HQ Magazine Issue 164A

Fostering

the connection between horse & rider.

Lorraine Glove in Black

Hello!

Welcome to our latest interviewfilled edition of HQ Magazine. After a fascinating article from Callaho highlighting the depth and breadth of their 1.50-showjumper-producingbroodmare ‘squad’, we dive into a series of interviews that will both inspire and amaze.

From Janine Coetzee and Capital Harrison, who recently jumped their first 1.40m class, to Georgia Biet, who has produced her youngster right up to his first 1.50m, to Oliver Bishop, who seized his first World Cup Qualifier victory and Zandi Alcock, who had a hugely successful trip to Europe, there is something for every single showjumping fan! And, if that wasn’t enough, we also catch up with the inspiring young entrepreneur behind the brand ‘Equinity’ to hear her story.

Outside of our feast of interviews, we also have an article on the conformation of the neck, as well as a feature on the five most common causes of the potentially lifethreatening condition, colitis.

Of course, we also have our usual features like our ‘AskHQ’ section, HQPro and our ‘Products we Love’ focus, so, as always, we hope we’ve got something here for everyone.

Our next edition will come out in the midst of Derby fever, and we couldn’t be more excited for what promises to be a stupendous show! To top off the excitement, we’ll be bringing our latest print edition to the show, so come and visit us there to get your copy.

Until next time!

Lizzie and the HQ team

Dr Lizzie Harrison | Editor

CONTENTS

The queen moves the board

Callaho’s extraordinary band of 1.50m performance proven broodmares

HQPro

WBFSH top 10 sire rankings for eventing

It’s big, it’s brave

It’s Burghley 2023

Janine Coetzee

The definition of dedicated

Recognising achievements

Georgia Biet and Barbery Savoy Affair jump their first 1.50m

Equinity

And the young equestrian entrepreneur

Oliver Bishop and Gaucho d’Emma

Their win at the Toyota Shongweni

WCQ 2023

All about Europe

With Zandi Alcock

Colitis

The five main causes

Crucial conformation

Part 7: The neck

Crucial conformation

Part 7: The neck

AskHQ

Your equestrian questions answered

Products We Love

Shopping fun

THE

The Callaho dream has always been to provide the South African showjumping market with premium sporting partners that have the genetic potential and requisite disposition to venture above and beyond the demands of modern top-level sport. This is no modest feat, and it is owing to Callaho’s dedication and commitment that this dream, and more, is coming to fruition.

The continued realization of this dream is owed to Callaho’s fervent obsession with the significance of a well-proven damline; their “The king may rule the kingdom, but it’s the queen who moves the board”, approach to breeding has proven itself unbeatable. With each generation, they move closer and closer to their ultimate vision. When they say the magic lies in the broodmare, they aren’t messing around… To coin a Callaho truism, ‘the proof really is in the pudding’.

THE BOARD

THE HISTORY

To achieve these lofty goals, Ian (Callender-Easby) and his family decided in 2003 that only the very best damlines in the world would suffice for their breeding programme. These would stem from only directly performance-proven pedigrees, either with the mares themselves having produced international showjumpers or their being in direct relation to these international jumpers.

This decision was a turning point for Callaho. The quest to source these mares was set, and the journey through Europe to travel the breadth of Holland, Germany and Belgium in search of the finest genetics to give essence to Callaho’s breeding began.

This journey continues today, after more than 20 years, with over 120 mares imported into the country to date, with several of these original broodmares still remaining the foundation of Callaho’s most successful damlines.

Yet, despite the success of these former mares, Callaho continuously refines this selection of broodmares each season by sourcing new mares from European auctions or private sales. In addition, when gifted with daughters from these proven mares of enhanced athleticism and type, these new breeding prospects are retained for the programme. They live out their days browsing the Kalahari Savannas, quietly going about nurturing the next generation of Callaho Magic.

THE VISION REALIZED

Within just the last twelve months, 16 Callaho born and bred horses are competing in the 1.50m division here in South Africa. These competitors are derived from not one or two top mares but a total of 14 different exceptional Callaho broodmares. With this depth and breadth of breeding programme, it is no wonder that Callaho horses dominate and excel.

The horses and riders who, in the past twelve months, have been the 1.50m contenders and the broodmares responsible for them are the following:

Callaho Casco Gray & Jodie Ambrose

Callaho Conrado & Ray Körber

Callaho Consuri & Lara Neill

Callaho Conzano & Jannie Kleynhans

Callaho Falvio & Martyn Swanepoel

Callaho L’Amour & Tracey Carney

Callaho Landino & Zandi Miszewski

Callaho Le Cadeau & Desiree Davidson

Callaho Le Padre & Zdenek Muchna

Callaho Lexington & Jeanne Körber

Callaho Liantos & Tamara Rueda

Callaho Libra & Lisa Rahman

Callaho Lord Cassini & Jenna Odell

Callaho Lord Cris & George Coutlis

Callaho Luther & Tegan Bruyns

Callaho Vidanté & Leona van der Merwe

To have this number of horses in the top grade and to know that at least fourteen separate broodmares at Callaho Stud are producing 1.50m showjumpers is hard to comprehend in terms of the potential for the future. Congratulations to all the riders and their Callaho mounts; this is an unbelievable achievement.

Callaho Landino & Zandi Miszewski

THE NEXT TEN YEARS

In terms of potential for the future, it is very much worth noting that many offspring from these same fourteen broodmares are ascending the grades currently and are sure to join their siblings in the 1.50s.

Yet, the most exciting element here is actually that the breeding decisions behind creating these 1.50m horses of today were made a minimum of 10 years ago, with the youngest jumper amongst these 16 being the nine-year-old Callaho Vidanté, who recently debuted under Leona van der Merwe in her first 1.50m World Cup Qualifier in Stokkiesdraai.

To think that ten years have passed since these decisions were made and that the Callaho quest to breed the best and achieve continuous refinement continues to this day, one can only imagine the quality Callaho is breeding today. If this is what Callaho produced ten years ago, just consider for a moment what the future sporthorses from this exceptional stud will go on to achieve.

The Callaho superstars of the next ten years are already out on the circuit, quietly working their way up through the grades; or waiting for their Auction date to begin their journey with their new rider; or maybe playing in the herds at the Callaho farm, unaware of what awaits them; or perhaps just an idea in Ian’s mind. The promise inherent in Callaho’s creations will see the fruition of many more dreams and visions, both those of their riders and the teams who support them and those of the Callaho family, who live and work to gift these incredible athletes to our sport.

Thank you, Callaho, for not only your expertise and knowledge, for expertise alone would not be enough, but also for your dedication, passion and commitment to excellence. Our sport would not be where it is without you.

THE CALLAHO HALL OF FAME

The mares responsible for the 16 Callaho athletes jumping in the 1.50m classes have truly earnt their place in the Callaho Hall of Fame. These mares embody the meaning behind the phrase ‘The queen moves the board.’ Meet them here.

1

Callaho Le Cadeau (2009)

Lissabon gelding

2014 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought and produced to 1.50m by Desiree Davidson

Callaho’s Welingan (2003) Heartbreaker x Indoctro x Ramiro Z

Callaho’s Welingan, was bought from the 2003 Borculo Auction on the whisper-in-the-ear advice of Dutch stallion keeping legend, Henk Nijhof. Quoted directly as Ian recalls the story, “This must be the most providential, fluky piece of luck that any inexperienced, aspirational jumper-breeder could possibly hope for. God Bless his Soul!”.

2 | Callaho Liantos (2009)

Lissabon gelding

2016 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought and produced to 1.50m by Tamara Rueda

|

| Callaho Casco Grey (2013)

Casparon gelding

2018 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought and produced to 1.50m by Jodie Ambrose

DAM

Callaho’s Apache Bay (2011) Argentinus x Bold Indian XX x Werther mare

Callaho’s Apache Bay is from the famous line of Manfred Schäfer, that of Schneiderin (Schridde 350) that goes back to Hanover foundation stallions Werther, Graphit and Gotthard. She was bought directly from the breeder as a three-year-old and then put through her FN mare test where she was awarded 10/10 for technique and 10/10 for scope (vermogen). She was imported shortly after her mare test.

4 | Callaho Conrado (2011)

Con Coriano gelding

2016 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought and produced to 1.35m by Samantha Hardcastle

Acquired by Stewart Barker and ridden by Rainer Körber to 1.50m

DAM

Callaho’s Cassina (1999)

Cassini I x Caletto II x Marlon xx

Bought off the Triple S Auction in 2006 in Holland as an 11-year-old broodmare Callaho’s Cassinia is a direct daughter of the famed Weisse Dame responsible for several top international jumpers including WEG winner Cumano with Jos Lansink. She was put into foal to Nijhof’s Concord (a broodmare for Callaho’s sister breeding operation in Germany, Zuchthoff Hollen) and then Darco (stallion) before being imported to SA. After proving her value in Europe, she has continued to breed multiple daughters, granddaughters and even great granddaughters for Callaho. Two direct daughters of whom, Callaho Gemini (Granulit mare) and Callaho Salsa (Silvio mare) have each produced 1.50m jumpers, Callaho Libra and Callaho Falvio, respectively.

5 | Callaho Lord Cassini (2011)

Lord Z gelding

2016 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought and produced to 1.50m by Jenna Odell

DAM

6 | Callaho Libra (2010)

Lissabon mare

2015 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought as a Broodmare & produced to 1.30m by Bryce McCall

Acquired and ridden by Lisa Rahman to 1.50m

Callaho Gemini (2007) Granulit x Cassini I x Caletto II

7 | Callaho Falvio (2011)

For Joy gelding

2017 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought and produced to 1.50m by Martyn Swanepoel

DAM Callaho Salsa (2007) Silvio x Cassini I x Caletto II

8

| Callaho Consuri (2012)

Con Coriano mare

Owned by Callaho and produced to 1.50m by Lara Neill

DAM

Callaho’s Simplicity (1995)

Simply x Ussuri XX x Kobold II

Without a doubt one of the most consequential Callaho acquisitions from their early years was the East German bred Simplicity. Imported by Frank Dittman, she blessed his Brandenburg Stud with a remarkable jumper by Canello, Chansellor. His obvious jumping talent in the freejumping chute prompted Callaho to meet the asking price, but as a lagniappe, they got his mother thrown into the deal.

9 | Callaho Conzano (2013)

Con Coriano gelding

2015 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought and produced to 1.50m by Jan Kleynhans

DAM

Callaho’s Withney van’t Merelsnest (1999)

Ahorn Z x Darco x Hedjaz

Callaho’s Withney van’t Merelsnest was acquired directly from the van’t Merelsnest family farm in Belgium as an unbacked three year old. She is a direct daughter of the unbelievable Olympic mare Sapphire (Mclain Ward)

Mclain Ward and Sapphire

DAM

Callaho’s Chocolat (1999) Simply x Ussuri XX x Kobold II

Callaho’s Chocolat was one of Callaho’s original acquisitions, sourced from the Holsteiner Körung of 1997. She was bred by the Witt family in Schleswig-Holstein. Chocolat also happens to be the full sister to Brandenburg’s Clarinius, a 1.50m showjumper with Paul Hart.

10 |

Callaho L’Amour (2011)

Lissabon mare

Owned by Callaho and produced to 1.50m by

Tracey Carney

DAM

Callaho’s Zidria (2004) Padinus x Calato x Masetto

Her dam, Kidria (Calato x Masetto) was acquired from her breeders Nijhof in Holland. She was in foal at the time to rising star son of Heartbreaker, Padinus, gifting Callaho this stroke of luck with filly, Zidria

11 | Callaho Le Padre (2009)

Lissabon gelding

2014 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought by Ronelle Gilbert and produced to 1.50m by Zdenek Muchna

DAM

Callaho Fiorella (2007) For Joy x Raphael x Watzmann

Without a doubt the flagship of Callaho is the damline of Ravella (Raphael x Watzmann x Gotthard), the Grande Dame of Callaho. Proving her value when her son Sinclaire (Singular Joter) achieved international recognition at 5* level with Christian Ahlmann, Callaho snapped her up from breeder Eberhard Jordan of Wolfburg and she made the 11 000 km journey to South Africa. Ravella subsequently produced Callaho Fiorella (For Joy mare) who was successful in the 1.50m classes with Jeanne Körber before retiring to stud.

12 | Callaho Lexington (2010)

Lissabon gelding

2015 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought in partnership the Whitehouse family and produced to 1.50m by Jeanne Körber

DAM

Callaho’s Crissi P (1996) Contender x Garibaldi x Wolfsburg

Callaho’s Crissi P was acquired directly from the breeder Christian Pfeil from Bremerhaven. She descends from his own family’s line which goes back to Garibaldi ll x Wolfsburg x Ferdinand x Marcio xx, now internationally acclaimed due to descendent Cortney Cox 2, who under Pius Schwizer was a two time winner in the 2019 LGCL series.

13 |

Callaho Lord Cris (2011)

Lord Z gelding

2016 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought by Conrad Fourie and produced to 1.10m by Chris vd Merwe

Acquired and ridden by George Coutlis to 1.50m

DAM

Callaho Solera (2006) Silvio x Ramiro Z x Gotthard

This Callaho damline stems from Grandmother Ryanne, one of Callaho’s very earliest acquisitions by a stroke of fortune from a Dutch dressage breeder. In foal to Lauries Crusaider xx, Ryanne made the long flight south to the stud farm and gifted Team Callaho a Silvio daughter, Solera.

14

| Callaho Landino (2012)

Lissabon gelding

2017 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought and produced to 1.50m by Alexandra Miszewski

DAM

Callaho’s G - Cerise (1992) Calando x Capitano x Maximus

Born on the Schleswig-Holstein farm of one of the most famous Warmblood breeders of all time, Harm Thormälen, Cerise is a direct daughter of U-Capitola; full sister to Capitol I & Capitol II; and dam of Quite Capitol I & II. She was imported to SA in 2007 carrying her own foal by Cassini II.

15 | Callaho Luther (2010)

Lissabon gelding

2015 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought by Karenza Hunter and produced to 1.30m by Chatan Hendriks

Ridden by Tegan Bruyns to 1.50m

DAM

Callaho’s Adido (2005) Diamant de Semilly x Don Juan x Furioso II

Callaho’s Adido was acquired off the same auction as Cassina, The Triple S Auction in Holland as a three year old. Her mother, Domina, by Don Juan, jumped the big International 1.60m classes all over the world with Willi Melliger.

16 | Callaho Vidante (2014)

Victory For Ever mare

2019 Callaho Auction Collection

Bought by Govett Triggol and produced to 1.30m by Aisling Triggol

Ridden by Leona vd Merwe to 1.50m

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Join the conversation today, to follow the highs, the lows, and the action behind the scenes. It’s all for the love of the sport.

WBFSH TOP 10 SIRE RANKINGS 2022 FOR EVENTING

In order to create these rankings, the points of all the progeny in the nal WBFSH Breeder Rankings are added for each sire, and the top 100-ranked sires are published. Over the course of the year, data is continuously cleaned and unknown horses identi ed, such that they can contribute to both the studbook and these sire rankings. The rankings are updated on the 1st October every year.

1 185 POINTS

2021 RANKING: 2nd

Stallion | 2005 | Bay | 1.69m

DIAMANT DE SEMILLY X CORRADO I X CONTENDER

Approved sons: 97 | 5* Eventing: 3 | 1,60m (Jumping): 43

| Grand Prix Dressage: 2

NOTE: He also ranks 11th on the WBFSH Showjumping Rankings.

SOUTH AFRICAN HORSES WITH DIARADO BLOODLINES

Capital Toulouse

Diamond Dundee

The Burgh’s Madelina van de Falieberg

The Burgh’s Diacca PS 334 Baloubetto (damsire)

Melba FH (grandsire)

The Burgh’s Diablue (grandsire)

Balito Air 334 (granddam sire)

WELL KNOWN OFFSPRING BY DIARADO

Donthargos (grandsire)

Offspring of Donthargos in SA:

• KP Dragonfly Z

• Riverside Dubai Z

BURGHLEY COMPETITORS

Liatendro (grandsire) (5yr) with Lizzie Baugh

INTERNATIONAL

QC Diamantaire (5* 2023) with Sydney Elliott Diachello (2021 Olympics) with Jesse Campbell

Hiarado (2nd Mallow 4*-L) with Jonelle Price

JL Dublin (2nd Kentucky 5*-L 2023) with Tom McEwen

Dynamite Jack (Winner Kronenberg 4*-L 2023) with Sara Algotsson Ostholt

Dacapo (4*-L 2023) with Laura Collett

1 180 POINTS

2021 RANKING: 3rd

Trakehner stallion | 1998 | Dark Bay | 1.69m

POLARION TSF X CAMELOT X AROGNO

SOUTH AFRICAN HORSES WITH BIRKHOF’S GRAFENSTOLZ BLOODLINES Graphite Sky

Approved sons: 3 | 5* Eventing: 3 | Grand Prix Dressage: 2 2023)

INTERNATIONAL

Lordships Graffalo (Badminton 2023 and Le Pin au Haras – European Championship Winner) with Rosalind Canter

Absolut Gold (Team Bronze, 6th individually at 2023 Olympics) with Nicolas Touzaint Church’ile (5* 2023) with Arthur Marx Grafennacht (5* 2023) with William Fox-Pitt Baccarat D’Argonne (4*-L 2023) with Morgane Euriat Ell eld Voyager (4*-L 2023) with Alexander Whewall

1 026 POINTS

2021 RANKING: 4th

Oldenburg stallion | 1992 | Bay | 1.68m QUICK STAR X DOMINO X FLÜGEL VAN LA ROCHE

Approved sons: 2 | 5* Eventing: 3 | 1,60m (Jumping): 13

BURGHLEY COMPETITORS

Shanbeg Cooley (5*) with Harry Mutch Class Affair (5*) with Zara Tindall

Ballymolloy Roscoe (5yr) with Daniel Scott

MBF Yolo (5yr) with Holly Needham

INTERNATIONAL

MGH Grafton Street (5* 2023) with Pippa Funnel Moonlight Charmer (4*-L 2023) with William Fox-Pitt

Quality in Time (4*-L 2023) with Matteo Orlandi

976 POINTS

2021 RANKING: !st

Selle Francais stallion | 1997 | Bay | 1.76m

HAND IN GLOVE XX X LAUDANUM XX X ALME

Approved sons: 9 | 5* Eventing: 3 | 1,60m (Jumping): 13

NOTE: Jaguar Mail has been in the top 4 WBFSH Eventing Sires since 2016.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jaguar Mail and Peter Eriksson were important members of the Swedish Nations Cup Team with placings in Gothenburg, Rotterdam and Falsterbo. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, the Swedish Team placed fth overall and Jaguar Mail was 33rd in the Individual Final.

BURGHLEY COMPETITORS

Colorado Blue (5*) with Austin O’Connor Tenareze (5*) with Harry Meade One Night Only (5yr) with Jeanette Brakewell

INTERNATIONAL

Vassily De Lassos (3rd 2021 Olympics) with Andrew Hoy Maybach (5*) with Pippa Funnel Box Leo (Top 10 Aachen 4*-S 2023) with Frida Anderson

Vesuve D’Aveyron (2nd 2023 Strzegom 4*-L) with Merel Blom-Hulsman

Gredington Mailthyme (4*-L) with Arthur Duffort

Dunges Don Perignon (4*-L) with Teresa Stokar

Ferreolus Lat (2021 Olympics) with Miloslav Prihoda Jr

914

POINTS

2021 RANKING: 5th

Approved sons: 109 | 5*

| Grand Prix Dressage: 7

Eventing: 3 | 1,60m (Jumping): 64

SOUTH AFRICAN HORSES WITH CONTENDRO I BLOODLINES

Cher M53

Calegro Dei Gratia Conthezze

(jumped 1.45m with Heather Mostert)

KP Catharine the Great Z

Calegro Dei Gratia Cialotti

KP Charlotte Garlic Kervec

Seeis Atendro

Callaho Cheyenne

Callaho Contendra

Optima La Conda

(jumped 1.40m with Amy Engelbrecht)

Callaho’s First Kiss (damsire)

Callaho Cascoletto (damsire)

Callaho Laretto (damsire)

Callaho Castino (damsire)

Pearl Jam M53 (damsire)

The Burgh’s Diablue (sire’s damsire)

INTERNATIONAL

FischerChipmunk FRH (Winner 2023 Marbach, Wiesbaden and 2nd Aachen | 2022 Winner Kentucky 5* | 8th 2021 Olympics ) with Michael Jung

C’est La Vie 135 (5*) with Woods Baughman

Cato 60 (2021 Olympics) with Louise Romeike

FRH Corrida (5th 2023 4*-S Kronenberg) with Andreas Dibowski

Carpe Diem (4*-L) with Helen Bates

Continue De Vision (4*-L) with Mila Hastrup

Daisy’s Diamante (4*-L) with Costanza Mantici

Holsteiner stallion | 1997 | Bay | 1.68m CONTENDER X REICHSGRAF X RASPUTIN

581 POINTS

2021 RANKING: 10th

SHB(GB) stallion | 1986 | Bay | 1.63m

FLEETWOOD OPPOSITION X WELTON GAMEFUL XX X YOUR FANCY XX

Approved sons: 2 | 5* Eventing: 3

DID YOU KNOW?

Yarland’s Summer Song competed in the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 with Marie-Christine Duroy for the French Eventing Team.

INTERNATIONAL Unum De’Or (5*) with Cedric Lyard Toblerone (4*-L) with Nadja Minder Sursumcord’Or (7th 2023 Jardy 4*-L) with Julie Simonet Cash Des Cedres (2nd 2023 Campo de Mayo BA 4*-L) with Luciano Claudio Brunello Ult’Im (2023 4*-L) with Cyrielle Lefevrel

535 POINTS

2021 RANKING: 47th

Selle Francais stallion | 2001 | Bay | 1.68m

CARTHAGO X QUIDAM DE REVEL X LE TOT DE SEMILLY

5* Eventing: 2

INTERNATIONAL Banzai Du Loir (winner 2023 Aachen) with Yasmin Ingham

522 POINTS

2021 RANKING: 37th

Zangersheide stallion | 2000 | Bay | 1.72m CHELLANO Z X RAMIRO Z X BENTLEY

5* Eventing: 1 | 1,60m (Jumping): 2

BURGHLEY COMPETITORS

2022 winner Vanir Kamira (5*) with Piggy March.

NOTE:

Together this combination have won Badminton 5*, Burghley 5* and Hartpury 4*.

INTERNATIONAL

Creevagh Silver De Haar (5* Luhmuhlen 2023) with Fiona Kashel

Creevagh Cooley (2022 5*) with Andrew Hoy

511 POINTS

2021 RANKING: 28th

KWPN stallion | 1992 | Bay | 1.72m VOLTAIRE X NIMMERDOR X LE MEXICO

Approved sons: 183 | 5* Eventing: 1 | 1,60m (Jumping): 178

SOUTH AFRICAN HORSES WITH KANNAN GFE BLOODLINES

Emerald Isle Kilgharrah Theseus

KP Kraken

KP King Kong

Brandenburg Knight Rider

Brandenburg Keep the Faith Kitana

Fidji du Roset

Kingston G

Branic Knight Rider

Callaho Kublai Khan

Callaho Kalinka

Capital’s Figaro D’isigny

Capital Kingsland

Diamonds Kalaya

Capital Kenia Z

Kannandrum

Kontaire

Emerald Isle Khaleesi

Cordova Kwazimodo

Karamel PS

Nova Zonnestraal’s Rivendell Kite Runner

GB Fluid Konan

RNR Karmay

Kaprisch DBH Z

Maxstar Kontaire

HBS Kandela dei Gratia

For Ever de la Roque Z (damsire)

Cyrus M53 (damsire)

Pink M53 (damsire)

INTERNATIONAL

Carouzo Bois Marotin (6th 5* Kentucky 2023) with Maxime Livio

Javerano Paulowna

Javerano Paulowna

Capital Kasane

Kygo M53

Emerald Isle Karpathion

Guilty Pleasure (4*-L 2023) with Francesca Reid-Warrilow

Cooley Snapchat (Bramham 4*-S 2023 Winner) with Selina Milnes

Cooley Snapchat (Bramham 4*-S 2023 Winner)

510 POINTS

2021 RANKING: 57th

KWPN stallion | 1996 | Bay | 1.65m ACOBAT II X SILVANO X HANASSI XX

5* Eventing: 2 | 1,60m (Jumping): 2

DID YOU KNOW?

World Cup showjumper Armageddon is also a son of Acobat II, and had a proli c career here in South Africa, jumping the 1.50ms with Paul Hart, Ronnie Lawrence and Dominey Alexander! Furthermore, Acobat II also features in the bloodlines of two well-known showjumpers – the stallion Luxius (Lux Z x Acobat II) owned by the Pappalardo’s and Quisto (Quo Vads I x Acobat II) ridden by Kyla Brimacombe.

INTERNATIONAL

Off the Record (7th 5* Kentucky 2023) with William Coleman

SRS Kan Do (6th 5*-L Luhmuhlen 2022) with Kylie Roddy

GRC Shiraz (4*-L 2023) with Federico Sacchetti

SR Lonestar My Hunter (4*-L 2023) with Heidi Bratile Larsen

It’sBIG, it’s brave,

Eventing came to Burghley House almost by accident in 1961 after the Marquess of Exeter, a keen equestrian, heard an event at Harewood was to be cancelled due to a suspected Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak. In response to this news, he invited the British Horse Society to move the event to his estate.

Burghley’s first-ever winner in 1961 was our very own late Anneli Drummond-Hay, who won the event riding Merely-A-Monarch.

In Burghley’s first year, only 19 competitors participated, and just nine of these combinations completed the event. Go Anneli!

In only its second year, 1962, Burghley ran the FEI’s European Championship. It went on to host two World Championships (1966 and 1974), six European Championships (1962, 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989 and 1997) and one Young Riders European Championship (1978). No other horse trials site has staged as many Championships!

Today, the event has become one of the most popular and highly regarded within the equestrian calendar. It ranks within the UK’s top ten national sporting occasions by attendance.

Burghley has been voted a firm favourite amongst riders worldwide, securing the coveted L’Annee Hippique award a staggering seven times – a record within international Eventing.

Burghley Horse Trials is one of only seven CCI 5* events worldwide, the star rating denoting the highest standard of event (technically and administratively) and the most challenging test of horse and rider. It’s not called a ‘Horse Trial’ for nothing! The other CCI 5* events are Badminton, Kentucky, Luhmühlen, Pau, Maryland and Adelaide.

Today, approximately 1,100 volunteers are involved in the organising and running of the event. These include vets, fence judges and stewards who give of their time to ensure the event can go ahead.

Around 100 litres of Pimms are consumed by visitors each year!

William Fox-Pitt is Burghley’s most successful competitor, having won six times (1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2011), with Virginia Elliott MBE (née Holgate), Sir Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson winning five times (Virginia Elliott MBE in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1989; Sir Mark Todd in 1987, 1990, 1991, 1997 and 1999; Andrew Nicholson in 1995, 2000, 2012, 2013 and 2014).

Burghley welcomes over 173,000 visitors during the four days of competition. This is compared to the 12,000 who watched the first event back in 1961.

There have been just sevencourse designers in the event’s history. The previous designers were Bill Thomson, MRCVS (1961 – 1983), Lt. Col. Henry Nicoll, D.S.O., O.B.E. (1975), Philip Herbert (1984 – 1988), Capt. Mark Phillips, C.V.O. (1989 – 1996 and 1998 – 2000), Mike Tucker (1997 and 2001) and Wolfgang Feld (2002 –2004). The seventh designer, Derek di Grazia, designed for the first time last year.

More than 600 carefully selected exhibitors attend the event each year.

In 2003, Pippa Funnell became the first rider ever to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, a feat not repeated until 2016 when Germany’s Michael Jung clinched his title at Badminton. The publicity in 2003 surrounding Pippa Funnell’s hat trick at Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley drew huge media interest to the sport.

The total prize fund at Burghley is an astonishing £300,000, which is split between the top competitors.

The CCI5*-L Burghley Horse Trials crosscountry course this year features 30 fences over 6500m through the iconic Lincolnshire parkland, designed by Derek di Grazia and built by Philip Herbert and his team. The optimum time is set to be 11 minutes 19 seconds, with combinations required to travel at a speed of 570 metres per minute.  Andrew Nicholson has completed the Burghley Horse Trials an astonishing 36 times.

THE DEFINITION OF DEDICATED

HQ had the opportunity to catch up with rising Junior star Janine Coetzee after she recently jumped her first 1.40m.

TEXT: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT

HORSE AND RIDER

Caracas.

Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

Caracas. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Janine: I turned 16 this year, and I do homeschooling, which gives me more time to ride my horses and my sister's horses, as she recently broke her leg. I started riding with my mom, and I was at Winstead to begin with. Now I am coached by the fantastic Charley Crockart, Adrian van Wyk and Mark Fox.

Interestingly, I'm the third generation of riders in my family; my granny used to ride, my grandpa rode, and so did my mom. From when I was little, my mom used to put me on a pony, and that is how I would fall asleep!

HQ: So, you were basically born to ride!

Janine: Yep, my mom got me into it and started with me, and then I moved on to Kirsten (Winn). I was probably about two months old when I was first put on a horse, but I properly started when I was around four years old.

Capital Kamron. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: So, did you know from then that it was what you wanted to do?

Janine: 100%! My gran asked me this question when I was maybe 4 or 5; she asked me and my two siblings (older sister Jade and younger brother Jonty) what we wanted to jump when we were older. My brother and sister both said 1.50m, and then she asked me, and I said, "No, 1.60m!" I've always had a love for the sport, and I hope it takes me far one day.

HQ: Well, from what we hear, we're sure it will! Can you tell us a bit about your Pony Rider experience?

Janine: So, my pony rider experience was TERRIBLE, but at least we can laugh about this now. They bought me this pony when I was about five; it wouldn't jump over a pole on the

ground, and it was very naughty! In the end, I jumped her up to the 1m classes by the time I was 11, and she was only 13 hands tall. But, sjoe, she was naughty! My record for falling off her was seven times in 15 minutes…

HQ: Were they trying to test how badly you wanted to ride!?

Janine: I think so (laughing).

HQ: And falling off never put you off riding?

Janine: No, not then, and I don't think it ever will!

Capital Kamron. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: So, then you moved on to Juniors; how did that go?

Janine: After this little 'pony', I got a horse called Versuvio. When we went to go try him out, he nearly bucked me off, and I was like, "This is the one". He taught me how to sit and how to ride. He bucked me off so many times that in the end, my grandparents said, "We are taking you off this horse; he's going to injure you."

So, then we were looking for a new horse, and that is when we found Lettie (the Legend), a.k.a Quiletta. She was wild and kept running away from me, but I knew from that day that she was a champion and she was going to make

me as a rider. So, we bought her, and we took her to Blouberg in 2019, having only had her for three days, and I won the 1m Championship. I had her for three years and won five or six big Children's titles with her. She gave me so much confidence and made me the rider I am today.

Caracas. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: Lettie was quite small, wasn't she?

Janine: Yes, she is tiny; she's 15hh, and she also qualified us for the Top 16 for Aachen, and she jumped around a 1.35m track! She may be tiny, but she has the heart of a lion, so that is all that matters.

From Lettie, I moved on to Ardenn Villers, who Charley found for me. I had to decide in two hours if I wanted her or not, but it all worked out. We started to build a partnership; I won the Junior 1.35m Gauteng Champs, and after that, she, unfortunately, had an injury, so then we weren't sure what to do!

Charley suggested Capital Harrison; we all thought she was crazy, and I didn't think I would ever be able to ride this horse because he is big, strong, and just a buffalo. I got on anyway, and I'm not going to lie, he scared me quite a lot in the beginning, but the partnership has just grown from there. I've been riding him for about a year now, and here we are, having just jumped our first 1.40m classes!

Capital Kamron. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: Your family purchased Harrison as a young horse off the Capital Stud Auction, didn't they?

Janine: Yes, he was the cheapest horse we have ever bought off an Auction! I also got another Capital off an Auction, and that is Capital Kamron. He was given to Kelly O'Connor to ride. She took him overseas for a bit, and then when she decided to come back, she thought he would be the perfect ride for me, so she handed the ride over to me. He has been lots of hard work. I've jumped him up to the 1.35m, and he's been super, but he is probably the one I have worked the hardest on. He's got a small brain, but I love him so much.

I also have Caracas, who I'm not allowed to say is my favourite, but he is my favourite horse out of all my horses!

HQ: Don't worry, we won't tell the others…

Janine: I've had Caracas for just over six months; everyone told me I wouldn't be able to ride this horse but look at where we are now, winning in the 1.35s! He's a bit crazy but has been just incredible.

Capital Kamron. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: And you're quite busy at the moment with your sister out with an injury; we hear you are riding her horses too?

Janine: Yep, so I'm riding Capital Houghton, Catinio, Belissimo and Capital Hawk, and then I am also riding another horse called Cornerstone's Burmeister for Anton Hoek. Cornerstone's Burmeister is a six-year-old stallion that I only started on about six months ago, and he's been going so well. I am so thankful that Anton trusts me to ride him.

HQ: But that's not all, right? There are also some young horses on the way?

Janine: Yes! So, it's a funny story; we have two three-year-olds that were the first horses we

ever bred ourselves. Before they were born, Jade got the first pick, and then I got the other one. Her one is called Cipriano, and my one is Quintana, but Cipriano was really naughty as a two-year-old, and Jade didn't want to deal with that, so she asked if we could swap. I said of course, because I love greys, and there is just something special about him. So, we did our swap, but now, as three-year-olds, she wants to swap back, but I'm not going to swap again; he's going to be incredible.

Capital Harrison. Photography: Crystal Baldwin Photography

HQ: So, you recently jumped your first 1.40m with Harrison. Was it his first as well?

Janine: Yes! Charley produced him for us; he has only ever jumped one 1.35m class with her. He and I have then won the 1.30m Derby and have had placings in the 1.35m, and then we did our first 1.40m at the World Cup Qualifier in Shongweni this month.

HQ: That is amazing; congratulations! How did you feel about your round and the experience?

Janine: It is obviously nerve-wracking because it's so big, and it was my first time jumping up. I was so nervous, but at the end of the day, I told

myself that it was just a big 1.35m - nothing more. The nice thing about Harry is that he will never stop, try to hurt you, or get you off. He might have a few down, but I know I'll get around, so I trusted him enough, and he makes you feel so safe when you are on him, so it was easy once that bell went.

Caracas. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: We like that advice – 'a big 1.35m'! And huge congratulations!

Janine: Thank you. I am so grateful to my grandparents and mom for all the opportunities and support they have given me and the great string of horses because I could not have asked for better. They do so much hard work to keep it all running.

HQ: So, what characteristics do you look for in a horse, and what are the most important things for you when choosing a horse?

Janine: The funny thing is, I hate getting new horses! But I would say I look for compact horses with suppleness in their body; the long ones are too hard to hold together. The most important thing I then look for is their mindset; they need to be able to work with me, not against me. They have to have a good mind and be brave.

Capital Kamron. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: You've touched on the impact Charley has had as a coach and in producing your horses and helping you find the right ones. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Janine: So, when I first moved to Charley, I was a SANESA School Pony Rider. I just went; I didn't count and didn't think. We have built a great relationship, and I never see myself ever leaving her; she has done fantastic things for my riding. When I first started going to lessons, I think I cried for two months straight because I couldn't get anything right, but once it finally clicked, she made me the rider I am today. She gives me so much confidence, and I love the way she knows when to push and when to be sympathetic; she doesn't just keep pushing until you break.

HQ: What does a day in the life of Janine look like (at the moment)?

Janine: It's not a very healthy lifestyle! I wake up at 6am, start riding at 8am, and ride all eight horses. Some days are different as I go to ride the stallion at Anton's, and that takes the whole afternoon, and sometimes I go to Charley. I stop at lunch to eat and do a bit of schoolwork. I generally get home at 5.30pm, start schoolwork at 6pm, finish that a few hours later, and start again the next morning. Once Jade is back riding, I'll be able to go back to doing schoolwork in the afternoons. I am so thankful the rides on her horses got passed on to me, though, and I am so thankful for all the experience.

Caracas. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HORSE AND RIDER

Caracas. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: How's the schoolwork going?

Janine: Sometimes my brain switches off at night, and I know to call it and go to sleep, but generally not bad; I'm getting mostly As and Bs. The only reason I do online school is so that I can ride my horses. I'd much rather ride my horses than go to a 'normal' school.

HQ: What are your goals for your junior career?  Janine: I would like to form a better partnership with Capital Kamron and Caracas, and I'm really hoping once Caracas and I have built that partnership that, I can win at least one SA

Champs on him (any of them - I'm not being picky). I'd like to win an Outdoor Grand Prix and gain lots of knowledge and experience, and ride as many horses as I can because one day, I want to be the type of rider that can get on anything, make it jump and win. That's the type of rider I want to be one day, so I am working really hard towards that.

Caracas. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: What are your long-term goals?

Janine: I don't know yet. I really want to go overseas for university, but I also don't want to stop riding. I think I'd go mad if I didn't ride. I was saying to my grandparents the other day that once Jade is better and riding, I am going to feel like half my horses have been taken away! I guess I'm enjoying what I have now and will cross that bridge when I get there as I'm only 16, so I have time.

Caracas. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

HQ: Any advice for Pony and Junior riders?

Janine: Because 1.20m to 1.30m is a big step up, I'd say to a new 1.30m rider to look at it like it's a big 1.20m and try not to think too much. Also, you need to remember you are doing this sport because you love it. If you're doing it to make money or win all the time, I don't think you are doing it for the right reasons. Enjoy it, even if you come out with twenty rails or two stops; remember you are doing it for the love of the sport, not to get anything out of it.  Finally, whatever you do, be 100% committed; even if you are on the wrong stride, commit! Don't ever doubt, do what you love and enjoy, and love the horse first!!

HQ: What is the motto you live by?

Janine: Appreciate the hard times because the hard times are a small price to pay for what you will achieve later. When you go for a run, and you feel that burn in your stomach, or you are working really hard when you are riding – you need to appreciate those times. They make you who you are.

Caracas. Photography: Merlynn Trichardt Photography

Recognising

GEORGIA BIET AND BARBERY SAVOY

AFFAIR JUMP THEIR FIRST 1.50M

TEXT: GEORGIA HARLEY PHOTOGRAPHY: CRYSTAL BALDWIN

HORSE

Western Cape’s Georgia Biet and her 11-year-old gelding, Barberg Savoy Affair, jumped their first 1.50m class at the WCQ at Stokkiesdraai. We were thrilled to catch up with Georgia after her momentous achievement with this special gelding.

HQ: How did you come across Savoy, and what led you to buy him?

Georgia: Barberg Savoy Affair was bred by Cally Hotson of Barberg Stud and then sold to Rivendell Stud, which is where we first saw him. The original plan was to purchase him as a production job, which luckily didn’t work

red coat and chrome - he looked like he glowed. Even as a gangly three-year-old,

HQ: A horse needs many qualities to jump the big classes. Did you always know he would jump the bug grades? Or what made you realise?

Georgia: Savoy was hopeless as a young horse - very clumsy and awkward! Initially, there was nothing spectacular about his jump, but I had faith that the quality I believed was there would come to the fore. As Savoy matured, his quality became more and more apparent. His step and quality are unparalleled in any other horse I have ridden.

His heart became apparent as he grew from the young horse classes to the bigger grades. I was convinced that he would always try for me, but I was never sure if we would actually achieve this crazy dream of jumping the 1.50m!

I’m very grateful to my sponsors, VIP Equestrian South Africa, Karien du Toit Lutz Veterinary Physiotherapy and Regenesis Vet, for their support on this crazy journey!

HQ: Have there been any challenges the two of you have faced as a partnership?

Georgia: Savoy is a stereotypical red head and a princess to boot! He has a hot and tricky mind; we often call him the pressure cooker, as he can blow. Sculpting his mind has been our biggest challenge.

HQ: How did you prepare for your first 1.50m? Did your training programme change leading up to the class?

Georgia: Savoy has been living in Johannesburg since mid-May, and I have only been able to ride him a handful of times in the time he’s been there. We had never planned to jump our first 1.50m at the Stokkies WCQ, but he had jumped so well in the first 1.40m class that we decided to give it a go! Prior to the show, I hadn’t been able to ride him for three and a half weeks, so I’m grateful to the team at Disa Stables that kept him ticking over in this time.

HQ: What does a normal week look like for you and Savoy when you are back home in Cape Town?

Georgia: In a normal week, Savoy will lunge on a Monday and school on the flat on Tuesday. On Wednesdays, we train with Damian Stevens, who’s been with us since day one. On Thursdays, we hack, and on Fridays, we either focus on fitness or flat work, depending on what the weekend has in store. When not at a show on the weekend, Savoy will spend the weekend in the big, spacious paddocks we are lucky to have at home in Cape Town.

HQ: What are your plans with Savoy now? Which shows can we expect to see you at?

Georgia: Savoy and I will finish our Johannesburg stay with the SA Showjumping Champs at Stokkiesdraai. He will then make the trip home, where we will jump at the Mistico Outdoor Grand Prix in October and the Mistico Indoor Grand Prix in November.

HQ: Congratulations, Georgia and Savoy! We look forward to seeing much more of you both in the future.

EQUINITY

INTERVIEW: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE

AND THE YOUNG EQUESTRIAN ENTREPRENEUR

Every now and again, we come across one of those stories that we just can't ignore, and this is one of those. At the Midfeeds Spring Sale, we came across a friendly matric student named Kyra-Schaé Lombard, who was working at one of the pop-up stands to launch her new business: Equinity. We caught up with her to learn more about this exciting new venture!

HQ: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?  I'm Kyra, and I'm a horse rider. I have wanted to start my business so that I can begin to support my horses and myself so that I can pursue my riding career more professionally. I'm currently in matric and jumping in the 1.30m

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do next year after school. I thought perhaps veterinary science or animal nutrition, but I didn't want to rush into anything, so I decided to take a gap year and focus on something that can support

HQ: How did you get involved with horses?  I started riding when I was ten years old, and it stuck. I moved on to some more competitive yards and moved up the grades with

HQ: How was your pony rider experience?  Kyra: Well, it wasn't always easy. My very first pony was 4max Silver. He was actually a carrotwagon-pulling horse, so I had to produce him from 80cm, and we jumped up to a metre in the end. He was not easy, as he could rear and buck, which was fun and games. I was then given the opportunity to ride another green pony 4max Bling. He came from Cornerstone Stables, he was super naughty, but we ended up doing Equitation and jumping in the 1.10ms, and he is now one of the top open ponies in KZN.

HQ: That is super! How was the move to Juniors?

Kyra: So, I started in Juniors on my horse Bruce, but he sadly passed away at the end of last year. Hailey Strydom then very kindly gave me the ride on Locarno Cosmopolitan. With the guidance of Chad Cunningham and Bronwyn

Dos Santos, I was able to move up to the Junior 1.30m Open Classes. Last year, I did a bit of Equitation on Cosmo and jumped her and 4max Copan, but I've always found Showjumping is my passion, and it's what I'm good at, so I want to pursue that to the best of my abilities.

HQ: And your horse-riding plans going forward?  Kyra: With regards to next year, I want to focus on the business and hopefully grow that. I also want to start building a name for myself as a work rider. My two rides are getting a bit older, so I do not feel it is fair to try to be so competitive on them in the higher grades. In the future, I'd love for the business to take off and grow, and then we plan to put a few mares in foal so that we can grow my own string of horses, which is exciting. We are going to give breeding and starting from scratch a try, as we can't afford to buy a top, going horse.

HQ: Have you got your eye on any stallions or do you have a favourite?

Kyra: We're not sure now, but I love Capital Impossible, so some of his babies would be amazing! We've also looked at Contendro I but haven't made any decisions yet.

HQ: Moving on to your new business, how did it all begin?

Kyra: Well, when I was trying to figure out what to do after school, I asked my parents what I could do to make my own money but still ride while doing it. My mom asked, "What do you know how to do?". We ruled out finance and people-focused jobs and looked towards something outdoorsy and animal-based.

We then considered that we've always been giving our horses rooibos tea. People used to joke with us and ask if it did anything, but we saw huge benefits, especially for their skin and coats. We also noted that their general health was always exceptional. We've also had people ask us how and why our horses look so well, and we put it down to the rooibos tea.

We have been giving our horses premium grade rooibos, and we realised that no one else in South Africa is supplying this premium grade for horses, so this was the niche in the market we were looking for. The premium-grade we supply is suitable for both human and animal consumption, so you can feed it to a baby and your animals, making the market quite wide, but as my passion is horses, so we decided to focus there.

HQ: You just have one product at the moment; are there plans to add more?

Kyra: Yes, we knew that it would be difficult to get our product into retail outlets with just one product, so we are looking to increase what we offer, but we are taking it one step at a time. Realistically, you can't grow a business with 20 products overnight!

My parents have thankfully assisted me with the capital, to begin with, but I'm still at school and don't have a job, so we need to get the one product to take off and make sure we are getting a good turnover before we bring out the next.

HQ: So obviously, your parents have been a big support in this start-up; how is the workload split?

Kyra: My parents really encourage me to do as much of the legwork as possible. We'd say I do 80% of the work, and they help with 20%. Getting the best price from suppliers and things like that can be quite tough, so I'm thankful for their support.

HQ: How did you come up with your brand name?

Kyra: It's simple and easy; it is "Equine" and "Tea", so Equinity. Simple and straight to the point.

HQ: Well, that makes sense! Okay, so tell us about your rooibos tea; what are the benefits?

Kyra: So, it is good for the horses' overall coat condition, their immune systems and metabolism. It is very high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, so it acts as a multivitamin. Because of its antioxidant properties, it helps reduce the risk of cancer and infectious diseases, which hopefully reduces that vet bill at the end of the month!

HQ: Well, who doesn't want that? So why should people choose your premium product over other lower grades on the market?

Kyra: So Equinity's rooibos has no preservatives, caffeine, artificial flavourings or colourants. It is also of better quality, as you will find in the lower grades that there will be sticks, or it's a very fine powder, so when you put it in your horse's feed, it can fly away and be wasted. Our product is denser and more uniform, and you will find when you put it in their feed, there is very little wastage, and the horse can absorb all of its natural nutrients.

HQ: So where can people buy your product?

Kyra: We are so excited that Midfeeds will be stocking our product so it can be purchased from them. Alternatively, bulk orders can be placed directly with us, and we are based in Sun Valley, Midrand.

HQ: What's next for you? Do you have an idea of what the next products will be?

Kyra: We are planning on expanding our line, and the next product will likely be Rosehips. We've been giving them to our horses for the past five years, and they love it.

HQ: What are the benefits of rosehips?

Kyra: They also are a good source of vitamins, but they also boost their energy. They are also a nice healthy treat for them in the mornings.

HQ: How do we feed your products?

Kyra: Rosehips, I like to add to their dinner feed as we give the Rooibos in the morning, but it can be given with any meal.

HQ: Thank you so much for your time, Kyra; we wish you all the best on this business venture and for your upcoming Prelims!

Be sure to follow 'Equinitysa' on Instagram and Facebook to keep tabs on what is coming next and learn more about what their products can do for you and your horses!

EQUINITY

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) is a food supplement that is PURE and contains no preservatives, caffeine, artificial flavourants or colourants.

It's the perfect year-round feed additive to keep your horse looking and feeling great.

REDUCE RISK OF CANCER

Regular feeding of Rooibos has been shown to reduce the risk of a horse developing heart disease or cancer.

Treating inflammation, skin irritation, allergies and stomach upsets and stress

Supporting the body's defenses as it contains potent antioxidants.

OLIVER BISHOP AND GAUCHO D’EMMA

THEIR WIN AT THE TOYOTA

SHONGWENI WCQ 2023

At just 24 years of age, KZN showjumper Oliver Bishop brought home his first World Cup Qualifier win aboard a horse just half his age, Gaucho D’Emma. Oliver’s home-grounds, the Durban Shongweni Club, seem to be a favourite for the combination and they have put in some exceptional performances here over the years.

In fact, their first World Cup Qualifier together was at Shongweni in September of 2021. They were one of only two combinations to jump double clear and came home second to seasoned winners, Lisa Williams and Campbell. In 2022 at the Toyota Shongweni Festival WCQ, they had a quick four faults in the first round, and a clear in the second; just 0.25 seconds cost them a podium place, and they had to settle for fourth. But third time lucky, 2023 turned out to be their year, as they jumped two exceptional clears to take the win!

TEXT: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE PHOTOGRAPHY: CRYSTAL BALDWIN

HQ had the opportunity to catch up with Oliver after his spectacular win and find out a bit more about this young combination, who certainly have a lot more wins in store for them!

HQ: How long have you been riding for, and who introduced you to the sport?

Oliver: I have been riding for 20 years now. Horse riding was introduced to me by my mother who has had a passion for horses her whole life. Her passion came from her father who showjumped successfully in Germany.

HQ: Congratulations on the win! Can you tell us about your first round and what you thought of the course when walking and when you rode it?

Oliver: When walking the course for the first round, I thought the course builder had asked all the right questions and had most definitely built to standard. However, I didn't think that it would end up with only one double clear.

In the warm-up Gaucho felt fresh and eager. He then came into the arena and brought his A game to jump a clear round, and without me realising it was a quick one, too. It happened, in fact, to be the quickest which put me in good stead for the second round.

HQ: The second round was then quite an exciting one! As you were last to go, did your plans for the jump off change when it came to your round and ‘all’ you needed to do was jump clear to win?

Oliver: Yes, my plan certainly did change as I no longer had to do the high risk inside turns as there were no double clears. In saying that, the pressure was immense as I still had to watch the time allowed and there is always the risk of going slower and having a pole, which could then have made me the slowest in the second round. I just stuck to my plan and rode it to the best of my ability, along with Gaucho who was a champion and fortunately it paid off.

DID YOU KNOW?

Gaucho is by the Olympic medal winning stallion Verdi TN, out of a mare by another Olympian, Animo.

HQ: Your horse Gaucho D’Emma was on exceptional form as you mentioned; how did you come to acquire him?

Oliver: I purchased Gaucho from Sancho Voerman in Belgium as a seven-year-old when I went overseas to try a completely different horse which turned out not to be the horse for me. I phoned Sancho and told him that I was in town trying horses and asked him if he had anything available; he said he had a few, one of which was Gaucho who ended up coming home with me. It has taken Gaucho and I a while to build the strong partnership that we have now. I am very lucky to have found him.

HQ: What are your plans going forward and do you have some young horses in your string coming up?

Oliver: I am hoping for a successful SA Champs at Stokkiesdraai as well as a successful WCQ at Heartland. I will continue bringing up my two other young horses, one of which is my mare, Phoenix Quarrel currently jumping in the 1.30s as well as my young horse, Capital Carsten.

HQ: Thank you, Oliver! We wish you well for Stokkies and Heartland!

“Embracing

SAWHS FREE-JUMPING AND LOOSE MOVEMENT

Date: 4th November 2023 | Venue: Summit Ridge EC

Loose movement (0-4 yo) and free Jumping (2yo-4yo) | All breeds welcome

All about Europe WITH

Zandi Alcock has recently spent a couple of months riding and travelling in Europe. We caught up with her about her experience.

HQ: Could you tell us where you were riding in Europe and about a few of the horses you rode?

Zandi: I was riding in the Netherlands at a place called Franssen Stables. I rode quite a lot of different horses, some four-yearolds and then some older horses of various ages, but I mainly jumped and competed two mares called Gullit and Kyrah.

Gullit is a feisty black mare who looks to be on the smaller side, but she’s got quite a big stride and is super-fast in the ring!

Kyrah is a sensitive chestnut mare who isn’t the easiest to handle on the ground, but once you’re on her back, she’s a DREAM to ride! The feeling over the jump with her is amazing, and I just had to sit really quietly, which worked for me because I usually have to do that at home with my quirky Thoroughbred, Bold.

HQ: Were there any standout moments for you?

Zandi: Yes! I’d heard many stories about riding in Europe, about working really hard and not being given much opportunity to ride and compete nice horses. But within my first week, I was being trained by a really nice guy called Gerard (Gerard and Tim run Franssen stables), riding really nice quality horses and I rode in my first show having only been there for three days!

I did also work hard; I mucked out stables, gave grass, swept, etc, twice a day - but it was really worth it because I had the opportunity to learn, ride and compete. So, I’d say a big standout moment for me was thinking that I’d won the lottery in terms of the place that I was working at.

Other standout moments were placing 5th out of 80 people in my second show in Europe, AND it was even better because I thought I was competing as an HC and then was handed a rosette when I walked out of the arena! Next was competing at Peelbergen Pro Tour (Peelbergen is a huge venue where international shows are held) and placing on both days. I then placed 1st and 3rd at another show and just felt proud to see the South African flag in the rankings at these shows.

I also just had an awesome time with everyone at the yard who became really good friends, so anytime I was laughing and having fun with them were definitely standout moments for me as well!

HQ: Will you be returning to Europe in the future?

Zandi: Definitely! I’m hoping to go over again sometime next year.

HQ: Do you have any tips for other riders wanting to go overseas?

Zandi: Yes. Firstly, don’t plan to go over for a long period of time if you’ve never gone to work and ride at a yard overseas. I’d suggest planning to go for three weeks to a month first and then extending your stay if you’re enjoying it.

Secondly, I found adapting to working and riding in Europe easier because I’m very hands-on with my horses and do a lot of things myself. If you’re thinking of going to work and ride overseas, then trust me, you’re going to enjoy it a lot more if you start becoming more hands-on before you go over.

HORSE AND RIDER

Zandi's top horse in South Africa, Callaho Lansink.

Zandi and her feisty Thoroughbred, Bold.

Thirdly, I combined a bit of travelling in my trip. I started by going to Paris and watching the Longines Global Champions Tour with my friend Amy Hay; then I went to work and ride for two weeks in Holland; then met up with my boyfriend in Amsterdam for ten days; and then went back to work and ride for a month before coming home. If you can do a little bit of travelling during your trip, I think it’s worth it! And it doesn’t have to be super expensive - you can stay in a hostel, which is still really nice.

Lastly, just be open-minded to different ways of doing things - to learning - and just know that it’s not going to be in your comfort zone. In fact, it’s going to be really uncomfortable at first, but that’s the best and most effective way for you to learn. Just remind yourself that you can do hard things.

HQ: How did you find the competition experience in Europe compared to back home?

Zandi: Honestly, I felt it was quite similar to here in SA. The only thing I found that was different was the height. Their 1.20m is like our 1.30m, and I watched some of the 1.35m Grand Prix at Peelbergen thinking that it looked like our 1.40m at home. Other than that, I feel like we have some really good competitive riders in South Africa, and I believe that a lot of our riders could do really well overseas, given the time to adjust to the small differences.

HQ: It's great to have you back Zandi, and we look forwards to seeing you in the competition rink on Callaho Lansink and Favour the Bold very soon!

Callaho Lansink.

THE FIVE MAIN CAUSES

COLI T I S

Colitis is inflammation of the large or small colon that can lead to diarrhoea and associated loss of fluid and salt, proliferation of harmful bacteria, and even death in severe cases. This potentially lifethreatening condition can arise from various causes, but unfortunately, it is often difficult to pinpoint precisely which is the main instigating factor.

FIVE OF THE MOST COMMON CULPRITS INCLUDE:

1. INFECTIOUS AGENTS. These colitis-causing agents include pathogens such as Salmonella, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, coronavirus, and Neorickettsia risticii. These bacteria can enter the horse’s system through contaminated feed, water or exposure to infected animals.

Salmonella can cause colitis.

2. PARASITES.

Parasitic infestation, particularly by small strongyles, also called cyathostomins, can cause colitis. As part of the normal life cycle of small strongyles, the third-stage larvae (L3) migrate into the walls of the intestine in the caecum and colon. Once they mature (which takes months to years), the fourth-stage larvae (L4) migrate back into the lumen of the intestine as luminal L4 before they reach the final and sexually mature stage (L5). Horses can harbour hundreds of thousands of encysted larvae in the L4 stage, and if these larvae emerge all at once, the inflammation of the caecum and the colon (colitis) can result in severe diarrhoea.

Strongyle eggs

3. ANTIBIOTIC-ASSOCIATED DIARRHOEA.

Any medication, particularly antibiotics, can upset the ecosystem of microbes living in the horse’s gut (the microbiome), thereby causing diarrhoea. The antibiotics ceftiofur sodium and trimethoprim sulfadiazine (Purbac) are among the most common causes of antibioticassociated diarrhoea, but they are also the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in horses, so the association may simply reflect the frequency of use.

DID YOU KNOW?

In cases where the cause of the colitis is not determined, it is termed idiopathic colitis.

4. NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUG (NSAID)-ASSOCIATED DIARRHOEA. Some horses develop diarrhoea caused by ulceration of the lining of the large colon following the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and flunixin meglumine (Finadyne). The right dorsal colon appears particularly prone to ulceration, though the reason for this is unknown. Vets also don’t know why certain horses have this response to NSAIDs while others do not. Dehydration, however, might increase the risk of damage.

5. INDISCRIMINATE (RANDOM) CAUSES. These include dietary imbalances, sand impactions, malignancy, food allergies, toxin ingestion, and inflammatory bowel disease, among others.

Clostridium infection is a common cause of colitis.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Regardless of the cause, if your horse has persistent or significant diarrhoea, contact your vet immediately so that potentially lifesaving treatment can be initiated as soon as possible.

Clostridium difficile bacteria that can result in colitis.

Crucial conformation

Part 7: The neck

When choosing or evaluating a horse, there are many factors to consider: breed, breed type (how the horse embodies the characteristics of his breed or type), pedigree, colour, temperament and personality. However, the most important element is the conformation, particularly if you want the horse to have an athletic career or breed. Choosing a horse based on an understanding of conformation makes it less likely that you will endure the disappointment or heartbreak of a career-ending injury or early loss of use due to arthritis or injury.

A horse with good conformation has no apparent faults that detract from his general appearance and function. Crucially, however, conformation is not just about looks but also about suitability for the job the horse will be asked to do. Some of the 'rules' of conformation are based on pure physics – structural strength, leverage forces and proper angles, for instance – and these help us understand why some horses stay sound and others do not.

Of course, some horses with poor conformation go on to be winners, but these are truly the exceptions to the rule. Most of the best equine athletes possess certain qualities of good conformation that enable them to perform at a higher level. Generally, the horse with good conformation and proper body and leg angles experiences less wear and tear on joints and other structures. He is more apt to stay sound and perform well during a long life of athletic service than a horse with serious conformational flaws.

crucial element of the horse’s conformation –the neck.

IDEAL CONFORMATION OF THE NECK

The neck is the vital connection between the horse's head and shoulders; as such, the horse’s neck is required to swing his head up and down to shift his weight and maintain his balance with each stride. This requires sufficient ‘length of neck’ to maintain effective balance.

the horse to flex easily at the poll.

Finally, all neck muscles should be properly proportioned and adequately developed, with none becoming overdeveloped. The muscles help determine the shape of the neck, even though it is ultimately the bone structure that dictates the general appearance. However, the same bone structure can look vastly different if a horse has well-developed neck muscles versus poorly or incorrectly developed muscles.

The muscles of the neck help pull the shoulders and front legs forward at each stride. The neck muscles can contact and extend to about two-thirds of their actual length. Thus, a short-necked horse with a short upright shoulder will have a short stride. Similarly, if the horse has poorly developed neck muscles or the neck muscles are too short, the horse will not be able to move as fast or as far as a horse with strong neck muscles of proper length.

NECK LENGTH

Optimal neck length contributes to a horse’s agility, allowing him more unrestrained movement and better head position for ideal balance. This is because the length of the horse’s neck and its conformation dictates how the horse uses his head to shift his centre of gravity and maintain his balance, not only at the various gaits but also for actions like clearing a fence or balancing on slippery going.

Measured from poll to withers, the neck of a riding horse should be proportional to the rest of his body: about one-third of the horse’s overall length. It should be pretty long and slender, slightly arched along its topline and relatively straight on the underside.

THE TOO-SHORT NECK

An exceptionally short neck is usually a challenge for balance and impairs the action of the riding horse, as he is less able to move freely and quickly. With a shorter neck, the horse will have less precise use of his head and neck during athletic movements and is more prone to stumbling.

which makes it heavy and less supple. It adds more weight to the forehand, reducing agility. A short, thick neck often accompanies a thick throatlatch, which limits flexion at the poll and inhibits side-to-side mobility. The ability to flex and bend is crucial for proper balance and collection.

THE ‘OLD-TIMERS’ VIEW

According to the old-timers, the ideal head carriage is a head higher than the withers, with a gentle arch in the neck and a head profile with a slope of about 45 degrees.

As mentioned above, because the neck muscles help to pull the shoulder and front leg forward, a short neck gives a shorter stride. To compound the issue, short necks are often accompanied by short, upright shoulders. This means that whilst the horse with a short neck may be able to create an initial burst of speed, he must move his legs much faster than a long-striding horse in order to maintain that speed. This places increased stress on his legs and joints.

THE TOO LONG NECK

If the neck is more than one and a half times the length of the horse’s back (from withers to croup), it is too long. Another way to measure this is to look at the length of the neck (from poll to peak of the withers) in relationship to the rest of the topline (from peak of the withers to the tail). A neck longer than the rest of the topline is excessively long.

A long neck puts the horse’s centre of gravity too far forward, affecting his balance and athletic ability.

Additionally, a very long neck is commonly less flexible than one of average length. This is due to the fact that, despite the length, the neck only contains the standard seven vertebrae. This means that in a longer neck, there is a greater distance between each joint. In the short neck, on the other hand, the joints are closer together, giving greater flexibility along its length.

Finally, a horse with a longer neck commonly struggles to develop the neck muscles. This means that he may tire rapidly when working, drop his head and put even more weight on the forehand.

NOTE

A very long, slender neck can also be associated with malformation of the neck vertebrae; any narrowing of the spinal canal due to this may compress the spinal cord, resulting in central nervous system issues that may even prevent the horse from working.

NEXT TIME

In our next edition, we will continue to look at the neck, this time focusing on the angle of the head and the neck and how this affects conformation.

YOUR EQUESTRIAN QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What is an enterolith?

An enterolith is a medical term used to describe a specific type of gastrointestinal stone or concretion that forms in the horse's digestive tract.

These stones are composed of mineral or organic matter that accumulates over time, often around a central core. The precise composition of enteroliths can vary, but they typically contain minerals such

as magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) or other minerals like calcium carbonate or calcium phosphate.

Enteroliths can be quite hard and range in size from small pebbles to much larger masses. Depending on their size and location, they can potentially obstruct the digestive tract, causing colic, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel habits.

The formation of enteroliths is influenced by factors such as diet, water quality, and the pH of the digestive tract. High mineral content in the diet, especially in regions with naturally occurring minerals in the water or soil, can increase the risk of enterolith formation.

Diagnosis and treatment of enteroliths typically involve medical imaging, such as ultrasound or X-rays, to locate and assess the size of the stone. In some cases, enteroliths can be managed or dissolved through dietary adjustments or medical intervention, while others may require surgical removal, especially if they cause a significant blockage or other complications in the digestive tract.

It's important to note that enteroliths are a specific type of gastrointestinal stone and should not be confused with other types of stones that can form in other body regions, such as kidney stones or gallstones.

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