her owners noticed her talent during a jumping session with their Shetland ponies. She began mimicking the ponies, eventually mastering a sequence of five jumps and aiming for higher obstacles. Though she didn’t spark a trend among sheep farmers, Hettie did inspire numerous pun-filled headlines featuring the term “woolly jumper.” Similarly, in 2013, Lavender the Ram’s ability to clear nearly three-foot fences saved him from slaughter and earned him the title “wooly jumper” in The Daily Mail and other British tabloids.
BONUS: Camel Jumping
This isn’t about animals leaping over obstacles—it’s about humans vaulting over animals. Surprisingly, it feels more considerate. And it’s absolutely astonishing.
For the young men of Yemen’s Zaraniq tribe, located on the western coast, launching themselves over a line of six-foot camels is a traditional rite of passage. Their ability to soar over these towering animals is nothing short of extraordinary.
