The Young Horse Performance Series has been a long standing tradition in South African showjumping with the very first leg taking place in April 2005. Spearheaded by Bob Neill and the then SA Showjumping committee, the Young Horse Performance Series was initially set up as a fundraising show to boost the showjumping coffers. The launch of the new ‘age category show’ was received with great enthusiasm by jumpers and South African stud farms alike as an ideal event to showcase the local bloodlines.
Dominey Alexander and Gail Foxcroft were tasked with the creation of the specific ruleset and Sue Van Der Mewe, alongside Gail, organised the first event in April. By the end of 2006, the series was unable to gain enough traction or financial stability to remain hosted by K.E.P. (or THS as it was then) and so Gail Foxcroft and Sue Van Der merwe decided to privatise the competition. With the aid of Maria Kroon, some friends of the organisers, and sponsors stepping up to the plate, the series has since flourished into a spectacular showcase of the country’s young talent, with this past weekend’s 15th-anniversary finals held at Steyn City Equestrian Centre.
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The last few years have seen the Young Horse Performance Series well endorsed with sponsorships from stud farms, including Capital Stud and Callaho Warmblood Stud, and various other sponsors stepping in, such as Reonet, Alzu Feeds, and Rotoflo, which enable us to predict the long term future success of this young horse competition.
How It Works
This young horse competition is unique in many regards but primarily in its competition format. There are 5 legs held throughout the year, excluding the finals, which the riders will need to qualify for with their top 3 scores. Each leg of the series has 4 class available to entrants, namely, the age specific classes for 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, and 7-year-olds. The open class, which is hosted as the first, non-competitive, class of the day features 12 fences set up in the area, 6 at 75cm and 6 at 95cm, where all the show entrants are then permitted to enter the arena and jump a track of their choosing to familiarise themselves with the arena and surroundings.
The age specific classes are then run in which each horse and rider combination competes for a score out of 100 by jumping two clear rounds with penalties being subtracted from their overall score, the 4YOs do not have to do a jump off and are awarded 100 points for a single clear round. Within each age category class, there is also the title of “Potential Showjumper” which is once again calculated on several different aspects including technique, rideability, and attitude of the horse for a separate total score out of 100. The scores are then combined and divided by 2 to give each combination a final score which will decide the overall age category winner at the end of the season. Results on the day are awarded separately to have a jumping winner and a “Potential Showjumper” winner for each age category.
Top Talent Proven At Young Horse
The Young Horse Performance Series has already proven its success with several of the previous winners now regularly seen at the top levels of the sport. The 2019 Potential Showjumper category was topped by RNR Capital Colman and Dominey Alexander with Capital Moonlight and Chris Van Der Merwe finishing the season in 2nd. Both of these Capital-bred horses are now regular fixtures in the 1.30m competitions at just 7 years old. The 2017 Potential Showjumping runner-up was Capital Stud’s Kronos, who needs very little introduction as he is currently competing at the very top levels of the sport with Nicole Horwood.
This incredibly exciting initiative by Gail Foxcroft and Sue Van Der Merwe encourages the correct growth and development of young horses outside of traditional competition and helps to develop the future talents of the showjumping circuit. 15 years on, and the YHPS is continually proving its worth in the equestrian community of South Africa.
-The JumpOff-
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