Show Report: 2020 Kawena Masters

The final leg of the Kawena Rider’s Series, despite only being a provincial-status show, was a huge highlight of the 2020 calendar, with incredible sponsorships from F4H Feeds, Western Shoppe, Chambourne, Equestrian Affair, and the headliner, Kawena. The riders were in for a treat with all the goodies available and to top it all off, the prize money was some of the best in the country, making the weekend of showjumping highly competitive. But the crowning jewel of the event was the invitational Kawena Masters – a power and skill event with a winner-takes-all main prize of R60,000!

The Masters class is a unique competition in South Africa. 2020 saw it return for a second year after last year’s event became the first time in nearly 3 decades that SA played host to such a competition. The course is set up with 6 numbered fences, of which one is a combination, to create 7 individual fences that are eligible to be raised. The competition consists of 1 round with a maximum of 4 jump-off rounds giving competitors a maximum of 5 rounds before the winner is decided in this ‘winner takes all’ competition.

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With R60,000 up for grabs to the winner, 8 Kawena Masters embroidered numnahs, sponsored by Equestrian Affair, were laid out with the numbers 1 through to 8 inside each one. The riders then picked a numnah which contained their riding number. In a competition like this, the best number to have is 1 as this competitor will have the smallest course to jump in each round they progress. With the draw done, the riding order was decided:

1 – Lisa Williams and Pilgrim

2 – Jonathan Clarke and Data Sciences Hummer van het Bevrijdthof

3 – Carl Boonzaaier and Callaho Casparon

4 – Charley-Ann Crockart and Hokkato RLH

5 – Chris van der Merwe and Capital Castigo

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6 – Nicole Horwood and Mark White Nissan’s Capital Kronos

7 – Zahn-Wanda Bosman and Illiano

8 – Leona van der Merwe and Capital Homerus

Round 1 started off quite comfortably for the riders as the fences were built at a height of 1.40m, with fence number 1 as an oxer at 1.35m high. All 8 competitors successfully navigated their way around the course clear and progressed through to the next round where each competitor, upon entry to the arena, would select a fence to be raised in height by 10cm. The competition rules stipulate that no fence may be raised twice in a single round unless every fence has already been raised which meant that of the 8 riders through to the second round, the only rider to have the option of a 2nd fence raise was Leona van der Merwe if all 7 riders before her went clear.

As round 2 began, Lisa Williams stepped into the arena and made her decision to raise fence 2A to the height of 1.50m – the same tactic of raising the combination fences that won her the Masters class last year on Campbell. Lisa and Pilgrim jumped the course clear and so the fence remained at the newly adjusted height. Jonathan Clarke and Data Sciences Hummer van het Bevrijdthof were next to go, as they selected 2B to be raised to 1.50m and provided another clear to leave that fence raised as well. Carl Boonzaaier and Callaho Casparon elected to raise the triple bar, fence number 5, to a height of 1.50m which proved a good strategy for Carl as he went clear. Charley-Ann Crockart and Hokkato raised fence number 6, which unfortunately did not pay off as the pair knocked a rail down which eliminated them from the competition. Chris van der Merwe and Capital Castigo provided another clear after raising fence 6 while Nicole Horwood on Mark White Nissan’s Capital Kronos also went clear after their chosen fence, the oxer at 3, was raised. The final 2 competitors, Zahn-Wanda Bosman riding Illiano and Leona van der Merwe riding Capital Homerus also completed round 2 clear after raising their fences, numbers 4 and 1, respectively.

Round 3 was progressively more exciting as the whole course, not including fence 1 at 1.45m, stood at a height of 1.50m. The chosen fences to be raised in this round would see the fences stand at 1.60m in height. Lisa stepped in first and once again chose 2A, which proved to be her downfall as the fence came down and they were eliminated from the competition. Jonathan raised 2B again and went clear with Hummer followed by Carl who raised the triple bar again to go clear on Casparon, while Chris raised the final fence and also went clear on Castigo. Nicole Horwood, Zahn-Wanda Bosman, and Leona van der Merwe, all chose their respective fences to be raised but none of them managed to provide another clear, and so the 4 ladies in round 3 were eliminated.

2 rounds of competition remained with the 3 gentlemen, Jonathan Clarke, Carl Boonzaaier, and Chris van der Merwe, vying for the win. The 4th round saw the course standing with fence 1 (oxer) at 1.45m, fence 2A (vertical) at 1.50m, fence 2B (Vertical) at 1.60m, fence 3 (oxer) at 1.50m, fence 4 (vertical) at 1.50m, fence 5 (triple bar) at 1.60m and fence 6 (vertical) at 1.60m. Jonathan stepped in first, raised fence 4 to a height of 1.60m, which he successfully cleared. Chris then stepped in and raised fence 2B to 1.70m but was caught out with a falling rail which eliminated them from the competition and returned 2B to 1.60m. Carl stuck with his strategy and once again raised the triple bar to an incredible height of 1.70m which he cleared magnificently.

The final round had everyone on the showground watching on with amazement and awe as Jonathan and Carl stepped into the arena one final time to raise their fences and attempt a clear in the hopes of securing R60,000, generously sponsored by Kawena. Jonathan had 2A raised to 1.60m to level out the combination and managed a beautiful clear round to lay one hand on that grand prize while Carl stepped in and raised the lowest fence on the course, number 1 to a height of 1.55m in a clever attempt to make his round that much easier. He too managed a remarkable clear round which meant that the Kawena Masters class drew to a close with a tie for first place and the 2 riders splitting that R60,000 cash prize.

The unbelievable generosity of Bronwyn and Clem Dos Santos and Kawena was amplified, as Clem, upon hearing the tie and the announcement of the prize money being split, decided that it wasn’t good enough and awarded R60,000 to each rider for their spectacular performances that afternoon.

-The JumpOff-

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