ISSUE 90 AUGUST 2014
HQ HOLISTIC
ACUPUNCTURE FOR HORSES 10 TOP FEEDING TIPS EVENTS
SOUTH AFRICA’S PREMIER EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE
NISSAN WINTER CLASSIC NOOITGEDACHT CHAMPS NATIONS CUP JUMPING FEI CDI 3* DRESSAGE EQUITATION SUPER LEAGUE WELFARE UPDATE
HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
YARD PROFILE
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CALLAHO AUCTION FEVER
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WESTERN HORSES AND SPORT
Appaloosas • American Quarter Horses • Team Penning and Ranch Sorting
FOCUS ON BREEDING
Mare & stallion health, care and nutrition • Useful tips for before and during foaling
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Every issue, HQ endeavours to bring you the latest in equine news and research RENEÉ DU TOIT Reneé du Toit represents Spurwing Horse Feeds in the Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo regions. She has a BSc in Zoology (2003), a passion for horses and huge experience in the horse feed industry.
DR JAN STILL Dr Jan Still is a fully qualified veterinary surgeon and a member of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS). He holds post-graduate diplomas in acupuncture and anaesthesiology and has a special professional interest in acupuncture, pain relief, sport medicine, and musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. DR PIA RANDLEFF-RASMUSSEN Dr Pia Randleff-Rasmussen (BSc, BVSc) practices at the Drakenstein Veterinary Clinic, a purpose-built equine hospital offering first opinion and referral medical, surgical and ICU care for horses.
DR KARIN KRUGER Dr Karin Kruger (BVSc, MSc, DACVIM), an equine internal medicine specialist, accepts equine medicine referrals in association with the Witbos Veterinary Clinic and consults for several equine clinics throughout South Africa, including the Fourways Equine Clinic.
DR LARRISSA ODENDAAL Dr Larrissa Odendaal (BVSc) graduated in 2013 and is currently focused on equine practice with a special interest in equine reproduction.
TARRYN COUTTS As sales executive, I look after all our lovely customers who advertise with HQ. I am mom to a two-year-old daughter, three dogs, two cats and a horse, and I am a certified Paws for People therapy dog handler with my one dog, Toby.
PETA DANIEL I am an animal lover with a passion for animal rights, natural horsemanship and animal behaviour. My pony and equine mentor, Wills, taught me everything I know about what horses need and want. I am a freelance writer based in Cape Town and enjoy eventing and hacking out.
Welcome
T
he Callaho auction has become one of the highlights on our equestrian event calendar. Even though the auction is held on the stud farm in a remote corner of the Free State, sport horse enthusiasts flock there in large numbers to browse, buy or mingle. This year Brigitte Billings represented HQ at the auction and brings you a first-hand account of the excitement on page 20. All previous records were broken, including the highest price paid on the sale – last year it was R450,000 and this year’s highest priced lot went for a staggering R750,000. In the same article, Brigitte talks to Callaho Stud’s owner Ian Callender-Easby about what it takes to put such an event together. Ian also shares his views on sport horse breeding and discusses his favourite bloodlines as well as his approach to selection and training. While on the topic of breeding programmes and bloodlines, this issue of HQ also focuses on other breeding-related topics. On page 59 veterinarian Dr Pia Randleff-Rasmussen discusses what to consider when selecting and managing stud horses from a health point of view. She offers tips regarding deworming and inoculations, and gives
HQ ISSUE 90 – AUG 2014 PUBLISHER Urs Honegger EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Gerard Peter EDITOR Johann Theron johann@panorama.co.za ASSISTANT EDITOR Brigitte Billings MANAGING EDITOR Deanne Dudley SENIOR SUB EDITOR Vanessa Koekemoer SUB EDITORS Noleen Fourie, Nicolette Els
ON THE COVER Warmblood stallion Compton House Quantico, owned by Micheal Peiser of Pretoria (photo: Tracy Robertson)
DTP STUDIO MANAGER Paul Kotze LEAD DESIGNER Cronjé du Toit DESIGNER Perpetua Chigumira
advice on venereal diseases in horses. On page 62, equine internal medicine specialist Dr Karin Kruger and veterinarian Dr Larrissa Odendaal provide useful information on the health risks during pregnancy and foaling, and how to make sure the newborn is safely on his feet, breathing, drinking and functioning. For those not interested in breeding, this issue includes a variety of other topics, ranging from a yard profile (page 8) and Western disciplines and horses (pages 40 to 43), to welfare issues (page 47) and acupuncture for horses (page 51). We also cover recent major events such as the Nissan Winter Classic (page 15), FEI Dressage CDI 3* and FEI CPEDI 3* World Equestrian Games Qualifier (page 28), and the first four legs of this year’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping series (page 35). Johann Theron | Editor FOLLOW US ON www.facebook.com/ HQMagazine
Horsechannel Visit HQ’s new comprehensive website: http://horse.animalchannel.co.za/
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Copyright HQ is published monthly (12 issues per annum) and is available by subscription nationally as well as at retail outlets countrywide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission of Panorama Media Corp (Pty) Ltd. Copyright © 1994-2014 Panorama Media Corp (Pty) Ltd. The views expressed in HQ are not necessarily those of Panorama Media Corp and the acceptance and publication of editorial and advertising matter in HQ does not imply any endorsement or warranty in respect of goods or services therein described, whether by HQ or the publishers. HQ will not be held responsible for the safe return of unsolicited editorial contributions. The Editor reserves the right to edit material submitted and in appropriate cases to translate into another language. HQ reserves the right to reject any advertising or editorial material, which may not suit the standard of the publication, without reason given. HQ published by Panorama Media Corp.
Jan - March 2014 7,175 certified Published By Panorama Media Corp (Pty) Ltd. Private Bag X4, Kyalami, 1684, South Africa. 92 Campolino Road, Kyalami. Tel: 011 468 2090 Fax: 011 468 2091
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IN THIS ISSUE ISSUE 90 – AUGUST 2014
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH:
HQ INTERNATIONAL PAGES THE HQ COMPETITION HORSE
FEATURES
15
The Nissan Winter Classic
Held in Durban from 11 to 15 June 2014
35
Battle of the nations The first four legs of this year’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series
HQ WELFARE PAGES
8
Raising the bar
Yard profile: A touch of class at
20
Auction fever!
47
Summerbrook
Callaho auction breaks records in 2014
The Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit
28
FEI CDI 3* Dressage
49
How YOU can help
South African riders polish their
40 Cowboy chores in the show arena
All about the Western disciplines of team
performance
Shelter profile
Annie’s forever home at the Coastal Horse Care Unit
penning and ranch sorting
34 54
Driving with elephants
Motoring – the new Nissan Pathfinder
The Mark White Nissan Equitation Super League
50
Fundraising events
Happy Hooves Horse Haven
Second leg held at Kyalami Equestrian Park on 13 April 2014
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44
66
REGULARS 4 News 7 Products
The latest in equestrian ware
77
Property pages
78
Seen at
The who’s who in South African equestrian circles
80
In the next issue
BREEDING
EVENTS 15 20 28 56
44
The Appaloosa
Spotted horses from North America
59
Healthy breeding
51
What to consider when selecting and
Nissan Winter Classic Callaho auction FEI CDI 3* Dressage 2014 Nooitgedacht Horse National Championships
59
HQ HOLISTIC Pinpointing the problem We accompany veterinary acupuncturist Dr Jan Still to find out firsthand how his
managing stud horses
treatment techniques affect his patients
62
Mother and baby Health risks during pregnancy and foaling safely on his feet, breathing, drinking
EQUINE HEALTH & NUTRITION
and functioning
66
and how to make sure the newborn is
69
Breeders’ gallery
10 Top feeding tips These guidelines will help you keep your horse in ideal condition and excellent health
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NEWS FEI WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES™ 2018 HELD IN CANADA
New Zealand’s Tim Price and Wesko during the cross country phase (photo: www.eventingphoto.com /FEI)
EVENTING: NEW ZEALAND FINDS A NEW HERO AT LUHMÜHLEN New Zealand rider Tim Price is enjoying a purple patch of form and he produced an outstanding display of jumping to win his first CCI4* at Luhmühlen (GER), presented by DHL Paket, the fifth and penultimate leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014. Riding the Wesko Syndicate’s Wesko, an 11-year-old Dutch-bred gelding by Karandasj, Price was the only competitor to finish on his dressage score of 43.8, in a thrillingly tight finale. The cross country leader, Michael Jung (GER), looked the picture of concentration as he had Fischer Rocana FST jumping on springs, but a groan from the crowd signalled that a pole had fallen – the first part of the double at 12a – and that it was not to be a German victory. Price was evidently thrilled to win, but he was quick to acknowledge the host nation in a gracious acceptance speech, in which he dedicated his victory to the young German rider Benjamin Winter (GER), who died as the result of a fall on the cross country the day before. “I would like to dedicate this win to Benjamin. It was a very sad day yesterday,” he said. “And I’d like to thank the organisers at Luhmühlen for making us all so welcome. I first came here as a visitor eight years ago and I’ve been waiting ever since to ride here.” Instead of a lap of honour, the leading riders, all
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wearing black armbands in honour of Winter, were escorted quietly from the arena. Boyd Martin (USA) proved to the American selectors that he is fully recovered after breaking his leg in the spring by finishing in third place on new ride Shamwari 4 and 15th on Otis Barbotière. Martin picked up just one time penalty to rise four places from seventh on Shamwari 4. This exciting prospect was bought from Swedish rider Ludwig Svennerstal by a syndicate during the winter, but this was Martin’s first opportunity to try out the horse at an international competition. Oliver Townend (GBR) hit fence 10 on the 13-year-old Black Tie, but he remained in fourth place and left the ring with a broad smile on his face. Indeed Townend has plenty to smile about: this was the second time this year that he was the highest-placed British rider at a CCI4*, having finished as runner-up at Badminton on Armada. As a result, he has now leapt into second place in the FEI Classics, just 10 points behind William Fox-Pitt (GBR), which means that the series will go right to the wire at Burghley in September. Elaine Pen (NED) must be delighted with her first CCI4* performance. She rose three places to fifth on her former Young Rider horse Vira with just one rail down.
The FEI Bureau unanimously approved Bromont/ Montreal as host city for the FEI’s flagship event, the FEI World Equestrian Games, in 2018. The decision came after the FEI Evaluation Commission’s report was presented at the start of the Bureau’s two-day meeting at the FEI headquarters in Lausanne (SUI) on 9 June. The Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park, venue for the Montreal 1976 Olympic equestrian events, will be the hub for the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2018. Bromont/Montreal is only the second host outside Europe following the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, which were staged in Lexington, Kentucky (USA). Lexington was the other remaining bidder for the 2018 Games. The Bureau felt that both bids were impressive, but that Bromont/Montreal was the stronger of the two.
EXCITING NEW STALLION IN SA Leading South African stud farm Drakenstein Stud has purchased Duke Of Marmalade from Coolmore Stud in a deal brokered by Blandford Bloodstock. The top-class son of the great champion Danehill, a five-time Group 1 winner, was last year’s leading European second crop sire with nine individual stakes winners to his name, outperforming the likes of New Approach, Henrythenavigator, Raven’s Pass and Fastnet Rock. Currently Duke Of Marmalade is the leading third crop sire in the Northern Hemisphere by stakes winners (12) and horses (nine) (TDN leading sires). Drakenstein Stud’s owner, Gaynor Rupert, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that a horse of the quality and calibre of Duke Of Marmalade is coming to Drakenstein Stud to stand alongside Trippi, Horse Chestnut, Philanthropist and What A Winter.” Duke Of Marmalade has sired 23 stakes class performers to date, including Aiden O’Brien’s classy Venus De Milo, a Group 3 winner of the Give Thanks Stakes and also second in last year’s Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks and Irish Oaks. Duke Of Marmalade is also a half-brother to last year’s Investec Epsom Derby hero Ruler Of The World and hails from a really top-class family of sires that includes Champion Sire in the US twice – AP Indy, Summer Squall, Al Mufti and Lemon Drop Kid who have all sprung from the foundation mare Lassie Dear who has had such a profound HQ|90
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SA Equestrian Federation (SAEF) Directory The following bodies are members of SAEF and represent the various equestrian disciplines in SA: South Africa Show Jumping (SASJ) www.sashowjumping.co.za admin@sashowjumping.co.za 081 018 2224 National Chair: Bob Neill bob@delmon.co.za/bob@sashowjumping.co.za 083 600 0956 Showing Association of South Africa (SASA) www.showingsa.co.za admin@showingsa.co.za 083 659 1877 National Chair: Brian Noach bnoach@8tamail.com 083 659 1877 Eventing South Africa (ESA) www.eventingsa.com info@eventingsa.com ammie@eventingsa.com 021 789 0615 President: Richard Beck beck@icon.co.za South African Polo Association (SAPA) www.sapolo.org.za execdirector@sapolo.co.za 082 454 9746 Executive Director: Clive Peddle Dressage South Africa www.dressagesa.com admin@dressagesa.com 087 353 3310 National Chair: Sue Horne shorne@iafrica.com 082 448 8257 Endurance Riding Association of South Africa (ERASA) www.erasa.co.za erasagm@telkomsa.net 083 635 3852 President: Gideon Keyser gideonkeyser@vodamail.co.za 082 578 4294
NEWS influence on South African racing and breeding. Blandford Bloodstock’s Tom Goff said: “I believe this is a landmark moment both for Drakenstein Stud and for the South African breeding industry. I cannot remember when a horse with so many of the high-quality attributes that this stallion possesses went to stand in South Africa.” Goff added: “He is a fantastic physical specimen and was a truly great racehorse by the mighty Danehill. He has a superb pedigree that was matched by his great turn of foot and he has made a hugely promising start to his stud career. I greatly look forward to seeing his progeny in South Africa.”
FEI AWARDS 2014 OPENS SEARCH FOR GLOBAL EQUESTRIAN HEROES
Vaulting Association of South Africa (VASA) www.vaultingsa.co.za admin@vaultingsa.co.za 082 559 6655 National Chair: Paula Taylor nationalchair@vaultingsa.co.za South African National Equestrian Schools Association (SANESA) www.sanesa.co.za info@sanesa.co.za 083 263 5307 President: Marlene du Plessis president@sanesa.co.za National Chair: Lyna May nationalchair@sanesa.co.za South African Equitation Association (SAEQA) www.saeqa.co.za development@saeqa.co.za 072 247 2929 National Chair: Rosemarie Bartlett equestcentre@hotmail.com South Africa Polocrosse Association (SAPA) www.polocrosse.co.za 072 241 9157 President: Andre Truter andreT@vodamail.co.za 033 701 1123 Western Performance and Reining Horse South Africa (WPRHSA) www.westernhorse.co.za 011 662 2941/082 922 8766 President: Marius van Wyk showingwithrhsa@gmail.com 082 922 8766 South African Equestrian Tentpegging Association (SAETA) www.satentpegging.com 082 579 1903 (Marika Pieterse) VP: Jaap Lotter Jaap.lotter@tiscali.co.za 082 561 9842 Equestrian Saddle Seat Association of South Africa (ESSASA) www.essasa.co.za ndunbar@rdata.co.za (office) 079 525 3196 President: Amanda Williams amanda@oshpharm.com Carriage Driving Association of South Africa (CDASA) CDASA@iafrica.com 083 692 2379 National Chair: Brenda Wessels coachhouse@capvin.co.za South African Western Mounted Games Association ferreira.fanus@gmail.com 083 327 6249
have demonstrated exceptional skills in the arena, and have taken equestrian sport to a new level. The Against All Odds award, which went to Australian gold medal-winning London 2012 Paralympic athlete Joann Formosa last year, rewards people who have pursued their equestrian ambitions despite physical handicap or extremely difficult personal circumstances. The Best Groom award, won last year by Carmen Thiemann (GER) who manages Olympic eventing team gold medallist Ingrid Klimke’s yard, is reserved for those all-important behindthe-scenes team members who work around the clock to ensure that their horses get the best possible care and attention. The FEI Solidarity award completes the FEI Awards 2014 category line-up, and will be presented to an FEI Solidarity or equestrian development project, or an indiv idual or organisation that has demonstrated skill, dedication and energy in expanding equestrian sport.
RED-CARPET AWARDS CEREMONY
Five equestrian heroes received honours at the FEI Awards 2013, presented by Longines (left to right): Carmen Thiemann (GER) – Best Groom; Colonel Nuñez (URU), director of the National Army Riding School ‘Grito de Asencio’ – Development; Joann Formosa (AUS) – Against All Odds; Reed Kessler (USA) – Longines Rising Star; Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) – Reem Acra Best Athlete (photo: FEI/ Edouard Curchod)
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body of equestrian sport, has recently launched the FEI Awards 2014, the annual global search to reward excellence, commitment, dedication and courage within the equestrian community. Nominations are now open and submissions can be made until midnight on 9 September at www.feiawards.org for five categories: The Longines Rising Star Award, won last year by Reed Kessler (USA), the youngest equestrian athlete to compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is for equestrians aged 14 to 21 who demonstrate outstanding sporting talent and commitment. The Reem Acra Best Athlete, awarded to double Olympic gold medallist and current world dressage number one Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) in 2013, celebrates the human or equine athlete – or the combination – who over the last 12 months
The winners of the FEI Awards 2014 will be flown to a red-carpet gala evening in Baku, Azerbaijan in December, where over 350 guests representing national federations, enthusiasts and stakeholders from around the world will celebrate their achievements. “The FEI Awards are all about celebrating the heroes and inspirational figures behind the scenes that make our sport the wonderful community that it is,” explained FEI President HRH Princess Haya. “Given the special year that we have before us, I urge all national federations, athletes, fans of equestrianism and everyone working in the sport to take the time to nominate the individuals who have made an impression on them and deserve to be acknowledged far beyond the equestrian world.” FEI President HRH Princess Haya will chair the FEI Awards 2014 judging panel, which also includes Mary Binks, FEI Bureau Member and Chairman of FEI Group IX (Botswana, Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe); George Dimaras, Executive Board Member of the Hellenic Equestrian Federation; and Betty Wates, President of the Equestrian Federation of Jamaica. The signature Twitter hashtag for the FEI Awards 2014 is #feiawards. HQ|90
DIVINE EQUINE Each month we bring you horse gear and accessories that we think you’ll love THE RIGHT START The foundation for a horse’s future success can be laid down before he is even born. Ensuring the broodmare has the correct balance of macro-minerals, trace minerals and amino acids to pass on to her newborn, Calphormin will give the young horse the best start he can get. Calphormin is unique in that it contains a balanced combination of macro-minerals, trace minerals, amino acids and the added benefit of Sodium Zeolite, a bio-available silicon-containing compound. Continuing to feed the young, rapidly growing horse Calphormin will optimise growth and bone development in a correct and balanced way. For more information, contact Doug Caunter at Doug.caunter@sadlerlabs.com.
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Working from a farm kitchen at the base of the Magalies mountains, with horses roaming in spacious paddocks, these soaps are created with loving attention and care for detail. Designed by a horse lover for riders who want to care for their own skin as well as their equines, the soaps are gentle on hands so you can wash as often as you need. Ingredients include essential and other oils which give a gentle fragrance and creamy lather without stripping natural moisture. Colours are derived from dried herbs, spices, flowers and various other botanic matter and food. No artificial colourants or fragrances are added. Handmade in every sense with 16 fragrances available. Available from Klijn Karas Natural Soaps. Contact Evarne van Niekerk on 082 411 6364 or evarne7@gmail.com.
Based in Kyalami, central to most major show venues, the Equi-Cool Hydrotherapy Spa offers equine athletes a proven and effective treatment for many lower leg injuries. Using jets or aerated, chilled, saline water to reduce inflammation and speed up the healing process, this high-tech facility offers therapeutic programmes for the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of equine injuries. Hydrotherapy can be used for: pre- and post-competition to reduce the chance of injuries; tendon and ligament damage; hoof bruises or abscesses; general swelling, soreness and stiffness; splints and other bone abnormalities; joint conditions; lacerations and soft tissue damage; and laminitis. To book a treatment or to book a monthly package, please contact info@equicool.co.za.
Klijn Karas is giving away a horsey soap hamper worth R250 to three lucky readers – email competitions@panorama.co.za with ‘Soap’ in the subject line and your address and contact details in the body. Competition closes 31 August 2014.
STAY INFORMED Do you have a product or service you would like to share with the equestrian community? Send your information to hq@panorama.co.za.
Equi-Cool is giving away a free treatment worth R300 to one lucky reader who can visit them in the Kyalami area – email competitions@panorama.co.za with ‘EquiCool’ in the subject line and your address and contact details in the body. Competition closes 31 August 2014.
soothing and healing properties for various gastrointestinal maladies including ulcers; and a powerful hindgut microbial modifier to help Vuma Strike R8 is a useful supplement to help combat balance the hindgut pH, thereby accelerating the recovery process. For the problems associated with acid build-up, and is more information and stockist details, visit vumafeed.co.za. especially well suited to assisting a Thoroughbred Vuma Feeds, Catherine Hartley: 083 640 1155. with the transition from a racing diet. Strike R8 contains: antioxidants; B vitamins and magnesium Vuma is giving away a 2.5kg tub of Strike 8 worth R270 to one reader – email competitions@panorama.co.za with ‘Strike 8’ which have a calming influence; acid buffering properties to assist in WIN lucky in the subject line and your address and contact details in the body. recovery from gastric ulcers; fenugreek which is purported to have Competition closes 31 August 2014.
STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE
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C O U N T RY L I V I N G – YA R D P R O F I L E
the bar RAISING
TEXT: BRIGITTE BILLINGS PHOTOGRAPHY: TRACY ROBERTSON AND MIKE BILLINGS
A touch of class at Summerbrook
WE HOPE THAT BY OFFERING A BIT OF EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL CULTURE HERE IT WILL IMPACT OUR RIDERS, EVEN THE JUNIORS
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Summerbrook’s Stephan Pelser is an ambitious rider who spent 8 years competing in Europe
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Officipsunt imolupt ataspic tecustia sum harit iur, ut mo to molor solorerum ant, tecte venienti nos atur mil ium nulla vendis voles
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C O U N T RY L I V I N G – YA R D P R O F I L E
The quaint clubhouse is surrounded by manicured gardens The dressage arena is Michael’s domain
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s more South Africans venture abroad to cut their teeth on the challenging European circuit, a new breed of equestrian is emerging locally when they return, bringing back the knowledge they absorbed in the company of the world’s elite. Michael Peiser and Stephan Pelser run Summerbrook Equestrian Stud and Stable with the ethos that horse riding is not simply a quirky hobby; it should be treated with professionalism and respect. This reflects in all aspects, from the immaculate barns and pristine arenas to the beautiful turnout of the riders themselves. No scuffed boots or patched jods here – the pair appear as if they just stepped out of the pages of a Kingsland catalogue. And it goes without saying that there is not a strand of orange baling twine in sight.
WINNING ATTITUDE “Your attitude reflects in everything you do and your appearance is part of this,” smiles Stephan. “Whether you’re coaching a student, riding, or handling a horse, you are always an example. Why not be a good one?” Michael echoes this sentiment, laughing as he admits that there are times, at 4am on a winter morning when he’s up plaiting a horse for a show, that he wonders what he’s doing. “Then I remember that it’s the details that matter. It’s probably why my riders do so well in equitation.” One of the growing number of top-notch equestrian centres in Pretoria, Summerbrook caters for the competitive set who are looking for that little bit extra. Two airy barns accommodate pampered equines in sumptuous style with 36 roomy wooden stalls separated by grids to allow
ONE OF THE GROWING NUMBER OF TOP-NOTCH EQUESTRIAN CENTRES IN PRETORIA, SUMMERBROOK CATERS FOR THE COMPETITIVE SET WHO ARE LOOKING FOR THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA
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C O U N T RY L I V I N G – YA R D P R O F I L E
Stephan spent eight years in Belgium honing his equestrian skills
Attention to small details makes the difference
socialisation. The stalls were made by a talented friend and are so well finished they could’ve been manufactured in Germany. Shavings are knee deep – though not a flake sullies the corridors – while mounds of lucerne and teff await the return of equine occupants from the individual camps that surround the barns. “Our lucerne is brought in from Upington and we get our teff from Num Num Feeds,” says Michael, who explains that feed and care of the horses is his domain. “Renita de Beer from Vitaline is just down the road and she visits regularly to check the horses and advise on nutrition.” Having ridden since childhood, Hermanusborn Michael has a holistic approach to horse
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care, graduating from ponies to Warmbloods to develop his basic skills before exploring natural horsemanship with Pippa Arnott in KwaZuluNatal. Dressage is his true love, however, and he currently rides the Quarterback stallion, Compton House Quantico, under the instruction of Andrea Harrison.
GOOD GROUNDING “I understand how hard it is to find the right instructor. Andrea has helped me so much with the finer things. It’s not just about sitting pretty, it’s about riding correctly. Once you click with someone who can show you this, you don’t want to move around,” he says. Summerbrook aims to provide an environment
that will encourage riders to develop their skills without needing to look further. Apart from their own tuition, they offer excellent facilities for clinics from overseas instructors. Ronnie Lawrence and Andre le Conte are also in attendance during their visits back home. Understanding the importance of continued education, Michael and Stephan plan to take regular trips back to Europe to keep their own skills up to date with the latest trends.
ON THE MAP “Pretoria is getting on the map in terms of riding and good yards are good for the sport,” says Stephan, who spent eight years as a work rider and competing in Belgium at the yard of Bart van der Casteele. “We hope that by offering a
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Showjumping and dressage facilities are available for schooling and clinics
The pair believes that professionalism covers everything from appearance to attitude
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C O U N T RY L I V I N G – YA R D P R O F I L E
Arena footing is a priority, with care given to the correct combination of materials and maintenance
The gardens are maintained under Stephan’s watchful eye
bit of European professional culture here it will impact our riders, even the juniors. The approach is applied to each rider at their own level.” The pair follows the progress of the new wave of young riders in the surrounding schools league and hopes to play a part in developing the raw talent here. “When the younger generation starts with the correct skills from good coaching it helps them get further in their riding,” Stephan says. “Riding always goes up and down, it’s never just sunshine. As a coach I realise that my attitude filters to my students so I have to send the right message. You have to develop the right mentality and want to be the best. It’s not just about having the best horse or pony.” Having said this, there are good horses in abundance here. Apart from the sublime Quantico, Stephan is a work rider for a number of stud farms, schooling and producing sport horses for the competitive market. They also plan to build an affiliation with a trading yard in Belgium in order to source international horses
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The spectacular stallion, Compton House Quantico, is Michael’s dressage partner
for clients. “We’d like to be able to offer a full range of top quality local and imported prospects for all levels of dressage and showjumping riders,” says Stephan.
IDYLLIC SETTING Summerbrook provides a fitting setting for marketing these horses. Set against a backdrop of a nature conservancy, the scenic dressage and jumping arenas boast superb footing, which Michael describes as a combination of materials including silica and fibre for optimal spring. Not surprisingly they are raked with the precision of a Zen garden. The grounds are immaculately maintained under Stephan’s eye. While Michael oversees the horses, Stephan is responsible for the general running of the yard, and the gardens are his pride and joy. Water features add a splash of sound while lashings of lavender are trimmed with military precision around the cosy clubhouse. “Stephan has a green finger, the gardens
PRETORIA IS GETTING ON THE MAP IN TERMS OF RIDING AND GOOD YARDS ARE GOOD FOR THE SPORT
are his baby and the horses are mine,” laughs Michael. It’s clear to see that Stephan shares the passion though because they banter amiably about who has the most equines – and of course it’s never enough. The impression one is left with after visiting Summerbrook is an overwhelming sense of pride. Michael and Stephan have created a little piece of paradise for the rider who wants to be taken seriously. Since not all of us are going to make it to Europe, we’re heartily in favour of anyone who’s going to bring it to us.
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p20
p28
p34
This year’s Callaho auction broke all previous records
FEI CDI 3* and a young upcoming development rider set to represent SA internationally
The second leg of the Mark White Nissan Equitation Super League
SALE OF THE CENTURY
DRESSAGE AT ITS BEST
EQUITATION IS A MUST
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T Lorette Knowles-Taylor (GP) on Team Nissan Nabab Forever, winner of the Nissan Six-bar competition, clearing 2m and setting a new South African Six-bar record
2014 Nissan Winter Classic, TEXT: CATHERINE ROBSON PHOTOGRAPHY: T&B IMAGES
BIGGER AND BETTER High stakes, high entries and superb riding
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his year’s Nissan Winter Classic took place from 12 to 16 June at the picturesque Durban Shongweni Club in KwaZuluNatal. It is part of the FEI World Cup Qualifier Series and gives local riders a chance to show their skills at an international level. With a prize pool of over R250,000 and all of SA’s top riders wanting to take the glory, the 2014 Nissan Winter Classic was an event not to be missed. The classes were filled to capacity, and the horses and riders are just getting better each year. Many of this year’s riders have purchased horses from overseas, and their level of riding is up to an international standard. Speaking of the competitors in general, organiser Jodi Wolhuter felt that this year’s entries had exceeded all expectations, with the competition reaching its entry limit of 500 horses. Once again the courses were built by Andreas Hollmann from Germany, who is absolutely topclass and builds for shows all over Europe. Craft stalls, a kids’ play area, Nissan vehicles on display and available for test drives, a beer garden, and fabulous food on sale from the Saddle Inn and the Shongweni Club’s restaurant kept everyone entertained.
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER
HQ TALKS TO NISSAN’S MIKE WHITFIELD What does the involvement with showjumping mean to Nissan? It means very much. This is the third year that we have been involved, and I believe every year the level of the show and the number of entrants go up and up. In fact, talking to Jodi Wolhuter about the total number of entries, they had to turn away about 140 – just because of the sheer number of entries. If they had run the show over six days, they would have had more than enough entries to fill the days. That’s just an indication of the popularity of the show. When one considers that you have people coming from all over South Africa, it just shows the strength and support of this great event. Why are you proud to be associated with the Nissan Winter Classic? For Nissan South Africa, we did identify equestrian sport, particularly showjumping, as an activity and a sport that we want to be associated with, and if we look at the shows that are happening all over South Africa, our objective was to pick what we believed would be the top show event in each of the key provinces. At this stage we have a strong activity in Gauteng, we have one down here in Durban, another in Port Elizabeth, and potentially in the future we can expand that. But without a doubt the Nissan Winter Classic and the efforts put in by the team at Shongweni really make it a show that we feel very proud to be associated with. It is really fantastic for Nissan to be involved, and if one looks around and sees the number of people from all over South Africa who are here, it is really worthwhile. It is a great opportunity for people to get out of Johannesburg, especially considering the cold that we have there at the moment. If I look at the effort that everyone has put in to organise this event, it is something that is really special.
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Nicole Horwood on Capital Don Cumarco, winner of the 1.50m Nissan FEI World Cup Qualifier
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ANDREAS HOLLMANN (INTERNATIONAL COURSE DESIGNER) SAYS: “The show is running super and the horses and riders are getting better and better from year to year. This is my fourth year in South Africa. It is so nice to come here, the team works so well and the show improves every year. My courses here are on a par with international courses, the only difference being that overseas the distance between jumps may be a bit tricky.”
KATE LAUNDER (LOCAL COURSE DESIGNER) Kate was the course designer in the Debutante arena, where the younger horses and lower grades took place. She is a very accomplished course designer and has been building at the Nissan Winter Classic for the last few years. She was very complimentary on the number of horses and riders taking part, the new fibre Debutante arena and various other improvements made by the Shongweni Club. Kate travels all over the country, but especially loves coming to KwaZuluNatal, because even though it is very much on par with other big World Cup Qualifiers all over the country, the show’s amazing atmosphere sets it apart from other venues. She enjoyed our beautiful weather this June and was grateful for the Shongweni Club arena staff’s great effort watering and raking after every 40 horses, making the going especially good to give the young horses and novice riders the best opportunity for a confident round. The new warm-up arena made it much easier to accommodate the huge number of horses entered in the show. The challenge she faced was building the tracks to suit young horses and novice riders. This was a difficult task, given that the Debutante arena is a small arena and the tracks had to be built so that rider and horse had enough time and space between the fences to get balanced and ready to jump the next fence. The classes ran smoothly without any hitches, even with a record number of horses and riders, proving that she did a fantastic job!
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Ashton Ensor-Smith (KZN) on Corals Call, winner of the 1.10m class
GONDA BETRIX Walking through the showground, you will find legends like Gonda around, coaching the top riders like Nicole Horwood (winner of this year’s Nissan World Cup Qualifier) and Bronwyn Short (winner of the 1.35m Mini Riders Grand Prix Tour). It was an honour chatting to Gonda about what she thought of the Nissan Winter Classic and the Shongweni Club as a venue. She was very complimentary on the going or footing of the arenas and the beautiful showjumping equipment, saying that this venue is definitely a world-class venue. She enjoyed the tracks prepared by Andreas and said his tracks were challenging but very rideable. She was impressed with the riders’ and horses’ high standard of showjumping, making it challenging for the riders and entertaining for the spectators. Gonda has travelled extensively and competed overseas, and says that our top riders are up there in ability and skill to be competing at world-class level. When I asked her what she thought of giving the top pony riders the chance to compete in this year’s Nissan Winter Classic, she said without hesitation, “Definitely! They are the future
of showjumping and they must be given the opportunity to be part of the Nissan Winter Classic!” She also spoke of the number of top horses and riders competing and said that it is nice to see some Thoroughbreds, as most of the showjumpers are Warmbloods. Sponsors like Nissan have made it possible for the sport to grow as it has over the past few years.
THE SIX-BAR EVENT A big thank you to Nissan – all entry money (R7,000) was donated to the Coastal Horse Care Unit. The prize money was R15,000, but an extra R5,000 was added, bringing it to R20,000 – plus R1,000 to the winning groom. The incredible Team Nissan Nabab Forever jumped 1.95m to win the event, but took it one step further to an outstanding 2m, setting a new South African record. What an incredible feat for a 19-yearold horse. The Six-bar event drew a huge crowd to the Shongweni Club on Sunday, and the same for the Nissan World Cup Qualifier competition on Monday. The grand stands and banks were filled to capacity with over 2,000 people watching the events. Everyone enjoyed the glorious sunshine in KZN at this time of the year.
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER HQ TALKS TO COMPETITORS Kayla Gertenbach
Lara Neill
“Each day they built harder
“I had a problem with stallions
special to me, but I have to
courses to prepare riders for
and stabling on the first night,
say the two Derby wins have
the final championship rounds.
but Jodi managed to sort this
been extra special. The first
I always enjoy coming to this
out.”
win in 2012 was both mine
venue – the atmosphere is
“Every title I have won is
and Capital Don Cumarco’s
amazing, and everyone is
Nicole Horwood
first Derby ever, so it was a
always very helpful. Being
“The Shongweni show is
very proud moment.
a rider and having horses
always very special to me
in both arenas, the judges
because I grew up in Hillcrest
enough to sit on some
are accommodating, and
and have many fond memories
exceptionally talented horses
manage to fit you in early so
of the venue. The facilities
through Capital Stud. Every
that you can compete at the
are great and there is always
horse I ride is different, but
scheduled time and place in
such an exciting atmosphere
no less special. Every horse
the main arena.”
and vibe. Coupled with that
I have owned or ridden has
Nissan have been such great
played a part in getting me
Lorette Knowles-Taylor
sponsors to our sport and the
to where I am today. They
Lorette was the winner of the
Winter Classic has become
all hold a special place in
1.30 Championship riding
an equestrian event not to be
my heart, but without a
Nissan Animous (a 15-year-
missed. The show is always so
doubt Capital Don Cumarco
old) and the winner of the
well run and organised, it’s a
has been the horse to help
Nissan Six-bar competition,
pleasure for us out-of-province
me realise all my dreams.
clearing 2m and setting a new
riders to travel to and attend.
We have an amazing bond
South African record at the
We are very excited about our
and understanding of each
Nissan Winter Classic on Team
new partnership with Mark
other. We know each other
Nissan Nabab Forever.
White Nissan, so to win the
inside out and trust in each
second leg of the World Cup at
other 100%.
She said it was a tough show – the horses did well but
the Nissan Winter Classic was
there weren’t too many clear
also a special win for us.
rounds. Andreas’ courses are
“I have been privileged
“My greatest inspiration has always been Gonda Betrix.
“I feel extremely lucky to
I moved to Johannesburg to
of a very high standard. She
have won everything I have
work for Gonda when I was
spoke very endearingly about
in the last two years. It was
18. She taught me a great
her two rides, saying they are
always a dream of mine
work ethic. Her passion and
legends and that youngsters
growing up to win one of the
drive for excellence has
will admire them one day.
South African titles, so to win
shaped me into the rider
all three in the same year was
I am today.
Jonathan Clark
more than I could ever have
“I think it has been a very well-
dreamt possible. I would love
mine to compete at the
run show and I always enjoy
to win the World Cup Series
Olympics or World Equestrian
Andreas’ courses. They were
– the winner gets to go to the
Games. However, due to
very good about watering and
final and compete against the
quarantine restrictions,
raking between the events. I
best in the world.
it becomes a long and
was also very pleased that I
“It would be a dream of
“I started riding at the
expensive process. Hopefully
managed to bring my horses
age of six at Kings Park
in the near future things may
down to the recent Shongweni
Stables. My dad bought me
change and it may become
show in preparation for this
a Thoroughbred gelding
an achievable goal for
great event.”
called Sherry.
South Africans.”
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Sabrina Barbaglia (GP) on Vision 21, winner of the 1.30m class
NISSAN 1.5M WORLD CUP QUALIFIER The 2014 Nissan Winter Classic ended in fine style on 16 June, following five days of top-class showjumping action. Nicole Horwood on Mark White Nissan Don Cumarco took first place in the main class, claiming top spot in the Nissan World Cup Qualifier. Nicole was followed by Shaun Neill on Clyde Z, with the third spot taken by Peter Morrison on MCSA Alzu Luanda. “The main class – the Nissan 1.5m World Cup Qualifier – was a tough competition with a track built by German course designer Andreas Hollmann. A total of 30 starters fought for the title and the crowd was fabulous in their support, which was rewarded with some exceptional jumping,” said the event’s spokeswoman, Jodi Wolhuter. “Once again the Nissan Winter Classic was a huge success and voted one of the best equestrian events in the country.’
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Michelle Zwonnikoff (GP) on Ulana, winner of the 1.30m KZN Young Riders Championship
Bronwyn Short (GP) on Font Charisma, winner of the 1.35m Mini Riders Grand Prix
Sandra Harcourt-Baldwin (KZN) on Wonderful Dancer, winner of the 80cm class
Catherine Robson (KZN) on V-cachette Vd Dwerse Hagen, winner of the 90cm class
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Kristen Cheney (KZN) on Genuine Crown, winner of the 1.00m class
Peter Morrison (GP) on MCSA Alzu Luanda, winner of the 1.50m Speed class
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER
TEXT: BRIGITTE BILLINGS PHOTOGRAPHY: H2 PHOTOGRAPHY
!FEVER! Callaho auction breaks records in 2014
T
he annual Callaho Warmblood Stud auction, held near Christiana on 31 May, yielded some record results in 2014, with Lissabon son Callaho Le Cadeau (out of a Heartbreaker mare) fetching the staggering price of R750,000. Now in its 6th year, the auction has gone from strength to strength, and this year several lots significantly topped last year’s highest price of R450,000 for the colt Callaho Lansink (Lissabon/ Piquette by Pilot). Previously Benicio progeny have been crowd pullers – and for good reason. The striking liver chestnut won the six-year-old German Bundeschampionate and flew through his Stallion Performance Test with 10s for walk, trot and canter. Lissabon’s strong following on the jumping circuit appears to be paying off, however. Not since Gail Foxcroft’s lovely Lindenberg has a stallion had such an avid fan club… if Lissabon was human he’d probably be gracing the cover of a romance novel. Fortunately for the stud, many of his progeny boast his signature flashy looks – along with his talent on the competition circuit.
A GOOD HORSE… Speaking of looks, breeder Ian CallenderEasby’s bloodline combinations offer something
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for everyone, from elegant bays to leggy greys and fiery chestnuts with lots of chrome. But as any horseman worth his salt will know, a good horse has no colour… and there were good horses aplenty this year. It seems appropriate that many of the stud’s horses are named after cars. Bentley, Bugatti… the names bring to mind high-end horsepower. Non-equestrians might gain some understanding of what horse lovers feel in a stable of this calibre if they imagine walking through a Ferrari showroom. Yet here there are no officious ‘Do not touch’ signs on the merchandise; these young horses love attention and they’re clearly accustomed to being adored.
UNDER THE HAMMER Expecting the usual quiet start to the auction, most weren’t surprised when the first two lots went for modest sums of R100 and R110k. Things took an exciting turn when the classy Callaho Bentley (Benicio out of the Acorado mare A-Capella) was snapped up for R550k – within minutes of the start, the third lot had already eclipsed last year’s top price by R100,000. From here, auction fever took hold – buyers who had budgeted for under R200k seemed destined for disappointment as their favourites went under
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER
The lovely bold grey, Floyd, was sold to a PE buyer for R420k
Forlandus showed his ‘wow’ factor and drew a bid of R450,000 from a Pretoria buyer
Dynamite in small packages – Callaho Let’s Go was bought for R460k
the hammer for prices close to R300,000. The 37 lots sold for an average of R280,000, showing that the market for good quality horses is, at last, looking up. The aptly named Bugatti (by Benicio out of the Pilot mare Tivano) went for R700,000. This freemoving gelding showed his sire’s extravagant movement along with a very respectable jump. Auctioneer’s favourite, Callaho Cento’s Boy (by Olympic jumper Cento out of the Quickstar mare Wanja) was snapped up as Lorette Knowles-Taylor’s new ride for R410k, and we expect to see great things from the leggy grey. Sibling rivalry ensued when Lissabon offspring Lindor and the glamorous Lisola, both out of
the lovely Contender mare Chocolat, earned R380k each, proving consistency of quality from this mating. Long-time Callaho campaigner, For Joy, also made his mark on the group, with the top quality gelding Forlandus (out of Landadel mare La Lune) going for R450,000 and Callaho Floyd, a grey out of Kidria (by Calato), getting R420k. There was something for the juniors too, with several smaller rides in the batch, notably the spunky little Let’s Go, who went for R460k to the Triggol family. Of course, the real highlight was Le Padre, who had drawn attention during the try-outs for his balance and rideability. The leggy bay
show-stopper had bids that literally leaped in R100k increments. Like many of the other Lissabon stock, he displays his sire’s spectacular athleticism and good temperament. Clearly still a youngster with lots of room to mature, this is a horse who looks set to make an impact on the circuit.
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GOOD BUYS While the top prices made the big news, there were also a number of good horses who went for fairly friendly prices. The usual broodmare batch was notably smaller this year; however, they represented customar y good value. Callaho’s Emotion went for just R80k, which is
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Callaho Bentley was the first horse to break the half a million barrier
Buyers bid hotly for Bugatti, who reached a fantastic price of R700,000
Top earner, Callaho Le Cadeau, went for R750,000
an exceptional price for an imported horse by the legendary Escudo I. Her Con Coriano baby on the horizon is the cherry on top. Callaho’s Aline du Reverdy was another surprise. The imported mare sold for R85,000 – probably less than her air ticket to Africa. In addition to being a going horse, she will surely diversify someone’s breeding programme with her interesting bloodlines (Allegreto out of Escalibur, who is by the Galoubet A stallion Qredo de Paulstra). Both these sales marked a noteworthy change from previous auctions, in that this year locallybred horses pulled the big money, rather than the imports who had drawn attention in the
past. This is clearly a testament to the improving quality of the horses being bred in South Africa. It was also surprising to see Callaho Lumos go for R350,000 – a modest price considering this gelding is by Lissabon out of Satine, who is a full sister to Anky van Grunsven’s famous Salinero. The big, uphill chestnut displayed lovely floating paces and a good mind, which should make him a strong contender on the dressage circuit. Benicio fans also had access to some wellpriced options with Bellavida, a sweet junior mare who sold for R75k and Billy Calypso, a favourite on the stud farm, who went for R220k. Callaho West Point boasted top-class bloodlines (Wenckstern out of Ferro mare Fabula) but
sold for only R95k, which is what many local breeders ask for a similarly bred yearling, let alone a going horse. While it could be said that auction fever pushed the prices to new heights, clearly South African buyers are becoming more educated about what works for them. When we spoke to Ian Callendar-Easby at one of his previous auctions, he was adamant that he would stick to his guns by offering horses without a reserve, saying that the market would dictate the prices. Fifteen years after the start of his breeding programme, this philosophy is now working in his favour. Perhaps Callaho 2015 will see their first million dollar (or rand) baby.
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER
Callaho A
A
fter the auction HQ spoke to Ian Callender-Easby and the Callaho team to get their feedback, as well as for some insight into what goes on behind the scenes before the event.
HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR NEXT CROP OF FOALS EACH YEAR IN TERMS OF BLOODLINES, FOR EXAMPLE? An intensive breeding programme is the most important aspect of life at Callaho. Our goal is to breed horses specifically suitable for the three
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WORD
FROM
Olympic disciplines of dressage, jumping and eventing. The mares are strictly selected for their conformation, temperament, movement, jumping ability and pedigree. Our top broodmares have been selected from Europe according to their pedigrees, with a dam-line related to successful sport horses, either successful in international sport themselves or who have produced progeny who are well-known international sport horses. Only the best stallions are used to complement the mares. Progeny of all the broodmares will be evaluated according to type, temperament and conformation. Decisions will then be made to
select a new stallion for the mare, or to proceed with the same matchmakings due to proof on the ground.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE REASON FOR THIS YEAR’S HUGE JUMP IN PRICES? Quality, quality, quality… We are producing the same quality sport horse as anywhere else in the world. This, together with the first Lissabon crop, as well as our recent competition results, especially at President’s Cup. Ian has put a lot of effort into procuring mares with very strong
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The familiar arches of the Callaho Warmblood Stud can be seen throughout the stable yard
The catering hall buzzed with excitement
the average price has increased. The high prices in general were expected due to the amount of interest during try-outs. We don’t expect or want ridiculously high and obviously not low prices either. We do not want to price the horses out of reach and create an idea that Callaho horses are unobtainable.
HOW ARE HORSES GRADED IN TERMS OF RIDER SUITABILITY?
pedigrees and a history of success. Combine this with the fine selection of stallions available and one can now start seeing the results. Any horse who has a strong pedigree, three elastic, true paces and has been professionally produced with a good temperament will be attractive in the equestrian world. Price is determined by the clients and they felt that these horses were worth what the prices were.
Each horse is assessed by Mandy Johnstone and the training team based on suitability for the various disciplines during training. The evaluation incorporates temperament, conformation and athletic characteristics displayed by the horse when unrestricted, under saddle and during several free-jumping tests. A horse will receive up to three stars to show his suitability for jumping, eventing, showing or dressage. Rider compatibility is also decided during this phase. The team will determine whether the horse would suit a novice, competent, skilled or professional rider based on the level of skill required to work with him.
ANY SURPRISES THIS YEAR?
DO YOU PLAN ON BRINGING BENICIO BACK TO SOUTH AFRICA?
Every year a few horses will go for more or less than expected. Most important this year is that
We don’t foresee this in either the short or the medium term. There are many more opportunities
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for him overseas with regard to competition and as a breeding stallion.
WHAT HORSES ARE LINED UP AS SIGNATURE STALLIONS OF THE FUTURE? Con Coriano is definitely a stallion who will be lined up due to his progeny, who show reliable temperament, good rideability, movement and jump. Some of the younger stallions like Casparon, Corinth and Victory For Ever have been bred to a selection of mares and their offspring look very promising, but time will tell when they are performing in the sport.
HOW DO YOU SELECT YOUR NEW BREEDING STOCK (MARES AND STALLIONS)? From the age of two years we introduce the youngstock to free-jumping to assess their natural reactions when confronted by an obstacle and to get an indication of their natural talent, technique, scope and temperament. Fillies will be strictly evaluated at three years of age and the ones with outstanding performance, complemented by a superb pedigree, will be entered into new breeding stock. This assessment is also a critical exercise to the breeding programme, because we can make decisions about which combinations of sire and dam are suitable for our breeding
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER
A view of the action
criteria. Future stallions must have an exceptional pedigree with a solid or proven mare-line, sound conformation, reliable temperament, good rideability, movement and free-jump. Most important is how reliably he passes on his strong points.
HOW ARE YOUNG HORSES PREPARED FOR THE AUCTION?
Dawn Newman, of Kuda Insurance, is an enthusiastic Callaho supporter. The company insured horses bought at the auction
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Before the auction many of the following year’s crop are already started. They are brought in from the lands or camps and each horse is individually assessed and checked for lumps, bumps, movement, conformation, attitude and many other small, but important, aspects. These are all noted and as their training progresses we monitor these initial findings, as well as any illness or other mishaps occurring during the training period. Based on this we can advise clients on what level of rider should ride a particular horse
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A delighted new owner greets Callaho Fandango
The auction drew top names from the South African equestrian world
Callaho Lissabon takes a bow
and what are his strongest disciplines. We try and match horses to riders but for obvious reasons (like auction-based sales) this is not always possible. Obviously, as these are juveniles, their attitude, way of going and ability can and will change due to maturity, training/handling and further schooling. As all our horses are basically handled daily, this means that the backing process is not as traumatic as the old ‘breaking in’ methods. These are not a bunch of wild animals herded in from the fields seeing humans for the first time. This method means a more amiable training acceptance by the horse and fewer injuries to horse and rider. The horses are trained in phases. After each phase we have an in-house evaluation and if the horse passes, he moves on to the next phase. If not, we see where the problem areas are and work on those before he is re-evaluated. The first phase, for example, will include basic
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handling: approach, catching, haltering, tying up (picketing), grooming, feet picked out, unsaddling, blanketing, mounting, dismounting, free-jumping and being able to be ridden on both reins in walk, trot and canter. That’s a lot to ask of a young horse but the breeding shows in their intelligence, willingness and acceptance. As we progress through the phases trotting poles are introduced, as well as small obstacles, outrides and more detailed training. Each phase is evaluated before the horses pass to the next one. Ultimately the horses are under training for more or less a year before we lose some of November, December and January to the inoculation of AHS and the festive season holidays. If a horse passes all his phases as well as two sets of radiographs, continuous veterinary checkups and the final evaluation by our professional
riders, he is then chosen for the photoshoot and auction. There are horses who pass everything but are still considered too immature and these are then withdrawn for the following year. The radiographs classify horses into A, B, C or D categories depending on their findings. ONLY A and B graded horses are sold on the auction. C category can be sold but only after it is fully disclosed and if the condition is not considered detrimental to the horse’s fitness for purpose. All veterinary reports are available for any person to request and peruse, as well as the availability of our stud vet for the entirety of the auction itself. In closing, Callaho does not sell trained, schooled horses. We sell highly bred, medically checked, basically worked youngstock who is able to leave the farm in a state of readiness for their equestrian careers.
AUCTION RESULTS 1. Callaho’s Ludo Calypso (Lissabon/Calypso II/Werther) R100k to Cape Town 2. Callaho’s For Play (For Joy/Land Earl/Pyrmont xx) R110k to Cape Town 3. Callaho’s Bentley (Benicio/Acorado/Cor de la Bryere) R550k to Cape Town 4. Callaho’s Commander (imp) (Comte/Contender/Alme Star) R185k to Gauteng 5. Callaho’s For Giselle (For Joy/Granulit/Dageraad) R65k to Gauteng 6. Callaho’s Leganté (Lissabon/Embassy I/Don Juan) R320k to Cape Town 7. Callaho’s First Flower (imp) (Fürst Romancier/Archipel/Karon) R150k to Cape Town 8. Callaho’s Fortuity (For Joy/Land Earl/Lost Chord xx) R90k to North West 9. Callaho’s Chacco Gay Z (Chacco Blue/Jalienny AA/Roslem II AA) R230k to Gauteng 10. Callaho’s Contiki (Con Coriano/Capitol II/Pikoer) R350k to Gauteng 11. Callaho’s For Scotty in foal to Larison (For Joy/Crown Collection xx/Big John Taylor xx) R70k to Gauteng 12. Callaho’s Emotion (imp) in foal to Con Coriano (Escudo I/Drosselklang II/Accord II) R80k to Gauteng 13. Callaho’s Luigi Vella (Lissabon/Raphael/Watzmann) R200k to Cape Town 14. Callaho’s Aline du Reverdy (imp) (Allegreto/Qredo de Paulstra/Brick) R85k to Cape Town 15. Callaho’s Fargo Wells (For Joy/Land Earl/Trocadero xx) R190k to Gauteng 16. Callaho’s Billy Calypso (Benicio/Calypso II/Werther) R220k to Gauteng 17. Callaho’s Lisola (Lissabon/Contender/Capitol I) R380k to Gauteng 18. Callaho Faith (For Joy/Libero H/Pilot) R95k to Gauteng 19. Callaho Commanche Withdrawn 20. Callaho Le Cadeau (Lissabon/Heartbreaker/Indoctro) R750k to Gauteng 21. Callaho Lindor (Lissabon/Contender/Capitol I) R380k to Gauteng 22. Callaho Brando (Burggraaf/Alme Z/Landgraf I) R290k to Pretoria 23. Callaho West Point (Wenckstern x Ferro x Ramirez Furi) R95k to Gauteng 24. Callaho Bugatti (Benicio/Iroko/Burggraaf) R700k to Cape Town 25. Callaho Femme Nikita (For Joy/Stakkato/Argentinus) R280k to Gauteng 26. Callaho Let’s Go (Lissabon/Grannus/Alme Z) R460k to Gauteng 27. Callaho Cento’s Boy (Cento/Quick Star/Jalisco B) R400k to Gauteng 28. Callaho Farrah (For Joy/Broad Reach xx/Our Caseys Boy xx) R210k to Gauteng 29. Callaho’s Cassiopeia (imp) (Cassini II/Acord II/Zeus) R340k to Gauteng 30. Callaho Fandango (For Joy/Hobnob xx/Key to the Mint xx) R170k to Gauteng 31. Callaho Connair Withdrawn 32. Callaho Bellavida (Benicio/Rubin/Budapest xx) R75k to Cape Town 33. Callaho Floyd (For Joy/Calato/Masetto) R420k to Port Elizabeth 34. Callaho For Quita in foal to Corinth (For Joy/Quidam’s Rubin/Grosso Z) R110k to Gauteng 35. Callaho Cassina Withdrawn 36. Callaho Lumos (Lissabon/Salieri/Lungau) R360k to Pretoria 37. Callaho Con Calypso (Con Coriano/Calypso II/Werther) R260k to Pretoria 38. Callaho Forlandus (For Joy/Landadel/Grannus) R450k to Pretoria 39. Callaho Billabong (Benicio/Ferro/Clifton) R265k to Cape Town 40. Callaho Le Padre (Lissabon/Padinus/Calato) R410k to Gauteng
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER
dressage FEI CDI 3*
TEXT: BRIGITTE BILLINGS PHOTOGRAPHY: MANDY SCHRÖDER DRESSAGEAFRICA
South African riders polish their performance
T
he FEI Dressage CDI 3* and FEI CPEDI 3* World Equestrian Games Qualifier, held at Kyalami Equestrian Park from 13 to 18 May 2014, saw more polished performances from South Africa’s riders. The previous FEI event, held in September last year, was highly anticipated, providing many of our local equestrians with their first taste of the pressure of an internationally-affiliated event. Others who had already competed abroad were given a much-needed chance to compete under the scrutiny of top-level judges. Although the first show proved to be daunting to some riders, the recent event presented a calmer picture. Most tests were more confidently ridden with greater attention to accuracy.
RIDER’S PERSPECTIVE
The coveted purple rosettes of the FEI
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Held over three days, the show was a true test of stamina for horse and rider alike. While some used it to their advantage, allowing frazzled nerves to settle, others grew aware of gaps in their training as horses tired, yielding less sparkling performances by the final day. Adriaan van Wyk and his imported gelding, Othello 216, dominated the ‘Big Tour’, winning the Inter II and the Grand Prix before nabbing the Freestyle on day three. Hot on his heels were Joy Morf-Studiger with Dreamer T (who recently moved here after riding on the Swiss team), Andrea Harrison on Marinier and Candice Hobday with Filina, who repeatedly vied for second and third place during the course of the show. The ever-classy Dominey Alexander and Don Natiello had an equally convincing win in the ‘Small Tour’, with firsts in the Prix St Georges, Inter I and Freestyle classes. Fellow competitors
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THE JUDGES’ PERSPECTIVE An event of this calibre requires oversight by FEI
On home soil
judges – a necessity which adds to the expense
Sharon Rhode’s life story reads like something
of running such a show, but it brings with it the
out of an equestrian romance novel. Having lived,
advantage of providing riders with a world-class
ridden and judged in South Africa, Sharon attended
panel of officials. During the event, HQ spoke to
a show in Aachen where she met the man of her
Gotthilf Riexinger and Sharon Rhode to get their
dreams. “My husband and I met on a grandstand
impressions.
while watching a magnificent piaffe. I said, ‘That
As the event director of the Stuttgart CDI-W,
has to be a 10.’ He said, ‘I agree.’ We married a
German 5* judge Gotthilf Riexinger has a good
year later,” she smiles, saying that her stepson
understanding of the complications of equine
presented them with lifelong tickets to Aachen as a
event management. On the other hand, he also
reminder of their first meeting.
has extensive experience with the ‘developing’
emphasises that she could only do it for love. But
Kazakhstan, among others. In his opinion, South
she took full advantage of the move. Already a
Africa has a lot to be proud of. “I think this is a
judge while she lived here, she has since judged
fantastic facility with excellent modern footing,”
at the biggest and best shows in the world – a
he tells us. “I was also very impressed with the
privilege she wishes other SA judges could be
surroundings here in Kyalami – there are horses
exposed to. “I live in the culture,” she says. “My
everywhere!”
husband is a Grand Prix rider and his mother
He has sensible advice for riders which,
was a Grand Prix rider and a judge too. I have the
as a fellow equestrian, he is happy to share.
privilege of having a GP horse at home on which to
“The quality of the tests can improve,” he
experience all the moves, but the pressure of the
acknowledges, but adds that SA riders are open
show is something else.”
to suggestion. “I made a lot of comments on the
She emphasises the importance of the piaffe,
sheets and I saw riders really reading them. This
passage, one-time changes and canter pirouettes
was wonderful because I saw riders improve
in the top levels – areas that require work on the
over the course of the show. It’s so important to
SA circuit. Sharon advises more attention to riding
be willing to learn and accept positive criticism.
from an elastic seat into an elastic and sympathetic
I was also very impressed with the quality of
hand but reminds us that these are issues that
judging from local judges,” he says in reference
affect riders worldwide. “South Africa is not alone
to the shadow judging. “Rarely have I had such
in its problems,” she says. “At the lower levels they
good judges to work with.”
happen in Europe too.” Televised coverage of the
He expressed concern over the fact that in
Scenes from the show
Sharon left Africa with a heavy heart and
equestrian nations, such as Japan and
crème de la crème of international horse sport may
general riders were too strong in the hand and
give the impression that all European riders have
horses’ mouths were too tense. “I would like
these skills but this isn’t always the case.
to see a little more kindness in the hands,”
Sharon adds another ingredient in the success
Dominique Tardin on Sue Cullen’s stallion Wenzel R and Anthea Michaletos on the lovely Ulivia STV gave him a run for his money with both producing consistent tests.
he says, adding that fitness could also be
mix. “Many riders overseas work with their trainers
assessed. “There were one or two tired horses
every day. These ‘eyes on the ground’ make all
by the end of the show.”
the difference. Also, a coach must have ridden the
SPECTATORS’ PERSPECTIVE The Freestyle Musical Kurs have improved dramatically across the board. Worldwide this is a crowd puller and South African organisers were wise to take advantage of their popularity, teaming them with a ringside VIP lunch. This drew dressage lovers as well as members of the showjumping fraternity, who attended
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He has some pleasing comments, saying that
moves themselves in order to train them. Advanced
he had the opportunity to award some eights to
moves such as piaffe must be taught with patience,
riders. “Our aim is to improve riders for Grand
one step at a time.”
Prix, which is why we allowed all of them to
Ultimately the best way to improve our riders
compete regardless of whether they qualified.
would be to send young talent abroad, and we’ve
The experience is very valuable.”
seen increasingly good things from South Africans
“Most of our judging was in line with our
overseas. But for those who remain, all is not lost.
colleagues’,” he says of the judging among his
“I have the utmost admiration for the effort and
peers. “Having judges at several points means
dogged determination that South African riders
that mistakes won’t be missed.”
display to get to this level,” she says.
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER 1
6
7
8
2
3
9
4 10 1 Winners of the Big Tour – Adriaan van Wyk and Othello 216 2 Candice Hobday and her lovely mare Filina competed well in the Big Tour 3 Dominey Alexander on Don Natiello won the Small Tour 4 An emotional ride – Dominique Tardin’s musical kur to the theme from August Rush on Sue Cullen’s Wenzel R 5 Trudy Marsland and Orion, winners of the Medium Tour 5 6 Moira Becker, Rose Michelatos, Anthea Michelatos and Alexandra Becker enjoying the atmosphere of the show
11
7 Sue Horne with FEI Judge, Anne Gribbons 8 FEI Judge Freddy Leyman, FEI Judge Sharon Rhode, SA Judge Ernst Holtz and FEI Judge Bo Ahman 9 Event organiser Lynda Records (right) enjoying a wellearned break with a friend 10 Dominey Alexander switched to showjumping gear to compete in the Qualifier immediately after his dressage class! 11 A VIP course walk of the World Cup Qualifier Course was hosted by popular Rogen Asken
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CLASS RESULTS
THE FREESTYLE MUSICAL KURS HAVE IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY ACROSS THE BOARD
DSA Elementary-Medium 3
FEI Intermediate I Freestyle
(Judges: C – U Schutz, B – B Ahman)
(Judges: E – A Gribbons, H – G Riexinger, C – B
1 Kirsten Wing on Eagles Levi Strauss with
Ahman, M – S Rhode, B – F Leyman)
67.742% 2 Andrea Harrison on Voscar with 66.935% 3 Siobhan Records on Lebensfroh R with 66.935%
the equally prestigious Showjumping World Cup Qualifier, sponsored by Knowles Hussein Lindsay Attorneys. With the exception of a technical error with the music on the final day, organisation was audience-friendly and the show drew respectable crowds in spite of chilly weather. Smart touches included a giant screen which displayed riders in action, and clear views from the grandstands. Picnickers are still hard-pressed to find a suitable spot to see over the barrier surrounding the arena, but well-placed tables are a good alternative. International judges at the event were pleased with the running of the show, complimenting the excellent facilities and footing. They advised that future events could benefit from some extra features for non-equestrian visitors, such as simple explanations of the sport by announcers. Another suggestion was to computerise results and broadcast them on the big screen as soon as possible to capitalise on audience participation. While these would certainly improve upcoming events, the kurs were still a pleasure to watch. Classes were large enough to provide an engaging display and competitors are becoming more adventurous with music choices, with several introducing new pieces. In the Small Tour, Candice Hobday and Dominey Alexander both added a cheeky touch to their performances – crowds loved the revving engine as Don Natiello extended down the long side during his Rocky Horror kur, while Filina was suitably delighted to dance to It’s Raining Men. On the opposite end of the emotional scale, Dominique Tardin’s August Rush theme was beautifully touching. Technical hiccoughs and weather aside, May’s FEI CDI 3* event was a pleasure to attend and the stage looks set for good things to come. For a full report of riders’ performances, visit dressageafrica.com.
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1 Dominey Alexander on Don Natiello with 67.25% 2 Anthea Michaletos on Ulivia STV with 67.18% 3 Dominique Tardin on Wenzel R with 66.18%
DSA Elementary-Medium 4
FEI Intermediate A
(Judges: E – F Leyman, C – E Holtz)
(Judges: E – F Leyman, H – S Rhode, C – B
1 Andrea Harrison on Voscar with 64.609%
Ahman, M – A Gribbons, B – G Riexinger)
2 Kirsten Wing on Eagles Levi Strauss with
1 Trudy Marsland on Orion with 57.114%
64.219% 3 Siobhan Records on Lebensfroh R with 64.063%
FEI Intermediate B (Judges: E – S Rhode, H – B Ahman, C – F Leyman, M – G Riexinger, B – A Gribbons)
DSA Medium 3
1 Trudy Marsland on Orion with 59.69%
(Judges: E – Adendorff, H – A Gribbons, C – Mawhinney)
FEI Intermediate II
1 Karen Keller on Hemmingway with 70.052%
(Judges: E – S Rhode, H – F Leyman, C – A
2 Karen Keller on Rathmor Napoleon with
Gribbons, M – G Riexinger, B – B Ahman)
67.552% 3 Siobhan Records on Milmac El Encanto Tercio with 64.688%
1 Adriaan van Wyk on Othello 216 with 62.605% 2 Joy Morf-Studiger on Dreamer T with 58.763% 3 Andrea Harrison on Marinier with 57.105%
DSA Medium 4 (Judges: H – Adendorff, C – F Leyman, B –
FEI Grand Prix
Bruckner)
(Judges: E – B Ahman, H – S Rhode, C – G
1 Karen Keller on Hemmingway with 65.972%
Riexinger, M – A Gribbons, B – F Leyman)
2 Robyn Andrews on Principal Leonardo Da
1 Adriaan van Wyk on Othello 216 with 61.46%
Vinci with 63.519%
2 Candice Hobday on Filina with 60.08%
3 Georgina Roberts on Mambo N with 63.380%
3 Joy Morf-Studiger on Dreamer T with 59.3%
Prix St George
FEI Grand Prix Freestyle
(Judges: E – G Riexinger, H – Adendorff, C – S
(Judges: E – B Ahman, H – S Rhode, C – A
Rhode, M – Mawhinney, B – A Gribbons)
Gribbons, M – F Leyman, B – G Riexinger)
1 Dominey Alexander on Don Natiello with
1 Adriaan van Wyk on Othello 216 with 64.73%
67.61%
2 Candice Hobday on Filina with 63.48%
2 Dominique Tardin on Wenzel R with 65.55% 3 Anthea Michaletos on Ulivia STV with 64.82% FEI Intermediate I (Judges: E – A Gribbons, H – G Riexinger, C – Addendorf, M – Mawhinney, B – S Rhode) 1 Dominey Alexander on Don Natiello with 65.5% 2 Dominique Tardin on Wenzel R with 64.55% 3 Anthea Michaletos on Ulivia STV with 63.55%
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER
AGAINST ALL
TEXT: BRIGITTE BILLINGS PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE BILLINGS
odds Tamsin Mbatsha-Bouwer – dancing with horses
T
amsin Mbatsha-Bouwer may cover ground on unsteady legs, but when she gets on a horse, she can dance. Born premature at 27 weeks, Tamsin weighed just 950 grams when she was taken into hospital care. Adopted at three months, her parents soon learned that their precious bundle would bring them some challenging life lessons. “We knew something was wrong at about six months of age when her limbs seemed to be stiffening,” says mom Glenda Bouwer. Tamsin was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a condition characterised by abnormal muscle tone, reflexes, motor development and coordination. At four, doctors advised that Tamsin would never walk.
TIME TO FLY
The glamorous Miss Mbatsha-Bouwer and KEC Garfield after their class
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Not one to take such news lightly, horse-lover Glenda took Tamsin for riding lessons. Holding on to the lead rein of a pony for support, the little girl slowly gained control of her legs. By nine she was independently mobile. More than this, she was proficient in the saddle – walk, trot, canter, jump...Tamsin could fly! At 15, when she attended a clinic held at Kinvara Equestrian Centre in Kyalami, dressage rider and instructor Kate Laird was captivated by the plucky child. “I wanted to show them I could canter,” laughs Tamsin. The pony she was working with had other ideas, repeatedly bucking her off! Like any good horsewoman, she got straight back on and finished the clinic. That night, Kate contacted the girl’s parents and offered to sponsor her dressage lessons. It was the start of a beautiful partnership. Ten days later, under Kate’s guidance, Tamsin competed at her first para dressage show at the Nissan Easter Festival. Riding KEC Garfield, Tamsin took second place.
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SPONSORS Tamsin thanks the following sponsors for helping her on her journey: Western Shoppe for all her clothing. Her physio, Roseanne le Jeune. Garfield’s physio Caty Greve. Jaco Fourie for tirelessly working on her musical kur. Kerry Brannigan for funding.
NO LOOKING BACK A month later she entered her next show in the prestigious international FEI CPEDI 3* World Equestrian Games Qualifier. Against seasoned competitors, she not only won her class, but she did it minus her right stirrup. With little muscle control in her legs, Tamsin rides with her feet fastened into her stirrups, and when one foot came loose at the start of her test, she wasn’t able to lean down to retrieve it. An unflappable big match temperament combined with her riding skill won her top marks – and the attention of the selection committee. Shortly after the event, Tamsin was invited to compete at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, an accolade reserved for the world’s top equestrians. It couldn’t happen to a nicer person. Despite overcoming incomprehensible obstacles, Tamsin
Tamsin in action…note the missing stirrup!
RESULTS OF THE FEI CPEDI 3* CLASSES FEI Grade 1B Team Test (Judges: E – F Leyman, C – C Potts, M – B Ahman)
DESPITE OVERCOMING INCOMPREHENSIBLE OBSTACLES, TAMSIN HAS A SHARP WIT AND BOUNDLESS OPTIMISM
1 Marion Milne on Baron with 66.6% 2 Sarah Hughes on Rival with 61.33%
2 Anthea Coullie on Cellehof Timothy with 60.143% 3 Shani de Beer on Wow’s Yellowood with 58.095%
3 Nicole Sanders on Majuba with 59.40% FEI Grade II Freestyle FEI Grade 1B Individual Test
(Judges: E – B Ahman, H – C Potts, C – F Leyman)
(Judges: E – C Potts, C – F Leyman, M – B Ahman)
1 Michelle Levison on Siglavy Cimbola with
1 T amsin Mbatsha-Bouwer on KEC Garfield with 60.575% 2 Nicole Sanders on Majuba with 59.195%
68.66% 2 Shani de Beer on Wow’s Yellowood with 61.833%
3 Marion Milne on Baron with 59.080% FEI Grade IV Team Test
has a sharp wit and boundless optimism. “I would love to make my name internationally,” she says, shyly admitting that the Rio Olympics are in her sights. Her only regret is that her disability compels her to ride in a para grading that doesn’t allow canter work for safety reasons. To be fair, she has no movement in her hips, so it’s a sensible restriction, however, Tamsin has never let that stop her from mastering abilities that many able-bodied riders struggle with. Her mother tells us she won her first jumping show without stirrups too. “I don’t know how I do it,” Tamsin explains. “I just ride.” A perfectionist at heart, dressage is a good choice for this determined young woman, but ever the pragmatist, she has another career choice up her sleeve. “I want to be a criminal profiler!” she grins. Whatever she chooses, we’re pretty sure she’ll make her name.
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FEI Grade 1B Freestyle
(Judges: E – F Leyman, C – C Potts, M – B Ahman)
(Judges: E – B Ahmen, C – F Leyman, H – C Potts)
1 Judy Rous on Henham Rakesh with 62.3%
1 Nicole Sanders on Majuba with 65.83%
2 Vicky Ford on Brandbach Lilja with 60.6%
2 T amsin Mbatsha-Bouwer on KEC Garfield with 58.416%
FEI Grade IV Individual Test (Judges: E – C Potts, C – F Leyman, M – B Ahman)
FEI Grade II Team Test
1 Judy Rous on Henham Rakesh with 61.825%
(Judges: E – F Leyman, C – C Potts, M – B Ahman)
2 Victoria Ford on Brandbach Lilja with 60.040%
1 Shani de Beer on Wow’s Yellowood with 63.73% 2 Michelle Lavenson on Siglavy Cimbola with 62.5% 3 Anthea Coullie on Cellehof Timothy with
FEI Grade IV Freestyle (Judges: E – B Ahman, H – C Potts, C – F Leyman) 1 Judy Rous on Henham Rakesh with 65.911% 2 Victoria Ford on Brandbach Lilja with 60.83%
59.51% FEI Grade II Individual Test (Judges: E – C Potts, C – F Leyman, M – B Ahman) 1 Michelle Levison on Siglavy Cimbola with 63.286%
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HQ COMPETITION HORSE FOR THE COMPETITIVE RIDER
WINNERS INCLUDED Pony Rider First Ridden: Daniella Ribeno – Waterside Bronze Token Pony Rider Welcome Test: Harry Butcher – Waterside Storm Lantern Pony Rider Novice Test: Ashleigh Sova – Wilgerus Thorne Pony Rider winners: Mikaila Fintelman – Top Notch, Tumi Mosiah – Frangelica and Kiara Tayne van Jaarsveld – Kartouche van Stal Le Cheval TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY: RITA SOROUR
THE MARK WHITE NISSAN EQUITATION SUPER LEAGUE Second leg held at Kyalami Equestrian Park on 13 April 2014
T
he second leg of the Mark White Nissan Equitation Super League Series once again proved (as evidenced through the number of entries) that equitation is a growing and popular discipline. The third leg was held on 19 and 20 July, and the finals will be held on 16 and 17 August 2014. Our next issue will show the rankings. Equitation is the only equestrian sport that judges the style and ability of the rider rather than the horse. My own daughter started riding when she was five years old. I was completely inexperienced in the equestrian world, and knew very little about equitation. Now four years into the sport, I truly believe that equitation is a very important discipline. If our children are not taught to ride correctly, injury to both rider and horse can occur. I have seen young children and ponies winning showjumping competitions, but at a cost to their safety and future development. Equitation encompasses all the basic training so that our youngsters can go on to become worldclass riders. Mark White Nissan is making a name for itself in equestrian circles through numerous sponsorships, but we are grateful for this particular sponsorship that starts at the grass roots level with the children.
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Nicole Theron, another equestrian mom, said that the flatwork part of equitation teaches our children to work the ponies correctly, thereby developing the correct muscles needed by our ponies to be healthy and fit. This in turn makes for happier teams when they move into other disciplines. Kelly Noones, one of the coaches, had the following to add: “Equitation is a wonderful discipline that has the excitement of jumping and the grace and elegance of dressage, combining them into a sport that requires style, effectiveness and skill. When judging, I like to see a rider who rides in a well-organised way and shows forethought with a calm, logical approach to the task at hand.” As mentioned in the previous article (HQ88), Mark White Nissan sponsored the Super League Series because of its importance in developing South African equestrian talent. Mark White Nissan also sponsored Nicole Horwood on Capital Colnardo, who retained her title as the Nissan SA Outdoor Grand Prix Champion. It is clear that Mark White Nissan is committed to help grow equestrian sport and horse welfare in South Africa through sponsorships.
Pony Rider Intermediate Test: Nicola Ho-Tong – Paisley Cinnabar Irish Glow Pony Rider Open Test: Jennifer Abbott – Henham Polo Junior Welcome Test: Tatum Hoffmann – Dancing Duel Junior Novice Test: Ane Rautenbach – Assegai Winterdance from Namibia Junior Intermediate Test: Nita Pallett – Bullsport Darius from Namibia Junior Open Test: Danielle Lemmer – Callaho Elmo Adult Novice Test: Kirsty Rault – Seeis Avard Adult Intermediate Test: Helen Meyer – Alzu Outward Bound Judges included: Chad Cunningham Amy Billet Claudia Vrettas Mirja Horsthemke Eleanor Wear Anya Moller Rebecca Harrison Keith Spargo Arnold Botha Danielle van Vuuren Thank you to our sponsor, competitors and judges! And a special thanks to the behindthe-scenes coordinators.
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p35 WHO IS LEADING? Winners of the first four legs of the 2014 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series
HQ INTERNATIONAL FURUSIYYA NATIONS CUP SERIES
Guy Williams on Zaire is a member of the winning British team in St Gallen, Switzerland
Battle TEXT: LOUISE PARKES PHOTOGRAPHY: KATJA STUPPIA/FEI, DIRK CAREMANS/FEI, ERIC KNOLL/FEI AND STEFANO SECCHI/FEI
OF THE NATIONS The first four legs of this year’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series HQ|90
T
he historic FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series was given a new, more global format in 2013 when a sponsorship deal with the Saudi Equestrian Fund led it to be renamed the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series. The inaugural season (2013) was a resounding success. Under the new rules, the world has been divided into six regions for the purpose of qualifying teams for a world final. The six regions are Europe (Divisions 1 and 2), North and Central America and Caribbean, South America, Middle East, Asia and Africa. Here follows an account of this season’s first four legs for Europe’s Division 1.
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HQ INTERNATIONAL FURUSIYYA NATIONS CUP SERIES circuit this year and has a few surprises of its own. The big grass arena provides a very natural environment with its permanent Derby fences, trees and wide open spaces, but for some horses coming out of the long winter indoor season it can prove a little overwhelming. For the Swiss however, it was all a breeze, having achieved their victory without ever having to call out their fourth-line rider, Olympic champion Steve Guerdat, who watched from the sidelines as his teammates were foot-perfect from start to finish.
THE COURSE The 12-fence course designed by Italy’s Uliano Vezzani came in for high praise from the winning side. “Horses are inclined to be a little different in the second round and get tired at the end. That makes it difficult, but we had enough clear rounds and no dramas today,” said winning team member Schwizer. “The last line was difficult – from nine to 10 and from 11 to 12 – but we had good horses and good riders who know how to ride a difficult line, so they jumped it well. I’m happy. Speed wasn’t an issue, the time is 400 metres a minute and you shouldn’t have to change the time. The course builder has to build the fences to test the riders, not just to play with the time allowed,” Schwizer added.
Swiss rider Paul Estermann on Castlefield Eclipse
FRANCE WINS THE SECOND LEG IN LA BAULE, FRANCE
The winning Swiss team with HE Ambassador Al Ahmed: Chef d’Equipe Andy Kistler, Pius Schwizer, Romain Duguet, Paul Estermann and Steve Guerdat in Lummen
SWITZERLAND WINS THE FIRST LEG IN LUMMEN, BELGIUM The Swiss team of Pius Schwizer, Romain Duguet, Paul Estermann and Steve Guerdat swept to victory at the opening leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Europe Division 1 league in Lummen, Belgium on 2 May. The defending champions from France very nearly pushed them to a third-round jump-off against the clock, but a last-to-go error from Penelope Leprevost saw her side having to settle for runner-up spot, while Ireland and Belgium rallied brilliantly
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in the second round to share third place in the final analysis. The Dutch team was contesting the lead with a zero score at the halfway stage, but their effort collapsed in round two, so they finished fifth ahead of the Spanish who enjoyed mixed fortunes on the day. And Sweden lined up seventh ahead of the British side who finished last of the eight competing nations. The Belgian venue, which is home to brothers Pete and Luke Postelmans, is new to the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Europe Division 1
There were big celebrations when the defending series champions from France clinched the victory in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2014 competition on home ground at La Baule on 16 May. With just 99 days to go to the opening of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy (FRA), it was the perfect result for the country that will play host to the equestrian world. “It is always great to win in front of your home crowd, but this means even more!” said French Chef d’Equipe Philippe Guerdat. “This will help to motivate everyone – the riders, the public and everyone else – when they see that we in France are really strong and really competitive ahead of the WEG. I’m very happy with the way things went,” he added. However, before they earned their spot on the top step of the prize-winners’ podium, the French first had to quell a spirited performance
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from a strong Belgian side that eventually settled for runner-up spot in this second leg of the Europe Division 1 series. Ireland and Great Britain finished joint third, while the Spanish rallied brilliantly to share fifth with Brazil and the Netherlands. For Switzerland however, it was in complete contrast to their winning effort at Lummen, Belgium two weeks before when they finished last at the end of a disappointing day.
THE COURSE French course designer Frederic Cottier set out a straightforward track that jumped well all afternoon. Most horses showed boundless enthusiasm as they took on the 12-fence challenge in the big, open grass arena. One of the most spectacular of all was the 12-year-old Oldenburg stallion Armitages Boy, who cruised to a double-clear for Frenchman Aymeric de Ponnat – one of seven double-performances. It may not have been complicated, but the track was plenty big enough with the double – oxer to vertical with water-tray – at four claiming a number of victims while the next line of two big
Aymeric De Ponnat of France riding Armitages Boy
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oxers also proved influential. They were followed by a right-hand turn to a blue vertical at fence seven, which led on to the open water at eight and another big, wide oxer at fence nine before turning a full circle to the white vertical with water tray just three from home. However, the obstacle that proved the most testing was the triple combination at 11 – vertical, oxer, vertical – which was short-strided and required maximum control before tackling the final vertical.
BELGIUM WINS THE THIRD LEG IN ROME, ITALY A Belgian team consisting of a veteran and three super-talented young riders broke the mould to win the third leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Europe Division 1 series. Belgium had never before headed the Nations Cup lineup at Piazza di Siena during the 82-year history of this great horse show, so it was a proud moment for the side led by Chef d’Equipe Kurt Gravemeier, and for the most senior member of the side, 50-year-old Ludo Philippaerts. Ludo
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experienced a disastrous second round, but watched his 20-year-old son Nicola clinch it for his country. As Ludo Philippaerts explained later, Belgian expectations were not too high before the competition began. “When I saw the start list I thought it was going to be a very difficult day for us – a great German and Dutch team, the best of the English, and we are bringing three very young riders, some of them for their very first Nations Cup!” But they flew their country’s flag with all the passion that makes this sport so popular around the globe, pinning a strong team from the Netherlands into second place by a one-fault margin, while Germany had to settle for third. The British looked like the hottest ticket in town with the two leading riders on the Longines rankings, Scott Brash and Ben Maher, each competing their top horses and joined by Michael Whitaker and the recently on-form Joe Clee. But Clee had a very difficult day and it fell apart for them in the second round to leave them in fourth place. Last year’s Rome winners from Ukraine finished fifth, while there was a shock result for
French rider Penelope Leprevost on Dame Blanche Van Arenbeg
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HQ INTERNATIONAL FURUSIYYA NATIONS CUP SERIES BRITAIN WINS THE FOURTH LEG IN ST GALLEN, SWITZERLAND
Niels Bruynseels riding Pommeau du Heup for the Belgian team
Belgian rider Constant van Paeschen on Citizenguard Toscan de Sainte
France when slotting into sixth. Their chances disappeared in the opening round, and there was simply no way back. Qatar slotted into seventh spot, while the host nation of Italy finished last of the eight competing nations.
THE COURSE Any course created by Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani is to be respected, and the expression on the faces of the riders after the course walk already told a story. Vezzani has a unique ability to keep it simple, yet to test the best and come out with the right result. This time he stretched them over enormous oxers and then asked them to be balanced and in control at massive uprights. “It’s a brilliant track,” said London 2013 Olympic team gold medallist Peter Charles, who would watch the competition from the sidelines. “Uliano has built it big but it’s a really fair course because the size of the arena gives them plenty of room to get themselves right for the fences. They just have to jump them!” he added.
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In one of the most exciting battles of the season so far, a determined British team pipped Spain by a single point to win the fourth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Europe Division 1 League at St Gallen in Switzerland. The host country sent out a crack side that seemed destined to dominate, but in the final analysis they had to settle for fourth place behind Sweden and just ahead of the Ukrainians who slotted into fifth. The Belgians, who had been on a roll over the previous weeks, lost their grip in the second round, dropping from third place at the halfway stage to finish sixth, while the defending series champions from France lined up seventh ahead of the Netherlands in eighth place. From a starting field of eight nations there were five chasing points towards the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2014 final, which will take place in Barcelona, Spain in October. Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and Ukraine were all on a points-gathering mission, and this leg’s result has promoted the Spanish to fourth place going into the next round at Rotterdam, Netherlands.
THE COURSE Swiss course designer Gerard Lachat set them a tough task, with the original time allowed of 78 seconds increased to 80 seconds after the first three riders had completed the track. With big, bold jumping required to clear the wide oxers on good but yielding ground it still remained difficult to make the time however, and that proved highly influential as the competition evolved. Troublespots included the rustic planks that followed the triple combination, which consisted of a big opening oxer on one stride to a vertical and a short two strides to another big oxer on the way out. Most of the fences were located on bending lines, and with the time so tight riders were frequently obliged to take fences at an angle which didn’t always pay off. There was an S-bend from the opening oxer to the following vertical and the oxer at fence three before riders turned back to line up for the double – a vertical with water tray followed by an oxer – and then on to the open water, which was a not inconsiderable 4.10m wide. Most riders went on a forward seven strides down to the water, but some opted for a normal
Spencer Roe riding Wonder Why for the British team in St Gallen, Switzerland
eight and then went on to the white oxer at fence six before looping left-handed to the vertical at seven and then the triple combination. After the tricky planks at nine there were just three fences left, and with time to be taken into account many had to put the foot to the floor on the circle to the oxer at 10 and left-handed again down the final line, which was an oxer at 11 and a vertical to finish.
NATIONS CUP FACTS • The Longines Spring Classic of Flanders at Lummen, Belgium presented Round 1 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Europe Division 1 series on 2 May. • FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping celebrates 105 years in 2014. • Among the competing teams in Rome (third leg) were the British riders holding first and second places on the Longines World Rankings, Scott Brash and Ben Maher, along with newly crowned Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion Daniel Deusser from Germany. • During the fourth leg in Switzerland, Belgium fielded the youngest team of riders – 18-year-old Jos Verlooy and 20-year-old twin brothers Nicola and Olivier Philippaerts were joined by reigning world champion Philippe Le Jeune who is 53 years of age.
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WESTERN RIDING
chores COWBOY
IN THE SHOW ARENA TEXT: DEBORAH ANN BUCHAN PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY
All about the Western disciplines of team penning and ranch sorting
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ombine cattle, horses and riders in a fast-paced arena event that requires teamwork, horsemanship, and the ability to read cattle, and you have the ingredients for team penning and ranch sorting. Team penning and ranch sorting are Western equestrian sports that are the arena equivalents of the actual work done on the range when moving cattle. The two competitions are regulated internationally by the United States Team Penning Association (USTPA) which was formed in 1993. The USTPA is recognised as the International Association of Team Penners and Ranch Sorters and sets the standards for competitions worldwide.
FAMILY FUN According to Executive Director Meredith van Benthuysen, “We are committed to creating a fun, family-oriented atmosphere that ensures the welfare of the animals and fair competition for the riders. The camaraderie and goodwill displayed at our events reflect the success of the mission of our association. We are more than just a bunch of people chasing cattle for money. We are a family of horsemen and -women who value the lessons learned from riding as teams and taking ownership of our results.”
A TEAM SPORT These two sports are appealing to people who want to participate in cattle classes and enjoy horse-related team sports, because practice does not require the large numbers of ‘fresh’ cattle needed for cutting. Also, entire families can compete together in teams, and both horses and riders on working ranches continuously refine the required skills during routine cattle work.
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RATING DEFINITIONS AS ESTABLISHED BY THE USTPA N A true beginner rider and has earned less than $1,000 in penning or $500 in sorting in the previous three years of USTPA competition. When calculating cumulative ratings on a team, the ‘N’ rider is calculated as a ‘0’. #1 A rider who rarely places in regional or national shows. #2 A rider who has started to improve, has limited horsemanship and/or knowledge of cattle and occasionally places among 1 and 2 rated riders in regional or national shows. #3 A rider who has reasonable horsemanship and cattle skills. #4 A rider who has average horsemanship and cattle skills. #5 An experienced rider, who has above average horsemanship skills and cattle skills. #6 An experienced rider with professional ability. #7 An exceptional rider with exceptional cattle skills. Pen/sorts professionally, or has the ability to do so. Sr. Youth Any youth, age not to exceed 16 as of the first Monday after the USTPA World Championship Show beginning each show year. Jr. Youth Any youth, 12 years of age and under, as of the first Monday after the USTPA World Championship Show beginning each show year. Rating procedure When a rider joins the USTPA at a sanctioned event, the Director-in-Charge will be responsible for giving a rating evaluation and classifying the rider that day. When a new member joins the USTPA by mail, the member will be given a rating classification by a Regional Rating Committee (RRC) including the directors in the region where the new member resides. A rating will consist of a number, or in the case of youth riders, a number accompanied by ‘S’ (senior) or ‘J’ (junior). Youth may compete in non-youth events but must American Quarter Horses are ideal for Western disciplines such as team penning and ranch sorting
hold an adult rating to do so. A rating classification of #7 may only be assigned by the National Rating Committee (NRC).
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WESTERN Competitors in action at the USTPA 2013 World Championships in the USA. What makes these disciplines really fun, is the fact that they are team sports and for the whole family
WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING A FUN, FAMILY-ORIENTED ATMOSPHERE THAT ENSURES THE WELFARE OF THE ANIMALS
CATTLE SKILLS Team penning is generally accepted to have begun in 1942 when two brothers, Ray and Joe Yanez, and a Canadian named Bill Schwindt were sorting steers from a herd of cattle on a ranch in Ventura County, California. During a lunch break the trio reportedly came up with the idea of organising the routine cowboy chores into a competitive sport where riders could showcase their horses, horsemanship, and cattle skills. The idea apparently caught the interest of other cowboys and the rules developed over several years. The first organised competition is said to have taken place at the Ventura County Fair in August 1949.
FAST-PACED SPORT Modern team penning has continued to evolve from the common ranch work of separating cattle into pens for branding, doctoring or transport. Today it is a fast-paced event with a team of three mounted riders having from 60 to 90 seconds – depending on the competition rules – to separate three specific cattle from a herd of 30, and then to move them to the opposite end of the arena and into a small pen through an opening. When all three cattle are in the pen, the lead rider calls for ‘time’ and the score is then awarded.
NUMBERS A competition has 30 head of cows – typically yearling beef cattle – for every 10 teams of three riders. The cattle are identified in groups of three with numbers from zero to nine affixed to their backs or with coloured collars. Adult riders are over 17 years of age while youth riders up to 12
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years of age are juniors, and from 13 to 16 years of age are seniors. Youth may ride in non-youth classes but must have an adult rating classification to do so.
horse crosses the foul line, and as the point where a ‘no time’ can occur if extra cattle cross the line during the sorting.
FOUL LINE
One of the challenges of team penning is that the riders only hear the announcer identify the cattle to be separated when the clock starts and he calls out a randomly drawn number or collar colour for that team. The riders must cut out and pen the three head that have been identified within
The arena has a ‘foul line’ drawn about 10m from the end of the arena where the grouped cattle are held. The line serves as both the point at which the clock starts timing the run when the line judge has dropped his flag as the lead rider’s
CUT THE CORRECT CATTLE
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THE AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE other two un-numbered are ‘trash’ cattle which are there to increase the difficulty of the exercise. Two mounted riders have 60, 75 or 90 seconds – depending on the competition – to enter the herd, separate the cattle by number, and drive them from one pen to the other numerically starting with a random number called out by the announcer. Should an un-numbered animal get out of the first pen or a numbered animal go through in the wrong order, the team gets a ‘no time’. Youth and adults compete using the same rating system as described for team penning.
SAFETY AND WELLBEING There are very strict guidelines that must be followed to insure the safety and wellbeing of both cattle and horses. ‘Roughing’ the cattle during a team penning or ranch sorting run is severely penalised and only humane equipment may be used on the horses. The objectives of both sports are to increase skills in horsemanship, teamwork and cattle work.
WORLDWIDE 60 seconds for a standard run. Teamwork is the key, with all three riders working in harmony to cut out the correct cattle and drive them to the pen while keeping the rest of the herd (sometimes called trash or dirty cattle) behind the foul line.
RANCH SORTING Ranch sorting is a variation on penning. The arena is set up with two pens of similar size separated by a gap of approximately 4m. The pens are either round or have the corners blocked off at a 45 degree angle to keep the cattle in the working area. Twelve cattle are placed into one pen with 10 animals numbered from zero to nine. The
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Today these exciting Western horse sports have members in the United States, South America, Canada, Australia and Europe. USTPA estimates there are at least 100,000 active team penners and ranch sorters in North America alone. The USTPA welcomes all breeds and types of horses, and Arabians are as successful as the traditional stock horse breeds. The Appaloosa Horse Club, American Paint Horse Association, and American Quarter Horse Association include team penning in their official list of classes and work with USTPA to assure standardised rules for various classes. For more information on team penning and ranch sorting, go to www.ustpa. com or contact Ms Van Benthuysen at meredith@ ustpa.com.
The American Quarter Horse is the most versatile, popular breed of riding horse in the world. The Quarter Horse was specifically developed to be a useful working horse. American colonists needed an animal who could work in the fields, pull a wagon to town for supplies, herd cattle, carry a child to school, and then race short distances on Saturdays. The Quarter Horse was never bred to be a cavalry mount and generally did not enjoy the extremely close relationship with humans that characterise the Arabian and Appaloosa breeds. The result of an emphasis on a versatile, tractable worker has resulted in the majority of Quarter Horses having pleasant personalities and a strong ‘work ethic’ without the individuality often found in other breeds. The breed was first recognised as a distinct type in the 1700s and was known as ‘The Famous American Quarter Running Horse’. The type actually predates the development of the Thoroughbred in England. As Thoroughbreds were imported to America, the mixing of bloodlines was common and the first studbooks described both the Quarter Running Horse and the Thoroughbred. There was a great deal of interbreeding among the early animals before the Thoroughbred studbook was closed. The majority of Quarter Horses in South Africa range between 14.2 and 15.2 hands with occasional individuals above or below those parameters. In the United States, the hunter type is commonly 16.2 to 17 hands due to selective breeding. The hunter type retains the characteristic good nature, work ethic and powerful muscles of the smaller animals while possessing the length of stride and more elevated movement desired in the English disciplines.
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BREED PROFILE
Appaloosa THE
TEXT: JOHANN THERON PHOTOGRAPHY: PATRICIA GAJZLER, MARTA NOWAKOWSKA AND CLAIRE AMM
Spotted horses from North America
Appaloosas at the Kondos Stud in the Free State
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AN ELEMENT OF REFINEMENT SHOULD ALWAYS BE BLATANTLY OBVIOUS TO EVEN THE UNTRAINED EYE
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he modern Appaloosa has gained tremendous popularity, but not only thanks to the breed’s spectacular colours. Appaloosas are also known to have great stamina and versatility. They excel in the Western disciplines, and are successfully used in endurance racing, showing, dressage, polo, trail rides and ranch work. They are reliable family horses and are prized for their easy-going temperament. We asked two Appaloosa breeders some pertinent questions about the breed, as well as their own breeding goals. George Contos of Kondos Appaloosa Stud and Claire Amm of Alpha Appaloosa Stud give us their views.
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BREED PROFILE must. An element of refinement should always be blatantly obvious to even the untrained eye, as the horse should always give an air of beauty and loftiness. Claire I have been breeding correct, sound, comfortable, beautiful horses for 40 years now. One of my stallions has sired eight national champions – Alpha Toby’s Moonshine. I still compete in endurance, having completed 30 Fauresmith rides myself. My Appaloosa horses hold records for the most completions at 10 and the most for a mare at eight national rides.
WHO OF THE HORSES YOU’VE BRED IS YOUR PERSONAL FAVOURITE, AND WHY?
George Contos of Kondos Appaloosas regards the Appaloosa’s unique colour patterns as one of the most outstanding characteristics of the breed
NAME THE FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BREED YOU FIND MOST OUTSTANDING. George The beautiful colour patterns the horses of the Appaloosa breed exhibit have to be one of the main and most outstanding characteristics that set these horses apart from other breeds. The beauty that these patterns exude, with the richness in colour and the variation where no pattern is the same as another is nature’s work of art and always fills the observer with awe. The Appaloosa temperament is another of the Appaloosa’s greatest characteristics. This is a horse who through his soul takes a hold of your heart and lives there forever. The athletic ability of the Appaloosa together with his all-around versatility in most equine sports make him a horse who can adapt to the needs of just about whoever owns him. The Appaloosa is a hardy horse and will do well in most environmental conditions. The Appaloosa is a highly intelligent horse, who if treated right will give you back tenfold and more. Once you have owned an Appaloosa,
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you will never, in my opinion, want to own another breed of horse. Claire Gentle temperament, easy keeping qualities, courage, willingness to work and unique colour patterns.
George That is not an easy one to answer. Over the years I have bred many horses and I have loved and had a very soft spot in my heart for every single one of them. As with my human children, I cannot show a preference for one individual over another. Yes, I will choose ones for shows or competitions who I know will do better than others, but somehow that has never led me to have a personal favourite as such. I cannot feel more for one horse than another. When it comes to the matters of the heart, I can genuinely say that every single horse I have bred has been my favourite and all on an equal basis as compared to another. They are all my children and I favour them all. Claire My personal favourite is Alpha Toby’s Fire ‘n Gold, who is perfectly schooled, yet a fun, lively ride. Broodmares at Alpha Appaloosa Stud
WHAT ARE YOUR BREEDING GOALS AND HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT ACHIEVING THESE? George My breeding goal is to produce the most beautifully coloured Appaloosa horses, who also have the best possible all-around conformation. If I have to be more specific, I would like to breed a horse who is over 15hh, preferably close to 16hh or over as that seems to be what the South African equine market dictates at this stage. The horse must be elegant, with a nice head, well-set neck, good length of rein, wide chest, good hindquarters and a well-defined wither that must be higher than the hindquarters. The ideal horse should be able to be split along his length into three thirds of equal proportions. The body as a whole should be robustly built without being too heavy. Extended movement accompanied by rhythmic cadence that pleases the eye is a
Wap’s Pajamas, 16hh black and white leopard stallion, owned by Alpha Stud – here he was Supreme Champion Appaloosa at the 2006 Horse of the Year Show
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH:
EQUINE WELFARE GIVING BACK
FUNDRAISING If you would like to know about various fundraisers in your area, or how you can get involved with your local animal shelter, send your contact details to claudia@panorama. co.za or visit animalchannel.co.za.
This is Whitey and her foal, Milo. They were brought in at the request of their owner as Milo had been stabbed. You can see the place where she was stabbed on her back near her hindquarter. They were moved into the Big Girls Camp once Milo had healed, and she had a wonderful time exploring and meeting the aunties
THE EASTERN CAPE
HORSE CARE UNIT
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he Unit is very active in metro townships, providing a much-needed facility to equine owners whose horses, donkeys and mules require veterinary care from time to time. These equines provide a means to an income for the township residents lucky enough to have them, and unless an animal is beyond help, he will be returned to his owners. To overcome various harnessing problems, the Unit makes its own harnessing based on World Horse Welfare principles. Thus there is no nylon touching the body of the animal. There are many township donkeys, horses and mules who sport Unit harnessing. The Unit works on a replacement system with harnessing and bits, rather than confiscation of these items. Education and tack replacement are ongoing activities.
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EQUINE WELFARE GIVING BACK
The Unit was able to assist this poor pony with slipper foot on both hind legs. It took at least two hours. At the end of it all, he could walk
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DONATIONS If you would like to assist with a donation to help continue the Unit’s service to the many animals with whom they come into contact, please make a deposit directly into their account. Account name: Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit Standard Bank account number: 080733875 Branch code: 051-001 Reference: Your email or postal address, or phone number.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.echcu.co.za WW
The Unit was the prime motivator for upgrading the old carts that were heavy, ugly and not conducive to good traction by donkeys. A total of 20 carts were rolled out to beneficiaries through
the Nelson Mandela Municipal Metropole (NMMM). They are also called on for a variety of donkey complaints, mainly in the suburb of Walmer by the NMMM Cowboys, as well as other road users, with whom they have a good working relationship. Requests for investigations of horse- and donkey-related problems are received and inspections conducted in the rural metro areas. Many horses and donkeys have been assisted by simple education of their owners, and most often ignorance has been found to be the problem. The Unit conducts Equine Clinics up and down the coast on a regular basis and many horses, donkeys and mules have benefited from the clinics. Horses and donkeys who find themselves surrendered to the Unit because of circumstances relating to their owners are adopted out to suitable homes where possible.
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072 357 2505
East Cape Horse Care Unit
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SHELTER PROFILE The Eastern Cape Horse Care Unit was established in the Nelson Mandela Municipal Metropole in June 2006 as a branch of the Highveld Horse Care Unit based in Vereeniging, Gauteng. Their motto is ‘Committed to the wellbeing and dignity of our equine friends’.
HOW
YOU can help Annie’s forever home at the Coastal Horse Care Unit
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(CHCU) that she had a will to live. The team and vets decided to give her a second chance. She did not have much going for her at this point, as she was aged and they did not know if she had any other underlying conditions which had resulted in her being in such a bad condition.
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organs are functioning correctly. If it is found that the condition of the horse is chronic, then euthanasia should be considered before the horse suffers any further.
DONATIONS Annie is now a permanent resident at the Coastal Horse Care Unit and is looking for a sponsor so that she can continue to live out her days at the Unit in Cato Ridge, and help to educate horse owners. If you would like to help Annie and others like her, please contact the Unit. WW
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR AN OLD HORSE TO BE THIN
Annie was put on a feeding programme, in which feeding was gradually increased. She was attended to by volunteer vets, equine dentists, therapists and farriers. After a few months of regular deworming and correct feeding, Annie started to improve in leaps and bounds. Annie is now in the condition she is meant to be in and is being used by the organisation to educate other horse owners. Taking care of rescued horses towards the end of their lives can be a very difficult task and a sad time for the owners. The CHCU needs to be responsible and make the right decisions when it comes to these aged horses. There is no excuse for an old horse to be thin. If an old horse loses weight, then the horse needs to be examined by a vet and feeding might need to be adjusted to accommodate the horse’s worn teeth. Supplements and intensive care should be provided where necessary. His blood may also need to be taken to see if his WW
Annie is a beautiful 28-year-old Thoroughbred mare who was rescued from Newlands East in 2012. She was in an emaciated condition. The attending vet informed the organisation that she was days away from death. Annie was in a bad state, but still had a twinkle in her eye which indicated to the Coastal Horse Care Unit
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www.coastalhorsecareunit.org.za www.facebook.com/coastalhorsecare
Vanessa, stable manager 083 633 8986 Gill Olmesdahl, Unit manager 073 550 3061
ANNIE’S STORY
Before
After
This was Annie when she first arrived at the shelter
Annie now, showing off her good looks
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EQUINE WELFARE GIVING BACK FUNDRAISING
events
Happy Hooves Horse Haven
For months Lauren had been receiving emails about Skeleton Mary. She was a rescue pony who needed a home. The pictures were horrifying and extremely sad. She had bones protruding everywhere. She had three brand marks on her
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INFO For more information on these events and the WW
organisation see all the contact details below.
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Brie survives cruelty and finds rear and shoulders, her pasterns had thick scars and her right ear had been cut down the middle. If she had given up on life after dealing with the severe hands of cruelty, nobody could have blamed her. Lauren felt such sorrow for this pony, but having recently lost her horse to illness she was not ready to love another. In December 2007 she flew from PE and went to stay with Janine O’Niell at her farm in Camperdown, KZN. The first day there she was drawn to a little pony. Janine explained that she was Skeleton Mary. However, this little one looked nothing like the emailed pictures. She had good colouring in her coat, flesh on her bones and an attitude, one that shouted “I don’t need any human.” During Lauren’s time on the farm, she discovered two things: a pony who was a brave
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www.happyhooves.co.za www.facebook.com/
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FOREVER
TEXT: LAUREN GREASLEY
Two large soft toy horses, one representing a Lipizzaner, was raffled on the day and raised R2,200, while sales of the smaller soft toy horses brought in about another R4,650. The day was a huge success with a turnout that far exceeded expectations.
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A great number of horse owners and stable yards across South Africa have already tried and tested Happy Hooves merchandise and continue to support the initiative. However, much more support is needed to secure the future of Happy Hooves as they continue to offer relief to horses, ponies and donkeys in need. This leads to occasional fundraising events such as the most recent event hosted by the South African Lipizzaner Association to bring some financial relief. Spectators flew in from as far as Plettenberg Bay to support the performance on Saturday 5 April 2014. It was an emotional day and a humbling experience for the founders of Happy Hooves as they welcomed more than 250 delegates to watch the white stallions deliver a breathtaking performance. WW
Based in the valley between the foothills of the Magaliesburg Mountains and the Witwatersrand, the shelter currently accommodates 22 horses, three ponies and four donkeys, most of whom come from prejudicial circumstances. The facility offers none of the glamour, prestige and awards associated with the equestrian industry. The founders offer a great deal of love, intense passion and mounting determination to make a difference in the lives of less fortunate equines. In an effort to establish Happy Hooves as a sustainable initiative rather than just another welfare organisation dependent on public donations, the founders have opted to set up a small manufacturing concern where a basic range of quality and affordable horseware and accessories is being produced for retail and wholesale purposes.
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info@happyhooves.co.za Annerie Graham 078 740 2696
fighter and that she and this pony needed each other. After a few short days they accepted each other and trust followed. Lauren then phoned home to say that she was bringing love home a pony. A month later, the float arrived. Among all the tall Thoroughbreds on the float, they could only see the tips of her ears sticking up in front of the windows – one whole ear and one sliced ear – Lauren’s pony was home. Lauren renamed her Brie. As this was her new home and new life, she needed a new name. The whole neighbourhood came to see the pony who had captured her heart. Rather more correctly put, stole her heart and kept it. They rode out in a Parelli halter, took a downhill at full speed, and her precious little rescue pony would communicate with her like only rescue ponies know how to. She is the smile on Lauren’s face. “The greatest adventure of my life was earning her love and trust as well as giving my love and trust,” says Lauren. “When unloved and unwanted horses choose you and you give them all of your love and trust, you can be honoured.”
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EXPERT
HQ HOLISTIC ACUPUNCTURE
DR JAN STILL Dr Jan Still is a fully qualified veterinary surgeon and a member of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS). He holds post-graduate diplomas in acupuncture and anaesthesiology and has a special professional interest in acupuncture, pain-relief, sport medicine, and musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. Dr Still works in the Johannesburg and Pretoria areas on appointment to treat horses. Small animals are treated in Dr Still’s rooms in Lonehill.
Acupuncture is used for pain relief or release of muscle spasms
PINPOINTING THE
problem TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY: DEBORAH BUCHAN
We accompany veterinary acupuncturist Dr Jan Still to find out firsthand how his treatment techniques affect his patients
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hen standard veterinary treatments are either not working or not producing optimal results, both horse owners and veterinarians begin to look at alternative methods to help the equine patient. Acupuncture is becoming the accepted choice for treating pain, especially that associated with soft tissue injuries and some types of lameness.
400 POINTS Acupuncture was developed by the ancient Chinese and has been used to treat humans and animals for thousands of years. It is a therapeutic method based on the stimulation
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HQ HOLISTIC ACUPUNCTURE the main benefits of acupuncture treatment in horses. Owners and riders have often noted improved attitude and behaviour of their horses. This result can be important not only from the view of the horse’s wellbeing, but also in terms of the rider’s safety. This is especially true in the case of rearing, bucking, stopping or other forms of erratic and unpredictable behaviour which disrupt riding and training.” Dr Still notes that, “Soft tissue injuries, such as strained muscles and ligaments or irritated peripheral nerves, are the main indicators for the use of acupuncture. These conditions often express themselves as pain, stiffness, and altered movement and performance.” Which type of acupuncture to use and which acupuncture points to stimulate are dictated by the nature and type of the condition.
Dr Still establishing if this elderly horse shows any signs of pain in the area of his back muscles
of acupuncture points, approximately 400 of which have been identified in horses. According to Chinese tradition, these points are located along several meridian lines that conduct energy throughout the body. Western veterinary science has now largely accepted that after conventional veterinary diagnosis and treatment have been used to establish the underlying cause of various conditions and conventional treatments have been applied, the use of acupuncture needles or the injection of vitamin B in a saline base into acupuncture points can produce excellent results in returning a horse to pain-free work.
HAND-IN-HAND WITH VETERINARY SCIENCE HQ had the opportunity to interview Dr Jan Still, a veterinarian with more than 20 years’ experience in acupuncture and pain management. According to Dr Still, it is a generally accepted standard that acupuncture treatments should be carried out by a veterinarian who is well versed in both modern veterinary equine medicine and the art and science of acupuncture. If a horse has no obvious underlying medical conditions, Dr Still can often determine the location of an injury, muscle spasm, strain, or even entrapped nerve by manually manipulating the acupuncture points. There is a direct correlation between sensitive acupuncture points and specific types of injuries. Acupuncture treatment will often alleviate
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these conditions in two or three sessions. Dr Still emphasises that his knowledge of modern veterinary medicine enables him to make decisions as to which form of diagnosis and treatment best fits the specific horse. It is this knowledge that enables him to determine when acupuncture is not correcting the condition and radiographs or other medical procedures are indicated.
VETERINARY ACUPUNCTURE The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting excellence in the practice of veterinary acupuncture as an integral part of the total veterinary healthcare delivery system. IVAS endeavours to establish uniformly high standards of veterinary acupuncture through its educational programmes and accreditation examination. It also seeks to integrate veterinary acupuncture
CORRECT DIAGNOSIS IS CRITICAL
and the practice of Western veterinary
He notes that a correct initial diagnosis of the problem, which may be determined with radiographs, nerve blocks, or scans, is critical. Acute injuries that exhibit bleeding, swelling or infection must be treated with conventional veterinary care. Problems found to be associated with poorly fitted equipment, incorrect hoof angles, or even unaddressed dental conditions must have the underlying cause corrected before acupuncture will have a beneficial result.
IVAS was formed and chartered in 1974. It is
science. the only international veterinary acupuncture organisation and has members from many countries. Consequently, it serves a networking and communication function, and coordinates veterinary acupuncture activity on this international basis. However, it is expected that each country, state, province or principality will eventually develop local veterinary acupuncture societies to respond to local issues, as has already happened in
SOFT TISSUE PROBLEMS
several countries (12 at the time this article
Dr Still primarily treats soft tissue problems involving nerves, muscles and ligaments using both ‘dry needle’ and, when indicated, injections of a saline solution with B vitamins into acupuncture points. According to Dr Still, “Pain relief, release of muscle spasm, as well as improved movement and performance are
was written). IVAS also encourages the formation of student chapters at veterinary colleges. IVAS has been incorporated and chartered as a non-profit perpetual educational organisation.
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Dry needling is used to treat muscle pain and spasms
SENSITIVITY OF POINTS Horses and other animals generally tolerate acupuncture treatment very well. If a horse becomes unruly because the acupuncture points are extremely sensitive, twitching might be required just to insert the needles or to allow the injection of saline with B12. Sedatives are never used, but Dr Still occasionally uses local analgesics to block a nerve when an acupuncture point is too sensitive for the horse to tolerate insertion of the needle.
EFFECTIVE ON ANIMALS Dr Still’s practice consists of approximately 80% horses and 20% dogs. He notes that after two or three acupuncture treatments, most conditions have greatly improved or have been corrected. The very fact that animals do not have the capacity to benefit from the ‘placebo’ effect is evidence that the procedures work. Many clients have Dr Still use acupuncture on a regular basis to ensure that soft tissue problems either do not occur or are effectively managed for the comfort of the horse.
ACTUAL CASES HQ was able to observe Dr Still doing a maintenance treatment on a 24-year-old Thoroughbred who is still happily in work and a therapeutic treatment on a 12-year-old pony with acute pain in the jaw, head and neck. The Thoroughbred has been under Dr Still’s
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care for several years, but he did a thorough examination anyway to determine where any problems might be occurring. The gelding had not been treated for about two and a half months and was very sensitive to pressure along the neck, chest and hamstring trigger points, and expressed his discomfort by pinning his ears, threatening to bite, and mock kicking. Dr Still had no problem inserting the acupuncture needles into the points that would alleviate the pain, which he selected based on his knowledge of anatomy and acupuncture points.
ART AS WELL AS SCIENCE As he worked, Dr Still explained that it is as much an art as a science to insert the needles into an acupuncture point, which must be very close to the affected nerve, without touching the nerve itself. After the needles were inserted, the gelding visibly relaxed and his head and lower lip drooped. Dr Still spun certain needles to increase the therapeutic effect. After approximately 10 minutes, he removed the needles and re-checked the areas that had been painful. The gelding had no reaction at all and was visibly more pleasant, even pricking his ears and nuzzling Dr Still when the examination was complete.
A PONY IN PAIN At the second stable yard, Dr Still examined the 12-year-old pony whom he had treated the day
before. The stable manager had called Dr Still when the pony began trying to run away with his rider and showing sensitivity when being groomed and bridled. Dr Still had found that the pony was in great pain under his jaw, in the neck and around the withers and had treated those problems with acupuncture. The second examination showed that the pony had improved a great deal, but was still sore under the jaw and along the neck. The pain around the withers was no longer present and Dr Still indicated that it had probably been referred pain from the actual source of the problem. The pony readily accepted the needles and Dr Still again spun certain needles to increase the therapeutic effect. When the needles were removed after 10 minutes and the pony was rechecked, he was visibly more content. Dr Still determined that the pony could resume work the following day. These two examinations and treatments demonstrated the beneficial effects of acupuncture as a tool in the veterinarian’s arsenal for treating injuries and bringing horses back to a pain-free state. When behavioural changes occur and no obvious signs of injury or disease are present, it could be very beneficial to have a veterinary acupuncturist examine the horse and administer treatment if indicated.
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MOTORING
elephants DRIVING
WITH
TEXT: GG VAN ROOYEN
Over the last year, our team has taken Nissan’s SUVs to various adventure destinations. We have featured activities such as kayaking, river rafting and mountain biking. This time we decided to do something different
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ost of you have probably seen the Coronation television commercial featuring an episode in the life of conservationist Lawrence Anthony (you can find the ad on YouTube, if you haven’t seen it). It is a touching and dramatic retelling of how Anthony managed to save a herd of destructive elephants who were on the verge of being destroyed because of their trouble-making ways. Anthony spent many hours with them, slowly habituating them to man. In the most dramatic moment of the advertisement, an elephant approaches the actor playing Lawrence Anthony, seemingly on the verge of attacking him. Instead, the elephant gently wraps his trunk around the man’s neck. It is an impressive scene, but it does beg an interesting question: how was this incident filmed? Did the elephant really wrap his powerful trunk around an actor’s throat? Well, real elephants were used, and the whole thing was shot over three days, right here in SA. In fact, the commercial was made at a place about two hours north of Johannesburg. The venue was an elephant sanctuary called Adventures with Elephants (AWE) near Bela Bela and, as the name suggests, it specialises in elephant-related activities. And it is open to the public. AWE not only organises photo and video shoots for companies, but also elephant safaris and interactions for people eager to get up close and personal with these majestic animals. So what better destination for a quick weekend trip to test out the Nissan Pathfinder?
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GREAT VALUE The Pathfinder we used for our outing was the entry-level 2.5 dCi SE model, which was launched about a year ago. Priced at R464,900, it is an unusual vehicle. When you shop around for an SUV priced below R500,000, there are probably only two viable options: a compact SUV/softroader or a bakkie-based SUV. The Pathfinder, however, is a full-size SUV with a proper 4x4 system and low-range gearing. It is spacious, capable off the beaten path and very plush. Considering all that you’re getting for R464,900, the Pathfinder is great value for money.
The engine is a four-cylinder, 2488cc oilburner that develops 140kW of power at 4,000r/min and an impressive 450Nm of torque at 2,000r/min. Although the Pathfinder is available with a sixspeed manual shifter, the model we drove was the five-speed automatic version, which performed well, especially on the open road. That said, the Pathfinder isn’t just an openroad cruiser. It has real off-road ability, thanks to Nissan’s ALL-MODE 4x4, low-range gearing and an active brake limited slip differential which comes into its own when the going gets really tough.
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Leisure wheels is South Africa's foremost adventure motoring magazine. For this reason HQ has chosen to work with Leisure wheels when it comes to providing you with motoring information. For more on the topic of adventure motoring, look out for the current issue of Leisure wheels, on sale now. www.leisure wheels.com
The Pathfinder made for an effortless two-hour drive, and AWE offered an amazing experience. Not only did we take some fantastic pictures of the elephants and the Pathfinder, but we also got to watch them frolicking in the water and enjoyed a terrific ‘interaction session’ in which we were given an opportunity to get very close to them. For people who want to learn more about elephants and gain a deeper understanding of these majestic animals, a trip to Adventures with Elephants is most rewarding.
SPECIFICATIONS Nissan Pathfinder 2.5 dCi 4x4 SE A/T Engine 2,5ℓ, four-cylinder, turbodiesel Power 140kW @ 4,000r/min Torque 450Nm @ 2,000r/min Gearbox Five-speed automatic Drive system Part-time 4WD with limited-slip diff Ground clearance 232mm Economy 9,8ℓ per 100km
Ground clearance is pegged at 232mm, and there’s also hill descent control and hill start assist to offer some help on steep gradients.
REMARKABLY PLUSH Despite its designation as the ‘entry-level’ model in the range, the SE Pathfinder is remarkably plush. It features cruise control, a multi-function steering wheel, a comprehensive trip computer, Bluetooth for hands-free cellphone use, automatic dual-zone climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels – and six cup-holders. Its most impressive feature, however, is its sheer
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roominess. The Pathfinder is very spacious. With the second row of seats folded flat, it boasts more than 2,000ℓ of packing space. And if that still isn’t enough, the vehicle has a class-leading towing capacity of 3,000kg. The Pathfinder’s safety kit is equally impressive. It has six airbags as well as ABS with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and vehicle dynamic control (VDC).
Fuel tank 80ℓ Luggage space 515-2,091ℓ Price R464,900 Service plan Three-year/90,000km Service intervals 15,000km
A MAGICAL EXPERIENCE
Warranty
So, was Adventures with Elephants worth the trip from Johannesburg to Bela Bela? Yes, absolutely.
Three-year/100,000km
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S H O W R E S U LT S
PHOTOGRAPHY: FINE PHOTOGRAPHY
THE 2014 NOOITGEDACHT HORSE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Held at Misty Meadows in Pretoria from 26 to 27 April
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1 Show Horse of the Year 2014 (shared with Waaksaam Staal), Herneuter Lafras, ridden by Bonnita Bondesio 2 Show Horse of the Year 2014 (shared with Herneuter Lafras) and Reserve Supreme Pure Bred Stallion In Hand 2014, Waaksaam Staal, shown by Surita Kelbrick and owned by Destalsmit Stud, with judges Brian Noach and Rayno van Reenen 3 Lekkerkry Popey ridden by William Bondesio, the 2014 Victor Ludorum Pure Bred Horse 4 Victor Ludorum and Child Ridden, Marmari Katima, shown and owned by Lourens Smit 5 Supreme Pure Bred Mare In Hand, Arop Heide, handled by Doreen van der Merwe and owned by Arop Stud
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6 Single Harness Champion, Herneuter Lafras (right), driven by Bonnita Bondesio, and Fine Harness Champion, Lekkerkry Popey (left), driven by William Bondesio 7 Pure Bred Junior Stallion In Hand and Pure Bred Preliminary Dressage Champion, Breivilo Eldorado, shown by Julia van Niekerk and owned by Destalsmit Stud 8 Pure Bred Reserve Supreme Mare In Hand, Geschenk Atalia, shown by Melaine Smit and owned by Destalsmit Stud 9 Pure Bred Supreme Mare In Hand, Destalsmit Shahida, handled by Surita Kelbrick and owned by Destalsmit Stud 10 Pure Bred Junior Stallion In Hand, Breivilo Eldorado, shown by Julia van Niekerk and owned by Destalsmit Stud 11 Supreme Pure Bred Stallion In Hand, Arop Ryka, shown by Chris Hartman and owned by Arop Stud 12 Victor Ludorum Junior Sport Ridden, Waaksaam Blou, ridden by Keegan Staniland and owned by Clifford Stud 13 Supreme Pure Bred Ridden Champion, Arop Ryka, ridden by Chris Hartman and owned by Arop Stud 14 Reserve Pure Bred Supreme Working Riding, Arop Riko, ridden and owned by Hendia Baker
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p62 PREGNANCY AND BIRTH
p67 THEY ARE WHAT THEY EAT
Health risks and how to deal with them
The feeding guidelines every horse owner needs
EQUESTRIAN HEALTH AND NUTRITION
All breeding stallions in South Africa must be tested for the venereal diseases CEM and dourine
TEXT: PETA DANIEL PHOTOGRAPHY: MARIAIT, BORIS BULYCHEV AND HOSPHOTOS
HEALTHY
breeding What to consider when selecting and managing stud horses HQ|90
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reeding the very best quality horses relies on not only using good bloodstock, but also ensuring the health of both mare and stallion at every step. Veterinarian Dr Pia Randleff-Rasmussen covers all the necessary health topics for breeding: from venereal diseases to deworming schedules for pregnant mares. Ensuring that your breeding programme goes well means starting way before you pair up a mare and stallion for the act. The first step in ensuring a good outcome is to get your horses as healthy as possible. While this is a general aim for every good-intentioned horse owner, it becomes even more important before breeding. 59
EQUESTRIAN HEALTH AND NUTRITION
HOW TO CHOOSE A HEALTHY HORSE When choosing a mare and stallion, aside from a good bloodline and performance, it is a good idea to look at the following: • The medical history of each horse. • T he medical history of the horses’ parents, brothers and sisters. • The medical history of the horses’ offspring. • The age of the horses. • Test results for venereal and genetic diseases. • The deworming and inoculation schedules for both horses. • Any outward signs of health problems (a rubbed tail, skin lesions, dull coat, hot legs, and so forth). • The reproductive health of both horses (a vet can check this). “Horses who have chronic conditions such as laminitis should preferably not be bred, as the pregnancy can exacerbate clinical signs,” says
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Dr Randleff-Rasmussen. “Before attempting to breed a mare, she should be examined by a veterinarian. This evaluation will include such factors as vaginal conformation, and uterine and ovary activity.”
Experts now believe that allowing breeding horses to graze is not only good for their general health, but also has a positive effect on their fertility
INOCULATIONS Breeding mares and stallions should receive
MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH: THE BASICS
all normal vaccinations for South African
Once you’ve chosen your mare and stallion, the next step is to maintain and bolster their good health. Food is a major factor in ensuring a healthy horse, and when it comes to a horse you want to breed with it could be a good idea to ask a nutritionist to assess your horse and help you come up with a good eating plan. As with any equine diet, plenty of good quality roughage is absolutely essential. Access to fresh water at all times is equally important. For the mare, a balanced feed aimed at broodmares will round the diet off. Remember, when changing food type or quantity, always do so slowly. Reduce in small increments over the course of a week or
vaccination against herpes during pregnancy.
horses, while mares can also receive a Inoculations include: • African Horse Sickness (two vaccines given three weeks apart, prior to breeding) • Influenza (annually) • Tetanus (annually) • Rabies • Botulism • West Nile virus • Salmonella • Equine herpes (for mares, during months five, seven and nine of pregnancy to prevent abortion)
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EXPERT
DR PIA RANDLEFF-RASMUSSEN Dr Pia Randleff-Rasmussen (BSc, BVSc) practices at the Drakenstein Veterinary Clinic, a purpose-built equine hospital offering first opinion and referral medical, surgical and ICU care for horses.
two and introduce new feeds the same way. Allowing your horses access to grazing is not only good for them nutritionally, but also good for their state of mind. Movement while grazing and the ability to socialise are essential for a happy, healthy horse. Allow your horse to graze freely for as many hours a day as possible, only restricting it if your grass has a very high sugar content (a nutritionist can help you with this as well). Regular exercise, access to protection from the elements, well-fitting tack and a kind, fair handler round off the list of what makes for an environment conducive to health and happiness.
VENEREAL DISEASES Some, but not all, venereal diseases can be tested for before breeding. Contact your vet to get your horses tested. The most important diseases to be tested for in South Africa according to Dr Randleff-Rasmussen are: • Contagious equine metritis (CEM) CEM is tested in stallions by swabbing the penis and the sheath. This venereal disease can be passed on to the mare during intercourse and can negatively affect the pregnancy. It causes a uterine infection which can lead to poor conception or abortion, explains Dr RandleffRasmussen. • Dourine A blood test will confirm whether a horse has dourine. This disease is also passed from stallions to mares during breeding. “The disease is caused by Trypanosoma equiperdum, and causes a wide range of symptoms, ending in the death of the animal,” says Dr Randleff-Rasmussen. Other venereal diseases, which are also carried on the penis and passed on to the mare, are not controlled and therefore cannot be tested for. These diseases can cause endometritis (infection of the uterus which can cause poor conception or abortion) or placentitis. “The most common causes include Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus equi subspecies Zooepidemicus,” says Dr Randleff-Rasmussen. Viral venereal disease equine herpes virus 3 (equine coital exanthema) is characterised by small blisters on the vulva of the mare or sheath of the stallion. Animals with this disease should not be bred!
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HOW TO PREVENT AND TREAT DISEASES First and foremost, good hygiene is essential. Dr Randleff-Rasmussen advises that the mare’s vulva is washed and dried prior to breeding and that the horses’ tails are bandaged. For stallions, the penis and sheath should be cleaned with warm water and dried. “It is important not to use disinfectants on the penis, as these interfere with the normal flora, and can allow pathogenic organisms to ‘take over’,” she warns. Endometritis in a mare is treated with a uterine lavage (rinsing of the uterus, done through the vulva) and antibiotics administered through a douche.
GENETIC CONDITIONS Genetic conditions are another very serious health issue to consider when breeding. Many of the conditions that exist are breed or coat colour specific, explains Dr RandleffRasmussen. Some of these diseases related to colour include: • Lethal white syndrome Most common in the American Paint Horse, lethal white syndrome is an autosomal inherited disorder. Foals who have this syndrome will be born with completely or almost completely white coats and blue eyes. They look normal externally, but the syndrome affects the colon, making it completely non-functioning. Colic will occur within a few hours and within days the foal will die. • Congenital stationary night blindness This genetic disorder affects sight by preventing horses from seeing in the dark. There is no cure and it affects mostly Appaloosas. • Anterior segment dysgenesis (ASD) ASD is a disorder where the front half of the eye (including the cornea, iris, lens and ciliary body) does not develop properly in the mare’s womb, leading to problems with sight.
SOME ABNORMALITIES RELATED TO BREED INCLUDE: • Quarter Horse hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis and glycogen branching enzyme deficiency, both of which cause the horse to tie up with hard work, and equine recurrent uveitis, which causes a chronic eye condition requiring life-long treatment.
Dr Randleff-Rasmussen believes mares should not be bred before five years of age
• Arabian lavender foal syndrome Also known as coat colour dilution lethal, lavender foal syndrome affects mostly horses of Arabian bloodlines. The syndrome presents with a light coat colouring at birth and neurological problems like the inability to stand.
AT WHAT AGE SHOULD YOU BREED YOUR MARE? According to Dr Randleff-Rasmussen, mares should never be bred before they turn five, as before that they have not yet reached their full growth. Breeding after 20 years of age is also a bad idea as there is a greater risk of problems and complications for both mare and foal.
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EQUESTRIAN HEALTH AND NUTRITION
The mare’s care, management and nutrition during pregnancy greatly affect the foal’s health
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EXPERT
DR LARRISSA ODENDAAL Dr Larrissa Odendaal (BVSc) graduated in 2013 and is currently focused on equine practice with a special interest in equine reproduction.
EXPERT
DR KARIN KRUGER Dr Karin Kruger (BVSc, MSc, DACVIM), an equine internal medicine specialist, accepts equine medicine referrals in association with the Witbos Veterinary Clinic and consults for several equine clinics throughout South Africa, including the Fourways Equine Clinic.
Mother baby AND
TEXT: PETA DANIEL PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRISLOPHOTOS, HOSPHOTOS, ANASTASIJA POPOVA AND PIRITA
Health risks during pregnancy and foaling and how to make sure the newborn is safely on his feet, breathing, drinking and functioning
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he birth of a new foal is an exciting experience, but also a hair-raising one. There are many potential pitfalls which could lead to problems for foal, dam or both. Along with our two top vets, we put together a guide to stress-free foaling.
MAJOR HEALTH RISKS DURING LATE PREGNANCY It is of the utmost importance that pregnant mares are monitored carefully in order to quickly recognise any potential problem, say Drs Kruger and Odendaal. • Colic Colic is common in late pregnancy and could be either intestinal (due to gas accumulation, food impaction or constipation) or reproductive (due to foal movement or other causes). Colic in a pregnant mare can be difficult to treat so it is important to call the vet out as soon as you notice any signs. Keep the mare comfortable while you wait. “She must not be put into a small stable where she may become cast and it is often advantageous to walk the mare continuously instead,” say our experts. • Abnormal vaginal discharge Bloody discharge or discharge that has some mucous or pus in it is abnormal and the mare should be checked by a vet. Check the underside of the tail for signs of clumping. Mucous or pus in the discharge could indicate an internal infection.
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• Abnormal development of the udder Abnormal udder development could present in one of three ways: premature development (when an udder develops more than six weeks before foaling), a reduced udder or complete lack of development. If the mare has premature udder development as well as mucous-filled vaginal discharge, it is possible that the placenta is infected, warn Drs Kruger and Odendaal. “A premature udder can also indicate impending abortion or the possibility of twin pregnancy,” say our experts. “A lack of development can be due to toxicities or foetal death.” • Abnormal abdominal development or shape If your mare increases in size rapidly overnight rather than gradually, the pre-pubic tendon (the structure which supports the mare’s abdomen) could have ruptured. This is very painful, can lead to colic, could make foaling difficult and could be fatal to the mare. Your vet will do a rectal examination and an ultrasound of the abdomen. • Obesity or malnutrition Make sure, even before pregnancy, that your mare is in optimum condition and is of the right weight for her size. “Both obesity and malnutrition can be detrimental to the mare and foal and can result in many problems such as difficulty foaling, abortion, impaired growth rate of the foal, birth of a weak foal or even long-term effects in the foal,” warn Drs Kruger and Odendaal.
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EQUESTRIAN HEALTH AND NUTRITION
The young foal’s temperature should be between 37.8 and 39 degrees centigrade
Because horses are trickle eaters (they eat small amounts throughout the whole day), it’s important to allow your mare access to good quality roughage continuously, as well as provide a good quality, balanced concentrate made to cater for pregnant mares. In the thi rd t r imester your horse’s feed requirements will increase rapidly. “Unfortunately this is also the time when the developing foetus takes up the most space in the abdomen, preventing large volumes of feed from being consumed,” say Drs Kruger and Odendaal. “While most horses are able to compensate for these increased requirements without adverse effects, fat horses, Miniature Horses, ponies and donkeys are predisposed to break down their own body’s fat reserves too quickly. This leads to excessive amounts of fat in the blood, which overwhelms the liver and can lead to liver failure.”
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• Parasite infestation Worm infestations can compromise the pregnant mare in several ways, including causing stress to the circulatory system, increasing the risk of colic and disease, and putting the newborn foal at risk as she will have no resistance to parasites. Control parasites by correct past ure management, manure disposal, having regular faecal worm egg counts and a proper deworming schedule.
USEFUL ITEMS TO HAVE AT HAND DURING FOALING: • Contact number of your emergency afterhours vet. • A watch or clock, notepad and pen so as to keep track of the timing of the different stages and occurrences during the foaling process. • Old, clean towels for drying off the foal. • Gloves to handle the newborn foal and the
• Viral infections Prior to breeding, ensure that the mare is fully vaccinated (against tetanus, equine herpes virus 1, African Horse Sickness and equine influenza). Consult your veterinarian to see if there are any other area-specific vaccinations your mare needs. “We try to vaccinate mares three to six weeks before foaling to optimise colostral immunity, and not during the first 60 days of pregnancy,”
remnants of birth. • Disinfectant (0.5% chlorhexidine or diluted iodine solution) and a cup to dip the umbilicus into. • A bucket, soap and water to clean up the area after the birthing process. • A strong black bag or feed bag for the placenta.
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explain Drs Kruger and Odendaal. “Ideally the mare should be fully vaccinated before becoming pregnant and only receive boosters prior to foaling.”
THE FOALING While it’s not necessary to have a vet present at every foaling, it is important that you observe the process carefully and have the vet’s contact details on hand in case something goes wrong. Having an experienced person in attendance is essential. “While observation is key, one of the most common problems that we see is interference from inexperienced people,” say Drs Kruger and Odendaal. “This delays the mare and foal’s progress and can lead to all sorts of problems.” Foaling occurs after roughly 320 to 360 days of pregnancy, but there is a wide variation between different breeds and individual horses. From 48 hours before foaling the colostrum (or first milk) will be noticeable on the mare’s teats. A few hours before birth milk can sometimes be seen dripping from the mare’s teats. “Close to foaling the mare will start to show signs similar to mild colic behaviour,” say Drs Kruger and Odendaal. “She will become restless, sweat and intermittently look at her flank area. She may alternate from a lying to a standing position and paw at the ground.” Mares usually deliver lying down. Do not
crowd her or startle her with camera flashes! The water will break just before birthing and within half an hour, the foal should be delivered. There will usually be a whitish-blue membrane protruding from the vulva. Shortly after you will see one hoof of the foal, followed by the second hoof and the foal’s nose. Make sure the foal is alive and able to breathe after birth. A normal foal will be alert and upright seconds after birth, should develop a suckling response within five minutes, stand within an hour and be suckling within two hours. The placenta will be expelled within an hour. It should be examined by a vet to make sure that the whole placenta has been expelled and that there are no pieces remaining in the uterus, recommend Drs Kruger and Odendaal.
THE FIRST 24 HOURS AFTER BIRTH During his first day in the world, the foal should be suckling successfully at least four times an hour. The foal should pass his first faeces (or meconium), which is black to dark green in colour and semi-solid, and should be urinating within eight to 12 hours and frequently thereafter. Check the foal’s legs for signs of deformity and ask your vet to evaluate the IgG levels of the foal within 24 hours to ensure that he is receiving enough colostrum. The foal’s temperature should be between 37.8 and 39 degrees centigrade.
Prior to breeding, ensure that the mare is fully vaccinated
BAD SIGNS DURING FOALING • The foal does not appear with his front hooves first with the nose resting on his legs, or only the feet are seen and there is no evidence of the head, or only one foot is seen. This indicates foaling difficulty and assistance will be required. • A red velvety bag is protruding from the vulva instead of a white membrane. • The mare has not completed foaling within 30 minutes since the ‘water break’ and abdominal contractions started. • The placenta has not been passed three hours after the foal was delivered. • The foal’s head is not upright and he is depressed or weak. • The foal is premature or dysmature. Signs include a silky coat, floppy ears and limbs, a dome-shaped head, weakness or abnormally small size. • The foal does not stand or suckle within three hours after birth. • Signs of congenital deformities are present such as cataracts, hernias of the underside of the stomach and around the scrotum or milk coming out of the nose indicating a palate deformity. • The foal has swollen joints, overly lax joints or flexed joints unable to extend.
EQUESTRIAN HEALTH AND NUTRITION The quality of hay depends on several factors such as fertilisation of the fields, when it is harvested and how it is stored
10 TOP
feeding tips TEXT: DEBORAH ANN BUCHAN PHOTOGRAPHY: AZP WORLDWIDE, MARIKOND AND ANDRZEJ KUBIK
These guidelines will help you keep your horse in ideal condition and excellent health 66
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EXPERT
RENEÉ DU TOIT Reneé du Toit represents Spurwing Horse Feeds in the Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo regions. She has a BSc in Zoology (2003), a passion for horses and huge experience in the horse feed industry. Spurwing Horse Feeds is family-run, dedicated to horse feeds only, and backed by an experienced equestrian team with vast credentials and passion for the welfare of the horse.
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ver the past 20 years hundreds of different concentrates, supplements and additives have been developed and, worldwide, feeding recommendations have changed radically. New horse owners and experienced equestrians now have an overwhelming number of choices when purchasing feed for their animals. HQ has sorted through a great deal of literature and spoken to technical feed advisor Reneé du Toit of Spurwing Horse Feeds with the goal of providing readers with the 10 most relevant feeding recommendations that can benefit all horses and ponies regardless of breed or discipline. Reneé points out that “the following recommendations are made based upon the assumption that owners are deworming their horses on a schedule recommended by their veterinarian and that each animal has routine dental care at least once a year.”
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UNLIMITED AVAILABILITY OF CLEAN WATER
Most mammals can survive for several days without food, but all will die within a short period of time without adequate amounts of water. Horses are particularly vulnerable to the effects of dehydration because the digestive process is driven by adequate fluid in the intestine and hind gut. Over 80% of impaction colic cases can be traced back to inadequate intake of water. You must make sure your horse is never without access to clean water.
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FEED CLEAN, WEED- AND MOULD-FREE HAY OR GRAZING AD LIB
Depending on the use or the classification of the horse, up to 100% of the horse’s nutrients can be supplied by grazing or properly harvested and stored hay. Horse rations are usually calculated on the fact that each animal can consume up to 2.75% of his body weight every day in dry matter. The actual consumption depends on the quality of the fibre available. Forage consumed from fields that are weed-free and fertilised on a regular basis
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provides more nutrition than that from fields that are not intensively managed. The same is true for hay produced from correctly managed and fertilised fields. The quality of hay is also dependent on when it is harvested and how it is stored. In general, hay harvested and baled at an early stage of development provides more nutrition than hay harvested late in the development stage. Once harvested, hay should be stored under cover on pallets that keep it from absorbing moisture from the concrete or the ground and kept out of direct sunlight. There are several laboratories in South Africa that can do a complete nutritional analysis on any type of hay. It is desirable to have a representative sample of each cutting analysed for nutritional content so that decisions on supplementation with concentrate rations can be made. At least one company in Gauteng has set up a specialised grass production business and is able to provide owners with the nutritional analysis for every load of hay sold. If it is impractical or too expensive to have the nutritional analysis done on each delivery of hay, the following recommendations can provide a reasonable evaluation of its quality: • Hay, whether in large round or small square bales, should be clean, weed- and dust-free, and have a fresh smell. • Hay cut from ground that has been analysed and properly fertilised will generally have a higher nutritional content than hay cut from unfertilised areas. • Legume hay such as lucerne is particularly susceptible to mould, so each bale should be checked before it is fed by inspecting it both visually and by smelling the flakes to detect any unpleasant odour. Hay should be provided ad lib and fed from some sort of container that keeps it away from dust and faeces. Feeding at or below the level of the chest keeps the horse from getting dust into the nostrils and eyes. Each horse should get a minimum of 1% of his body weight in high quality hay or forage every day and 1.75% of the body weight is desirable.
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SALT
A salt block should be available at all times and, if possible, the salt should be located in close proximity to the water source. Placing the salt block on a raised surface such as a concrete block or in a plastic pan with drain holes drilled in the bottom keeps the block clean and prevents it from dissolving into the ground. Most horses who get a correctly balanced concentrate do not need a mineral block, but if a mineral block is provided you must be sure it was formulated for horses, not livestock. Here in South Africa most mineral blocks labelled for game will be safe for horses, but do check with the product manufacturer or dealer to make sure.
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EACH HORSE AND PONY MUST BE FED AS AN INDIVIDUAL
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CONCENTRATES SHOULD SUPPLEMENT ADEQUATE FORAGE
Each animal will respond to forage, concentrates, supplements and additives in a unique way. Even within breeds, each horse will react in a different way to the demands of exercise, breeding and age, and a responsible owner will make whatever adjustments are necessary to keep each animal in the best condition based upon his own needs.
Concentrates are an effective way to supplement a horse’s diet but should be fed in the smallest quantities required to maintain the animal’s body condition. An equine nutritionist, a technical feed advisor, or an equine vet can provide valuable guidance regarding the type and amount of concentrates to feed to the various categories of horses. In general, a concentrate that provides energy from fat is better for most animals than a concentrate that provides energy from excessive amounts of carbohydrates, especially for animals and breeds susceptible to polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM). A concentrate should be selected based upon the life stage and activity level of the horse and the general rule is to feed the minimum amount
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EQUESTRIAN HEALTH AND NUTRITION of concentrate separated into at least two or, preferably, three meals per day so that the horse’s system will not be overwhelmed during the digestive process.
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SUPPLEMENTS AND ADDITIVES SHOULD BE USED WITH DISCRETION
A general rule is that if the horse is receiving the minimum amount of the balanced concentrate recommended by the manufacturer, supplements and additives will not be required. Individual horses and ponies might require additional vitamins or minerals if prescribed by a veterinarian or recommended by a reputable nutritionist or technical feed advisor. Without specific recommendations, adding ingredients to a commercially available concentrate can result in wasting money in the best case and creating potentially toxic levels of certain elements in the worst case.
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CONCENTRATES SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR QUALITY
Make sure the concentrates you are buying are fresh, free of foreign objects, and that they are fed while optimal levels of nutrients are present. Modern manufacturing techniques have made feed additives like vitamins much more stable but processed grains and additives do lose nutritive value over time. Buying from a dealer who has a large volume of sales or who orders smaller quantities more regularly is a good way to ensure that the product you are receiving is at the peak of its shelf life. Most manufacturers have extremely good production facilities and take care to keep foreign objects from contaminating the production process, but it is virtually impossible to keep some foreign objects – baling twine, plant roots and the like – out of the processing equipment. In addition, both shipping methods and storage conditions at the factory, the retail outlet, and at the stable can influence the quality of the product. Moisture can seep through the product bag with the adverse effect of allowing mould to grow undetected or bags can get wet during transport in bad weather. At the stable, bags should be stored on pallets to keep them away from any moisture in a cool, well-ventilated area. Once the bag is opened, the concentrates should be stored in containers that keep insects and rodents from contaminating the feed.
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Grooms and owners should be extremely observant when opening bags of concentrate and any discolouration, unpleasant smell or abnormal texture should be noted and that bag with its tag or batch number set aside for exchange. As each ration is measured it should be carefully checked for foreign objects, including small bits of the material used to weave the bag, and any foreign material removed before feeding.
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THE CONDITION OF EACH HORSE SHOULD BE MONITORED ON A REGULAR BASIS Owners should monitor each animal’s body condition regularly and adjust feed intake as needed. If the horse appears to be tending toward being over-conditioned, concentrates should be reduced and if the horse is becoming too lean the concentrate ration or the energy and protein value should be increased along with the amount of hay or length of grazing time. Roughage levels should never be reduced to below 1 to 1.75% of the horse’s body weight as fibre should be the main source of nutrition for any horse or pony. Regardless of breed or activity, a horse or pony should be maintained at body condition 5 (see the Henneken system on www.animalchannel. co.za) with broodmares at body condition 6 at the time of foaling.
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FEED BY WEIGHT, NOT BY VOLUME
Different types of concentrates vary widely in how much a certain volume actually weighs. Pelleted products are over twice as dense as meal products so feeding by volume can either drastically under- or overfeed the horse. The price of a good scale can be made up in a very short time due to the savings that result from feeding accurate amounts of concentrates by weight. In addition, weighing both concentrates and hay ensures that the horse is actually receiving the recommended amount of food which, in turn, ensures that he will be maintained at the proper condition for his life stage and work level.
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FEED AT REGULAR INTERVALS AND DO NOT CHANGE FEED OVERNIGHT All dietary changes should be made gradually over a period of seven to 14 days to allow the
Access to fresh water is paramount – over 80% of impaction colic cases can be traced back to inadequate intake of water
horse’s intestinal bacteria to adjust to different formulations or different amounts of concentrates. In addition, regular feeding schedules will benefit the horse by keeping the digestive tract from being overloaded or emptied. Equally spaced feedings/meals of concentrates with free choice (ad lib) grass and water will keep the horse’s gut working and minimise the possibility of colic. Reneé firmly believes that “when healthy horses are fed according to these guidelines, are dewormed on a regular basis, and have appropriate dental care at least once a year they should be in the best condition possible. Always consult with your technical feed advisor or veterinarian for the best feeding programme to maintain and reach your individual horses’ goals and needs.”
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A striking golden Don Horse in Russia (photo: mariait)
BREEDERS’ GALLERY
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BREEDERS
Alpha Appaloosa Stud We have been breeding successful competitive horses for the past 40 years. Pictured are two of our stallions. Alpha Wap’s Vibrant, is a bright bay extended blanket, representing five generations of our breeding.
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BREEDERS
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P TRA OIPNEIRT NG Y
TEXT: COURTESY OF SKYWAYS MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL FELL
12 points OF
SALE
Essential points that will help you sell your property
T
rying to sell real estate can be stressful, particularly if that real estate is your own home. Not having a good grasp of the process will only add to your difficulties. You really need to increase your knowledge and understanding of the process of selling in order to increase your chances of success and save yourself a few headaches. This article will provide you with the most important aspects of selling real estate, which will make the process simpler.
1. MARKET ONLINE Take the time to post information about your house on websites that have classified postings. You will see this method attracting a wider range of potential buyers, which may result in a quicker sale at an amount you are comfortable with.
2. IMPROVE CERTAIN ELEMENTS Before you put your home on the market, check your plumbing system and replace your fixtures if you need to. Small kitchen improvements can be wise investments that increase the appeal and value of your property.
3. HAVE INFORMATION HANDY When your house is up for sale, make sure you have easy access to all the information a buyer might require. This should include contractors and the repairs they have made. This will give the buyer a good idea of the kind of care that was put into the home during your ownership.
4. DO SOME LANDSCAPING Before putting your home on the market, make sure your landscaping looks beautiful. If a buyer sees a poorly kept garden, they will most likely
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assume that the house is in a similar condition and will not even enter.
5. GET RID OF THE CLUTTER Buyers will be more attracted to a house free of clutter. Cupboards should contain the least amount of items possible, arranged in an organised manner, and should also be free from dust. Kitchen cabinets will make the best impression when they are cleaned out and left with only a few gourmet packages to create a sophisticated feeling.
6. APPOINT THE RIGHT AGENT Make sure that you try to find an agent who is in the middle of the price range. The agents who quote the highest could be attempting to make you their client, which means they aren’t applying realistic values to your home. On the flipside, an agent who undervalues your home will ensure you don’t get the returns you deserve.
7. TOUCH UP THE BATHROOMS Try fixing up your bathroom when your home is for sale. Add new lights or fixtures. Try to give the room a spa-like feel, so the potential buyer will be able to easily picture themselves soaking in a relaxing bubble bath as they view your home.
8. SPOTLIGHT ON Pay attention to proper lighting before buyers come to your home. Having light in a room will make the room seem larger, and will also show those who are browsing that you have not attempted to cover up anything that may be a cause for concern. You will find more interested buyers if you have a well-lit home.
9. BE PATIENT It is very important that you remain patient with the real estate agent you have. In many cases, they are going to tell you certain things that you don’t want to hear. You may not agree with them, but if you follow their advice, your home will sell faster.
10. CAREFULLY CHOOSE COLOURS If you have chosen to do some inside painting before selling your home, be certain not to pick colours based on your taste. It is wiser to go with neutral colours, like eggshell or taupe. One of the best methods of communicating a new home’s appeal to potential buyers is to apply a new coat of paint.
11. THE RIGHT PRICE For most people, price is everything. To bring in buyers, you must put your house up for an amount that everyone can be satisfied with.
12. KITCHEN, KITCHEN, KITCHEN Consider improving your property prior to selling it. Doing so will add considerable value to the property in the eyes of prospective buyers. One of the best home renovations is updating an older kitchen. If your kitchen is looking old or dirty, invest a little money in upgrading it, and you will be able to sell your home quicker and at a greater profit. If you read the proper information and talk to the right people, selling real estate does not have to be overly stressful. Having the knowledge to get through the process is a huge factor and will make the sale simple.
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SEEN AT 1
THE CALLAHO AUCTION 2014 Held at Callaho Stud in Christiana on 31 May 1. Buyers and spectators during the auction 2. Simone Thijssen and Luke Compaan 3. Gail, Demi Lee and Craig Jacobs 4. Govett and Kaylee Triggol 5. Rogan Asken, Ian Callender-Easby and Gunther Friemel (from Germany) 6. Ian Callender-Easby and Simone Thijssen 7. The Callaho team 8. Nadia Biggs and Bryce McCall 9. Martyn Swanepoel and Graham Winn 10. Alan Reebok, Anne-Marie Esslinger and Colleen Savage 11. Alice Walker, Betsie Gouws, Karlien Boonzaaier and Hazel Neuhaus
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PHOTOGRAPHY: H2 PHOTOGRAPHY
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IN THE NEXT ISSUE HQ91 (SEPT 2014) – ON SALE FROM 25 AUG 2014
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BREEDS OF THE WORLD: THE BIG GUYS
Find out more about draught horses 2
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SPECIAL FOCUS ON POLO
We talk to players, coaches, owners and enthusiasts about the various aspects of the sport 3
THE FIT THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR HORSE
Guidelines for making sure you choose the correct saddle for your horse PLUS: How to know if your saddle is not the best fit
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SHOW CONDITION
What exactly is show condition and how do you get your horse in this ‘state’ and then maintain it?
•PLUS• Training tips News from the international arena
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JWT64823
TOP 12 BEST BUYS 2014 2013 2012
WINNER DOUBLE-CAB BAKKIE
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