Ada-Raine Ferguson is the 2021 Junior President’s Cup Champion

The Junior age category is, arguably, one of the most competitive age groupings at the moment with several top-quality talents scattered around the country. With a large group of riders all at the top of their game, title competitions like the President’s Cup are highly exciting for both the competitors and spectators alike. The newly revamped main arena at Maple Ridge, coupled with the exciting tracks designed by Brett Webber, set a great visual for the week ahead.

The first competition for the Junior competitors was the Impangele Logistics-sponsored A2 competition. With 6 prizes on offer and qualification for the final class sitting firmly in the minds of the riders, the juniors started with a bang. With several great turns taken and angled fences, the curtain dropped on the first J 1.30 qualifier. Sitting neatly in the top spot was the defending Junior President’s Cup champion, Hailey Strydom, and her fantastic partner, the Locarno-bred Cosmopolitan. Second was Ada-Raine Ferguson and Tack N Togs Action Girl, 3rd place went to the Zimbabwean visitor, Amy Hay and Rivens Whirlwind, and 4th place went to Zambian rider, Ariana Castle, and Branic High Jinks.

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Following a successful first day for many of the riders, the second competition in the run-up to the final title class was the 1.30m jump-off class sponsored once again by Impangele. With 7 combinations successfully navigating the first round clear, the jump-off was set to see a new crop of riders fight for the top spot. However, Ada-Raine Ferguson chose to withdraw both her horses and additionally, Alexandra Ric-Hansen and Jade Coetzee both withdrew as well – not needing to complete the jump-off to qualify for the final event and deciding instead to save their steeds for the final day. The 3 competitors remaining gave it a great effort which saw Zandi Alcock and Callaho Lansink claim the top spot. 2nd place was claimed by the KZN natives, Helen Criticos and For Cabelle, and ending the class in 3rd place was Salome Nel and Callaho Consina.

The start of the final competition had plenty of action in store for the young hopefuls as the tracks designed by Brett Webber would see several riders successfully secure a clear round. However, carrying forward their overall points, only 2 riders managed to retain an overall score of 0 heading into the second round. Last year’s winner, Hailey Strydom, incurred 4 points prior to the start of the final competition but a clear round in the main competition saw Hailey sitting on the sidelines in anticipation as the 2 riders with zero points, Zandi Alcock and Ada-Raine Ferguson, put their best feet forward.

First into the arena was Zandi Alcock on Callaho Lansink. After a foot-perfect week behind them, the new partnership showed their progression in great fashion by once again having a faultless round. The pressure was then placed onto the shoulders of Ada-Raine as the final competitor who could possibly challenge for the title. Ada-Raine, who was a hopeful for the now-cancelled 2022 Youth Olympics, stayed calm under pressure and she too secured a clear round to force a jump-off for the title.

With Lansink known as a true speed demon under his former rider and Zandi’s coach, Rainer Korber, the junior pairing set off through the start beams with great haste. Part way through the course, a tack malfunction occurred that caused the saddle to slowly slide to Lansink’s side, but Zandi decided to ignore this growing issue and continued on to successfully complete her jump-off round with a single rail down in a time of 28.52 seconds, despite half the course being jumped almost in side-saddle. With the rail falling for Zandi, Ada-Raine knew that a simple clear round would be enough to secure the victory and the title of Junior President’s Cup champion. Opting for the slower and safer route, Ada-Raine’s round had everyone holding their breath as the pair rubbed a few rails but none fell. As they crossed the finish beams, the RH Equestrian team erupted with raucous applause and shrieks of excitement as reality set in that the slower clear round, 33.00 seconds, provided by Ada-Raine Ferguson and Tack N Togs Action Girl was the perfect way to ensure that the pair claimed the title of 2021 Junior President’s Cup champions. 

Congratulations to Ada-Raine Ferguson on a superb week of showjumping, and to her coach, Ronnie Healy, for his pupil’s achievements.

-The JumpOff-

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