Israel's professional equestrians reeled Thursday after the poisoning of several horses led to them missing the national competition.

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"The damage is indescribable. I've been riding since I was 6 and I've never seen such a horror, " Danielle Erlichman, who was supposed to participate in the contest, said. "People started walking with the horses, but they just lay down, couldn't move, and had diarrhea. We now have four horses that are at risk of dying and many are connected to IVs, with vets working round the clock to look after them."

The poisoning occurred at a horse farm in Ra'anana, central Israel, and over a dozen horses were affected. It is unclear what caused the incident, but Erlichman insisted, "There is no way that this is the work of our competitors. This is a sport built on people who love animals, putting such a deadly poison in order to kill an animal is something that an equestrian would never do."

She lamented missing the championship along with fellow equestrians.

"Ten horses were supposed to participate in the championship. We practiced for a whole year to reach such a high level, and now it's all gone down the drain. Our athletes were supposed to stand on the winning podium.

"An investigation has been launched, was it the fault of the factory that is denying responsibility, or an individual who did it on purpose? I personally do not rule out the possibility of terrorism. It could be any of these options. I am shocked that people can harm animals in such a way," she said.

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The Palestinian Equestrian Federation halted horse-riding classes and local contests in late February as a precaution against the spread of the pandemic – a blow to one of the few sports activities in the congested and impoverished territory.

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Horse riding became popular in Gaza over the past three years. The number of riders – including girls – has grown to 200, according to the federation. Around half of those were taking part in the two-day contest that began on Thursday.

Sami Zeyara, the federation's assistant secretary-general, said the hiatus would force them to extend the season into early 2021.

"I am very happy to be back to competitions. Together with my horse, Diesel, we hope to come first," said 12-year-old Hala al-Batrawi.

Contestants were divided into six categories. The most junior group included children under the age of 10, known to many as the "Smurfs."

"I have worked hard to get back into shape, and I want to prove myself in this competition," said Mohammad al-Sadi, 16, standing next to his horse Plutonium.

Sitting around tables separated by flower boxes in deference to social-distancing, spectators cheered when riders crossed the finishing line and applauded those who faltered or fell.

Gaza has reported 72 coronavirus cases and one death.

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