United Aviation Group

UNITED AVIATION GROUP UAGTEXT: PHILIPPA ROSE-TITE PHOTOGRAPHY: SHAUN MALLETT PHOTOGRAPHY

REFLECT ON DERBY 2022

If there were a single word to describe Derby 2022, it would be fun!

After an extremely limited Derby in 2021, it was with an enormous sense of relief and joy that the crowds and riders welcomed each other back to this iconic event in October 2022.

BUILD-UP

In the weeks preceding the United Aviation Group Derby, the excitement for the event was palpable.

The release of the official advert for the Derby, as well as the 'teasers', had begun in July, alongside the release of interviews with Gonda Betrix. The upbeat sound of 'Fly Away' by Lenny Kravitz could be heard as a soundtrack to many a League of Champions and World Cup events as riders and spectators watched the advert play on various social media channels. Having so many riders included in the advert was an intentional message that the Derby would be more open and inclusive for attendees in 2022, and we were delighted that they agreed to join us for the shoot.

Check out the Derby program (available on www.issuu.com) for an article on the shooting of the advert.

The United Aviation Group marketing team began running webinars a full month ahead of Derby kicking off with a discussion on the Derby course itself with Anna Marie Esslinger and German course builder Stefan Wirth. Almost immediately as the webinar began, we were inundated by requests for tickets which we dutifully funnelled along to the fantastic organising team at Kyalami Park Club.

As the marketing kicked up a notch with the videos of the riders being released every few days, weekly webinars discussing Derby from all angles and approaches, and social media that was in overdrive with beautiful imagery and quotes from our riders, the tickets opened at KPC to members. Within 24 hours (before we had even had a chance to announce they were open to anyone else), they had sold out! This was an unprecedented event and one which raised the ire of many online.

Luckily, United Aviation Group had already factored in a sponsorship of the live stream as it would have been heartbreaking not to be able to take the final Derby showjumping event to as many people as possible. In fact, as we go to print, over 23,000 people have watched the recorded live stream, which has proven popular among riders and spectators!

And so onward with the planning! For United Aviation Group, that meant ensuring our team booked amazing entertainment to celebrate the Derby winners for the Sunday evening; we were lucky enough to secure Me & Mr Green as the opening act for Jesse Clegg as well as Roger Goode, who the crowd just adores! In fact, Roger has become something of a regular to our horsey world, as he played for us last year and even agreed to come onboard for the UAG hospitality area private parties on the Friday and Saturday nights as well! And speaking of the hospitality area…

THE EVENT

The United Aviation Group hospitality area was festooned with over 650 hand-folded paper Pegasus' expertly hung from the ceiling. Uncountable numbers of paper flowers were folded and installed on our flower walls.

Over 450m of lights were expertly laid throughout the double story and outdoor stands. Beautiful bespoke chandeliers and flower chandeliers hung from the ceilings and a 5am flower change on the Sunday morning meant that even those who had visited the space previously were surprised all over again at how beautiful it was on the Sunday.

But aside from the gorgeous décor, three helicopters, fabulous food, bespoke cocktails, and beautiful branding, what everyone had come to see was the stunning horses and their courageous riders - a spectacle all their own. And what a treat that turned out to be!

From the second the marching band took to the arena, the real Derby fever overtook the crowd. Whether taking it seriously or taking it sideways (and sometimes backwards and bucking), everyone from the horses to the crowd seemed to catch the buzz, and it was a runaway event after that. The gorgeous Louise Day (from Me & Mr Green) took to the field to sing the national anthem after the Horses' Prayer, and even the minor glitch in sound couldn't shake the feeling of jubilance that infected the crowd.

With every single round, you could feel the spectators move with the riders. A pole down was a groan in unison. A debutante rider, no matter their number of penalties, received roars of approval at the finish, and if someone was eliminated, it was as if each heart on the side of the arena broke as well. With no clear rounds and five riders proceeding to the jump-off with four penalties each, it was going to be a nail-biter!

We have watched the jump-off a few times now on the recorded live streams, and we've chatted to Dominey, Nicole and Jeanne in our post-Derby Winners Webinar, and all we can say is that if you haven't seen it yet, it's definitely edge-of-your-seat, cheering-for-your-rider, worth watching kind of stuff! The distinct roles played by the athleticism of horses and riders, lady luck, positivity and iron will are astounding. The spectators were clearly thrilled that Dominey was the one who took the Derby statue home though Athena looked considerably more interested in eating her flower wreath than celebrating with it!

As the sun began to set over Kyalami Park and DJ Bluum started warming up the happy crowd, we were once again reminded that the Derby is truly an epic event - one that South African horse lovers hold very close to their hearts. There is magic in the air at Derby: it's in the winning horse and rider combinations; in the legends that are made over time at the event; in the stories that are told, changed, retold and embellished; and in the traditions that are part of Derby. These are the things that make Derby special; that make the riding community a family; that make us United.