Show Report: 2020 Western Cape Junior and Young Rider Champs

The weekend of October 10th and 11th saw Noordhoek Riding Club play host to the 2020 Young Rider and Junior Western Cape Showjumping Championships. With Equibox as the headline sponsor and over 30 supporting sponsors, the show was funded with great prize money and lots of generous prizes for both the riders and the grooms. Lexi Spaltman, a familiar face in the show office, would be the lady to best arrange the weekend’s events.

The 1.30 warm-up classes on Saturday saw great excitement with 17 competitors navigating their way around the Miki Van Der Merwe designed jump-off track, with Daniel Moore riding Calvaro S stepping up to take the win in 33.16 seconds. The top three placings were decided by a narrow margin as into 2nd place rode Hayley Preen on the wonderful Voigstkirch Dunmore, while the 3rd spot on the podium went to Megan Cunningham riding O’Love.

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The A2 Competition set forth another challenge for these riders in preparation for the main events on Sunday. The track featured several opportunities to shave seconds off the time with turns aplenty but when all was said and done, the final 3 places were claimed by Megan Cunningham on O’Love in 1st, Puck Klaassen on the wonderful Coltera in 2nd, and Hayley Preen in the saddle of Voigstkirch Dunmore finishing 3rd.

The final day would see the pool of viable riders split into their appropriate age category for the titles of Young Rider Western Cape Champion and Junior Western Cape Champion.

Both title classes were run under FEI Art 273.2.1 and Art 273.3.3.1 which would mean that the riders would compete over 2 rounds with the total combined penalties and time from the second round determining the prizes. A true Grand Prix.

The first title class of the day was the Juniors. With 8 entrants ready to take on the challenge and be crowned the 2020 Western Cape Junior Showjumping Champions. With three clears in the first round, the doors were open and the chances improved for the individual competitors. The second round was watched with bated breath by all spectators but with the final horse through the finish line, the victory went the way of Puck Klaassen riding the spectacular Coltera, 0.08 seconds quicker than 2nd place Carah Callaghan riding Whimsical Gal. It was an even sweeter win for Puck Klaassen and coach, Damian Stevens, as this Junior title comes in the final year of her junior career.

The final class of the day, the Equibox U25 Western Cape Championship saw 11 highly competitive horse and rider combinations seeking personal glory in this 1.30m two-round competition. With 3 prizes on offer and 5 clears in the first round, the second round was set to be riveting. The first horse stepped in, Mampro Lobo ridden by Cinzia Pasteris. Carrying zero penalties into the 2nd round, they start off with great gusto but dropped a rail to come home with 4 penalties in 44.42. Samantha Hardcastle and Callaho Conrado finished their round clear in 45.00 and were followed by Saskia Ten Siethoff riding Franlaren Lord Lincoln, who provided a super clear round to claim a 3rd place podium finish in 40.77 seconds.

The last two riders to go, Cinzia Pasteris and Hayley Preen, both of whom were sitting on experienced rides, both gave stellar clear rounds and claimed the top two podium places. The win of the U25 Western Cape Championship was awarded to Hayley Preen and Voigstkirch Dunmore, crossing the finish beams in 38.27 seconds while Cinzia Pasteris and Ebb & Flow Twister R came home in 38.32 seconds, just 0.05 seconds behind Hayley.

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Congratulations to all competitors.

-The JumpOff-

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