HORSE AND RIDER
INTERVIEW: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE PHOTOGRAPHY: LC PHOTOGRAPHS
Nicola Sime-Riley The SA Champion
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t the beginning of August this year, one of the most coveted titles in equestrian sport in South Africa was up for grabs; the title of “South African Show Jumping Champion”! For the second time, Nicola Sime-Riley bagged the title, this time on her cheeky imported Belgian Stallion Insaghi DB, and she did so in fine style, jumping the only double clear! HQ had the opportunity to catch up with Nicola Sime-Riley to hear more about her latest win with the special “Ziggy”! HQ: First of all, congratulations on your latest win with a horse that seems to be going from strength to strength! Nicola: He (Sunny Park Stables Insaghi DB) was amazing, simply AMAZING! HQ: Well, you have been on quite the roll recently, winning everything on double clears! Nicola: Well, I always joke with people saying the only time I ever win is when I jump double clear and no one else is
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clear. You must remember that this horse won President’s Cup this year and last year with a time fault at both! I couldn’t believe it. HQ: At least you won SA Champs without a time fault! Nicola: (Laughs) Listen - I don’t think there was any chance for time faults at this show it was just go, go go! HQ: For sure! But you haven’t had the easiest year this year? Nicola: Ya, so I broke my wrist, well, shattered my wrist before the World Cup at Kyalami at the end of April. I was riding a young horse on the flat. I wasn’t even doing anything serious… But he had stumbled with me on the Monday and on the Tuesday, I was doing some lengthen and collect, and I had lengthened him, and just before I collected him, we lengthened headfirst into the ground! My arm looked like a duck’s beak! And then I got COVID, and I was very sick. I haven’t been that sick in my life - it was terrible!
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