HQ Magazine Issue 164B

www.westernshoppe.com

The original Speed Air and First Lady - reinvented with TLS and Hybrid harnesses.

Hello, and welcome to our extra special Derby edition!

We had a regular issue planned (and ready!) to go on Sunday night, but the excitement of the show got the better of us, and we started ALL OVER AGAIN with a Derby special!

At HQ, we love to tell stories: stories about equestrians, stories about horses and stories about anything (however tangentially) linked to horses. And the fairytale we witnessed on Sunday afternoon with Ronnie Healy winning his first Derby about the magnificent Gillian van Orshof, the horse of the late Ronnie Lawrence, had to be written about in as close to realtime as possible.

@Ronnie Healy – your performance on Sunday was exceptional. With such enormous pressure and emotion riding on your round, you showed exactly what you are made of and achieved the victory you deserved. We couldn’t be happier for you. Congratulations.

To all the other competitors across every discipline at Derby, we want to say thank you for making this a show to remember. Outside of the entertainment and after-parties, these shows are about horse and rider, and you didn’t disappoint!

We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we have loved putting it together.

Happy, happy horsing!

Lizzie and the HQ team xxx

Dr Lizzie Harrison | Editor

CONTENTS

Callaho Online Auction

Summer Edition

Dominant at Derby

A review

The 2023 United Aviation Group South African Derby Results

The 2023 UAG South African Derby

A show to remember

UAG SA Derby Winners 2023

Ronnie Healy and Gillian van Orshof

Runners-up for the UAG 2023

SA Derby

Jeanne Körber and Callaho Lexington

The 2023 UAG Mini Derby

Erreplus Callaho Lindor and Kiara Burn take the win

The 2023 UAG Micro Derby

A chat with the winners

Busting myths

Barefoot horses at the SA Derby!

Tamsyn Muller

Previous Micro-Derby winner returns to Opens

AskHQ

Your equestrian questions answered

Products We Love

Shopping fun

to Ronnie Healy and Gillian van Orshof –winners of the 2023 UAG SA Derby

Theend of this month sees the start of the 2023 Callaho Online Auction | Summer Edition. For anyone who has browsed the catalogue or watched the videos, it should come as no surprise that this is an Auction we are VERY excited to be covering.

The Collection that Callaho have curated for this summer is not only remarkable, but ‘proven’ to be remarkable. When one looks at the bloodline connections tying each of these young athletes to other top performers in the sport, one cannot help but be impressed at the depth of performance pedigrees on display here.

Callaho Warmblood Stud are truly at the very top of their game, and anyone lucky enough to bag one of these youngsters is all but guaranteed a ticket to the top.

Here, we selected just seven examples from the twenty-one-strong group to demonstrate the prowess of Callaho Warmblood Stud’s ‘breeding magic’.

LOT 2 | CALLAHO CORLETTO

Gelding | 16.0hh | 2018 - Corinth/Stakkato/Caletto I/Grannus

1st Dam (Staletta by Stakkato - 2010)

She produced :

2014 | Callaho Con Cato (Con Coriano gelding) SJ 1.30m with Paul Kent

2016 | Callaho Lisca (Lissabon mare) SJ 1.10m with Chatan Hendriks

2nd Dam (Ciana by Caletto I - 1997) HANN State Premium

She produced :

2011 | Callaho Contendra (Contendro I mare) Broodmare

2015 | Callaho Laretto (Larison gelding) SJ 1.35m with Gregory Scott

2014 | Callaho Con Ciano (Con Coriano gelding) SJ 1.30m with Tania van Lill

Callaho Con Cato with Paul Kent

Callaho Lisca with Chatan Hendriks

Callaho Laretto with Gregory Scott

Callaho Con Ciano with Tania van Lill

LOT 3 | CALLAHO CHOKITO LOVE

Gelding | 16.3hh | 2019 - Catoki/Cassini II/Alme/Ramiro Z

1st Dam (Chocolate Love by Cassini II - 2008) HANN State Premium

She produced : 2014 | Callaho Victory Love (Victory For Ever mare) SJ 1.35m with Ziska Nel

2nd Dam (April Love by Alme - 1986) HANN State Premium

She produced : 1998 | Granny’s Love (Graf Grannus mare) HANN State Premium

2002 | Cheyenne (Contendro I mare) HANN State Premium 2008 | Callaho Bianca du Ayenne (Baloubet mare)

2013 | Callaho Con Cayenne (Con Coriano mare) SJ 1.30m with Kyle Venter

2014 | Callaho Luc du Ayenne (Lissabon gelding) SJ 1.50m with Carl Boonzaaier

2015 | Callaho Vasco du Ayenne (Victory gelding) SJ 1.30m with Ronnie Healy

Callaho Victory Love with Ziska Nel

Callaho Con Cayenne with Kyle Venter

Callaho Luc du Ayenne with Carl Boonzaaier

Callaho Vasco du Ayenne with Ronnie Healy

LOT 7 | CALLAHO FLY ME HIGH

Gelding | 16.1hh | 2018 - For Joy/Lissabon/Silvio I/Cassini I

2nd Dam (Salsa by Silvio I - 2007)

She produced :

2011 | Callaho Falvio (For Joy gelding) SJ 1.50m with Martyn Swanepoel

2013 | Coritano DSH (Corinth gelding) SJ 1.35m with Jess Lupini

3rd Dam (Cassina by Cassini I - 1993)

She produced :

2007 | Callaho Gemini (Granulit mare)

2010 | Callaho Libra (Lissabon mare) SJ 1.50m with Lisa Rahman

2009 | Callaho C’est La Vie (Clinton mare)

2014 | Callaho Contanga (Con Coriano mare) SJ 1.35m with James Kane-Berman

2009 | Callaho Lissina (Lissabon mare)

2013 | Callaho Corleone (Corinth gelding) SJ 1.35m with Paige Goetsch

2011 | Callaho Lord Cassini (Lord Z gelding) SJ 1.50m with Jenna Barrow

2011 | Callaho Consina (Con Coriano mare) SJ 1.40m with Salomé Nel

2011 | Callaho Conrado (Con Coriano gelding) SJ 1.50m with Ray Körber

2012 | Callaho Lucetto (Lissabon gelding) SJ 1.40m with Paige Goetsch

Callaho Falvio with Martyn Swanepoel

Callaho Corleone with Paige Goetsch

Callaho Consina with Salomé Nel

Callaho Conrado with Ray Körber

LOT 9 | CALLAHO CARNEGIE

Gelding | 17.1hh | 2018 - Carnaval La Silla/Lissabon/Simply/Ussuri xx/Kobold

1st Dam (Lisa Will by Lissabon - 2009)

She produced : 2014 | Callaho Sigmund (Sampras gelding) SJ 1.30m with George Coutlis 2015 | Callaho Conny Will (Con Coriano mare) SJ 1.30m with Luca Watson

2nd Dam (Simplicity by Simply - 1995)

She produced : 2012 | Callaho Consuri (Con Coriano mare) SJ 1.50m with Lara Neill

Callaho Consuri with Lara Neill

Callaho Sigmund with George Coutlis

Callaho Conny Will with Luca Watson

LOT 12 | CALLAHO LICHELLA

Mare | 16.2hh | 2018 - Lissabon/Con Coriano/Silvio I/Cassini I

2nd Dam (Salsa by Silvio I - 2007)

She produced :

2011 | Callaho Falvio (For Joy gelding) SJ 1.50m with Martyn Swanepoel

2013 | Coritano DSH (Corinth gelding) SJ 1.35m with Jess Lupini

3rd Dam (Cassina by Cassini I - 1993)

She produced :

2007 | Callaho Gemini (Granulit mare)

2010 | Callaho Libra (Lissabon mare) SJ 1.50m with Lisa Rahman

2009 | Callaho C’est La Vie (Clinton mare)

2014 | Callaho Contanga (Con Coriano mare) SJ 1.35m with James Kane-Berman

2009 | Callaho Lissina (Lissabon mare)

2013 | Callaho Corleone (Corinth gelding) SJ 1.35m with Paige Goetsch

2011 | Callaho Lord Cassini (Lord Z gelding) SJ 1.50m with Jenna Barrow

2011 | Callaho Consina (Con Coriano mare) SJ 1.40m with Salomé Nel

2011 | Callaho Conrado (Con Coriano gelding) SJ 1.50m with Ray Körber

2012 | Callaho Lucetto (Lissabon gelding) SJ 1.40m with Paige Goetsch

Coritano DSH with Jess Lupini

Callaho Libra with Lisa Rahman

Callaho Contanga with James Kane-Berman

Callaho Lord Cassini with Jenna Barrow

Callaho Lucetto with Paige Goetsch

LOT 14 | CALLAHO EASTWOOD

Gelding | 16.2hh | 2018 - Equinox de Chalusse/Con Coriano/Quidam’s Rubin/Grosso Z

2nd Dam (Quitaska by Quidam’s Rubin - 2003) HANN State Premium

She produced :

2007 | Alaska (Argentinus mare)

2010 | Callaho Liberia (Lissabon mare) SJ 1.40m with Helen Criticos

2008 | Callaho Con Quito (Con Coriano gelding) SJ 1.50m with Jan Kleynhans

2009 | Callaho For Quita (For Joy mare) SJ 1.35m with Khim Eramus

2011 | Callaho Contaska ( Con Coriano mare)

2012 | Callaho Fortaska (For Joy mare) SJ 1.40m with Shanley Marshall

Callaho Fortaska with Shanley Marshall

Callaho Con Quito with Jan Kleynhans

Callaho Liberia with Helen Criticos

LOT 20 | CALLAHO CONDESSO

Gelding | 17.1hh | 2018 - Con Coriano/Lissabon/Heartbreaker/Indoctro

2nd Dam (Welingan by Heartbreaker - 2003)

She produced :

2009 | Callaho Le Cadeau (Lissabon gelding) SJ 1.50m with Desiree Davidson

2012 | Callaho Liantos (Lissabon gelding) SJ 1.50m with Tamara Rueda

2015 | Callaho Confidant (Con Coriano gelding) SJ 1.30m with Jaco de Lange

2016 | Callaho Corrigan (Corinth gelding) SJ 1.30m with Martyn Swanepoel

Callaho Le Cadeau with Desiree Davidson

Callaho Liantos with Tamara Rueda

Callaho Confidant with Jaco de Lange

Callaho Corrigan with Martyn Swanepoel

LOT 21 | CALLAHO LISOLERA

Mare | 16.2½hh | 2018 - Lissabon/Silvio I/Ramiro Z/Gotthard/Senat

1st Dam (Solera by Silvio I - 2006)

She produced :

2012 | Callaho Landino (Lissabon gelding) SJ 1.40m with Alex Miszewski

2015 | Callaho Abu Dhabi (Abdullah gelding) SJ 1.30m with Jodi Fernandez

2nd Dam (Ryanne by Ramiro Z - 1993)

She produced :

2015 | Callaho Con Remo (Con Coriano gelding) SJ 1.30m with Jodi Ambrose

2015 | Callaho Bogart (Bolzano du Quinze gelding) SJ 1.30m with Lorette Knowles Taylor

Callaho Landino with Alex Miszewski

Callaho Abu Dhabi with Jodi Fernandez

Callaho Con Remo with Jodi Ambrose

Callaho Bogart with Lorette Knowles Taylor

The 2023 Callaho Online Auction | Summer Edition

We’ve run out of superlatives to describe Callaho’s achievements with this group of athletes. Suffice to say, these are horses that can make an equestrian’s dream come true. Check out the videos, read the catalogue and chat to Team Callaho - your next partner for the big time awaits!

DOMINANT AT DERBY

A Review

We couldn’t let this edition go without mention of the unbelievable Callaho Warmblood Stud successes at the UAG SA Derby 2023.

It was not just about the results, per se, but more a moment to take stock of what the Callaho Team have managed to achieve with their years of breeding magic.

This milestone deserves special mention in the Callaho tale; on the back of years of dedication, and hard work, facing numerous challenges and much uncertainty, the team have arrived at a place where their vision finds expression in the hard statistics of the showjumping sport.

It was during a quiet moment on the Sunday, where the team perused the qualification list for both the Mini (1.40m) Derby and UAG 1.50m SA Derby that they stopped and truly realised the magnitude of what they were about to witness. To see the top classes dominated by no less than 13 Callaho bred sporthorses, including an astonishing ten Lissabon offspring, is surely a sign that Callaho are getting it right. As they say ‘the proof is in the pudding’ and Sunday’s classes are all the proof we need.

The showjumping sport in South Africa is in the very best of hands with Team Callaho.

To reflect some of the magic of the day, we present this summary:

• A total of thirteen Callaho-bred horses took part in the Mini and SA Derbies.

• This included five Lissabon offspring in the Mini Derby and five in the UAG SA Derby.

• Callaho Lindor and Kiara Burn, at just 18 years of age, won the 1.40m Mini Derby - their first ever Derby.

• Callaho Lexington and Jeanne Korber, the second highest qualifiers for the UAG SA Derby, claimed reserve position with Callaho L’Amour and Tracey Carney achieving third place.

• Fascinatingly, Callaho Lindor (winner of the Mini Derby) and Callaho L’Amour (third place in the UAG SA Derby) are full siblings.

• Incredibly, Callaho Libra (a 1.50m Derby debutant) was originally sold as a broodmare for a hot R135 000 in foal to Victory For Ever. This foal was Callaho Vulcan, himself a super talent.

Callaho Lexington & Jeanne Körber Second in the UAG SA Derby and second in the 1.50m Competition

LIST OF COMPETITORS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1.50M COMBINATIONS

• Callaho Conrado & Ray Körber (Con Coriano x Cassini I x Caletto II)

• Callaho L’Amour & Tracey Carney (Lissabon x Contender x Capitol I)

• Callaho Lexington & Jeanne Körber (Lissabon x Raphael x Watzmann)

• Callaho Libra & Lisa Rahman (Lissabon x Granulit x Cassini I)

• Callaho Luc du Ayenne & Carl Boonzaaier (Lissabon x Baloubet du Rouet x Contendro)

• Callaho Luther & Tegan Bruyns (Lissabon x Calando x Capitano)

• Callaho’s Casparon & Carl Boonzaaier (Caspar x Catoki Z x Lavall)

Callaho Conrado & Ray Körber Second in the 1.50m Competition

Callaho L’Amour & Tracey Carney

Third place in the UAG SA Derby and winners of the 1.50m Competition

Callaho Lexington & Jeanne Körber

Second in the UAG SA Derby and second in the 1.50m Competition

Callaho Libra & Lisa Rahman Second in the 1.50m Competition and 1.50m Derby debutantes

Callaho Luther & Tegan Bruyns 1.50m Derby debutantes

Callaho Luc du Ayenne & Carl Boonzaaier 1.50m Derby debutantes

Callaho Laios & Alexandra Ric-Hansen

Sixth in the UAG Mini Derby and second in the 1.40m A2 Competition

LIST OF COMPETITORS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1.40M COMBINATIONS

• Callaho Consigo & Oscar Ncube (Con Coriano x Clinton x Quidam de Revel)

• Callaho Laios & Alexandra Ric-Hansen (Lissabon x Alme Z x Landgraf I)

• Callaho Landino & Alexandra Miszewski (Lissabon x Silvio I x Ramiro Z)

• Callaho Lindor & Kiara Burn (Lissabon x Contender x Capitol I)

• Callaho Lorenzo & Laurence Mowatt (Lissabon x Ramiro Z x Libero H)

• Callaho Lucetto & Paige Goetsch (Lissabon x Cassini I x Caletto II)

• Callaho Vivaldi & Graham Winn (Valentino x Landadel x Grannus)

•

Callaho Lindor & Kiara Burn Winners of the UAG SA Mini Derby

Callaho Vivaldi & Graham Winn

Fourth in the UAG Mini Derby

FURTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

1.50m UAG SA Derby

• 2nd Callaho Lexington & Jeanne Körber

• T / 3rd Callaho L’Amour & Tracey Carney

1.50m A2 Competition

• 1st Callaho’s Casparon & Carl Boonzaaier

• 6th Callaho Lexington & Jeanne Körber

• 7th Callaho Conrado & Ray Körber

1.50m Competition

• 1st Callaho L’Amour & Tracey Carney

• T / 2nd Callaho Lexington & Jeanne Körber

• T / 2nd Callaho Libra & Lisa Rahman

• T / 2nd Callaho Conrado & Ray Körber

1.40m SA Mini Derby

• 1st Callaho Lindor & Kiara Burn

• 4th Callaho Vivaldi & Graham Winn

• 5th Callaho Lucetto & Paige Goetsch

• T / 6th Callaho Laios & Alex Ric Hansen

• T / 6th Callaho Lorenzo & Laurence Mowatt

• T / 6th Callaho Landino & Alexandra Miszewski

Callaho’s Casparon & Carl Boonzaaier Winners of the 1.50m A2 Competition

Callaho Lorenzo & Laurence Mowatt

Sixth in the UAG Mini Derby and second in the 1.40m Two Phase Competition

Callaho Connor & Ronnie Healy

Third in the 1.30m SA Derby and first in the 1.30m Two-Phase Competition

1.40m A2 Competition

• 2nd Callaho Laios & Alexandra Ric Hansen

• 7th Callaho Lindor & Kiara Burn

1.40m Two Phase Competition

• 2nd Callaho Lorenzo & Laurence Mowatt

• 6th Callaho Lucetto & Paige Goetsch

• 8th Callaho Laios & Alexandra Ric Hansen

1.35m A2 Competition

• 1st Callaho Liberia & Helen Criticos

• 4th For Cabelle & Helen Criticos

• 6th Callaho Lorado & Paul Garlicki

• 7th Callaho Catinka & Ray Körber

1.35m Two Phase Competition

• 1st Callaho Liberia & Helen Criticos

• 4th Callaho Conzano & Kayla Gertenbach

• 8th Callaho Lorado & Paul Garlicki

1.30m SA Derby

• 3rd Callaho Connor & Ronnie Healy

• 5th Callaho Pica’s Boy K & Jeanne Körber

1.30m A2 Competition

• 1st Callaho Corina & Kim Williamson

• 4th Callaho Connor & Ronnie Healy

• 8th Callaho Pica’s Boy K & Jeanne Körber

1.30m Two Phase Competition

• 1st Callaho Connor & Ronnie Healy

• 2nd Callaho Pica’s Boy K & Jeanne Körber

• 9th Callaho Corina & Kim Williamson

Cardino 5 x Exkurs

15 years old

Perigueux x Friedensfurst

14 years old

SHANNON WYNDHAM-QUIN

REGENESIS VET

DISA’S ESPERANTO

Cicero Z x Mr Blue 14 years old

NICOLE HORWOOD

UNITED AVIATION GROUPS CAPITAL KRONOS

Darco x Cash 13 years old

GEORGE COUTLIS

N C T’S

COMPANEIRO’S SON

Companiero x Mentor 12 years old

MICHELLE FLEMING

PLASTICOLORS

MASTERBATCH CHOGORI

Catoki x Zacharias

16 years old

RONNIE HEALY

BLUE TURTLE’S CAPITAL MAGIC BOY

Toulon x Darco 11 years old

RAINER KORBER

IPHARMA CALLAHO CONRADO

Con Coriano x Cassini I 11 years old

GRANT LANGLEY

FORESYTE BENGSTON

Berger vande Riethoeve x Polidiktus van de Hella 14 years old

BARRY TAYLOR

334 COESTER G

Cosido x Con Air 7 13 years old

THOMAS VAN RIJCKEVORSEL

TACK ‘N TOGS’S

GLEDSMUIR’S RED IVORY

Glenaygles Rebel x Rex Grannus Z 19 years old

JESSICA JANE PRINCE

EQUIPROVET SA PRISM

Forestyte Preamble D

x Carbonnieux van de Hella

12 years old

ROBYN SHAW

UNITED AVIATION GROUP KP LAUDANUM

Lord Z x Acclaim

13 years old

GAIL FOXCROFT

EQUIFOX CASINO

Consuelo x Lidenberg

13 years old

SANDY MANASSE

TEGAN BRUYNS

AIR HOLIDAYS CALLAHO LUTHER

Callaho’s Lissabon x Calando I

13 years old

LISA RAHMAN

CALLAHO LIBRA

Callaho’s Lissabon x Granulit

13 years old

CARL BOONZAAIER

CALLAHO CASPARON

Bwerlin (Casper) x Catoki

15 years old

If there is one title that most riders dream of one day claiming, it is that of the South African Derby. The South Africa Derby has been running since 1965 and is considered one of the three biggest showjumping Derbies in the world, alongside the British Hickstead Derby and the German Hamburg Derby.

A Derby is the ultimate test of a horse and rider's bravery, stamina and carefulness and is undoubtedly one of the greatest highlights on the equestrian calendar. It is also one leg of the famed ''Triple Crown'', which includes the SA Champs and the Outdoor Grand Prix.

Winners: Ronnie Healy and Gillian van Orshof

cleared the last fence; it was certainly one for the books! Incidentally, this year's winner is possibly the only rider to have finished on the podium at all three of the big Derbies in the world, having achieved podium positions in Hickstead, Hamburg and now South Africa.

of the other horses did not like the downhill elements: the balustrades on the slope at number six or the big bank at nine.

RAINER KORBER

A previous Derby winner took iPharma Callaho Conrado around his first Big Derby for Stewart Barker. Ahead of the round, he was realistic about his expectations and said that, "It is the experienced horses that win the Derby", and his predictions certainly turned out to be correct!

Rainer Korber and Callaho Conrado

TRACEY CARNEY with Callaho L'Amour was quite nervous ahead of the Derby but said, "Lily was outstanding!! I was worried about the palisade, number six. She seemed to be okay with it, though!"

Capital Levubu and Bronwyn Meredith Dos Santos gave us our first low score of eight penalties, having one element of the dyke down and a foot in the water. Shortly afterwards, last year's winners, Dominey Alexander and Athena VI, gave us another eight-fault finish, having number five and the planks at the base of the bank down. A few riders later, and over halfway through the class, seasoned competitor Jonathan Clarke aboard Lisa William's Pilgrim (with some positive riding at the bank to planks) gave us yet another eight-fault finish. Shortly after that, Tracey

Jeanne Körber, who had qualified well, was second last to go aboard Callaho Lexington. The pair had an incredibly confident round, so confident, in fact, that Lexington did one stride from the bank to the planks instead of two! Unfortunately, as a result, the pair rubbed the top plank out of the cups, costing them four penalties in an otherwise faultless round.

Carney and Callaho L'Amour, a full sister to the 1.40m Derby winner Erreplus Callaho Lindor, came home with eight penalties as well in their first Big Derby attempt.

Tracey Carney and Callaho L'Amour

Jonathan Clarke and Pilgrim

Last to go was top qualifier Ronnie Healy aboard the late Ronnie Lawrence's Gillian van Orshof. The pair have solidified their relatively new partnership and have been on incredible form recently. In July, they came second in the Stokkiesdraai World Cup Qualifier (WCQ); in August, they were third in the Shongweni WCQ; and in September, they were third in the SA Champs. They needed to come

home with a clear with less than three time penalties to claim the win. The atmosphere was electric as they started, and we certainly were not the only ones to have been counting how many jumps they had left to clear as they travelled around. Ronnie and Gillian, as a fitting tribute to Ronnie's mentor, executed a flawless clear to claim a first Derby win for both!

JONATHAN CLARKE

"Lisa has kindly loaned me Pilgrim while she is out of action. Preparations went well; I just have to keep my nerves under control. I've been around a few times, but it never gets easier!"

DOMINEY ALEXANDER

hoped to make it back-to-back wins and saved Athena throughout the year to keep her feeling fit and well. He shared that the ideal Derby horse needs to be "Brave, careful and have stamina".

Jonathan Clarke and Pilgrim

Bronwyn Meredith Dos Santos and Capital Levubu

BARRY TAYLOR

shared how he had come out of semiretirement for Derby, saying, "My horse is good enough; it depends whether I am!"

3rd Bronwyn Meredith Dos Santos - Capital Levubu (8f)

Dominey Alexander - Athena VI (8f)

Jonathan Clarke – Regenesis Vet Pilgrim (8f)

Tracey Carney – Callaho L’Amour (8f)

Jonathan Clarke and Pilgrim

TEXT: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT PHOTOGRAPHY

HQ had an opportunity to chat with the 2023 Derby Champion Ronnie Healy, fresh from his first big title win on Gillian, and their first Derby together.

HQ: Ronnie, this really was one for the books! What did this win mean to you?

Ronnie: The win is everything! I actually had a good friend message me yesterday, who reminded me about when we used to go and watch Derby when it was at Inanda in Sandton. I have dreamed about it since then, so it has really been a lifelong dream. I think if you were to ask any rider, it’s the one we want to win more than anything. It’s still surreal. It’s my biggest win, and it’s the one I’ve wanted the most, so it’s really special.

HQ: And to have won it on Goofy?

Ronnie: Sjoe, that’s even more special. Obviously, I was given him by Ronnie (Lawrence) at the beginning of the year. We jumped at President’s Cup, and it was sketchy; then we did Outdoor Grand Prix, and I retired him; and then I think it started to click around Midrand World Cup when we had moved across to Gonda (Betrix). I had a couple down in the World Cup, but I could feel where I was going, and that, I think, was my turning point in understanding him. I also think that Ron was sick for a while before I took him over, so it just took Goofy some time to build his fitness. Until then, I had been starting to doubt; I didn’t want to do the horse any disservice and thought maybe we were not the right combination, but then it clicked. So ya, for that win to be on him, and so soon, it was very special.

HQ: Ronnie Lawrence had a unique way of riding, and Goofy was obviously used to that, so did you have to adapt your way of riding or help him learn to go in your way?

Ronnie: I think both. When I first got him, he jumped quite right, and Ron used to ride him slowly and then attack the last three strides so Goofy would really attack the jump. I ride a little more American in a sense, with a little more canter through the turn, so I think we were having fences down because I rode him a little quicker than he was used to. In the beginning, I also didn’t have as much contact. I was taught to ride a lot softer, and Goofy was used to a lot of contact, and I think that’s where Gonda helped so much. Her words just ring through my head: “Contact, contact, CONTACT!!!” That’s where I think my riding changed a lot, and that’s where he adapted; he got straighter, and he doesn’t dive to the right anymore. I also found he was short-striding in the beginning; he would land and get back to you immediately, and I wanted to land and canter, then hold a bit, and he would get flat at jumps. So that’s where we were figuring each other out. He has got stronger, more confident, and freer; not that he was bad before - he was incredible. I never wanted him to change, so I learned to ride him better and he adapted to me.

HQ: And he is starting to look like one of your horses!

Ronnie: He is just the nicest horse; he sees you, and he wants to be in your pocket. It has been an absolute privilege to have him and ride him and be part of his journey, rather than him being part of mine. He’s obviously won some big things, but that was my last promise to Ron, that I would win Derby for him. I said I would win it this year, and I thought, “Shucks, Ronnie, that’s a big promise to make”. But it was like Goofy knew Derby was coming; at SA Champs, he was incredible, and he was second in the World Cup to Magic Boy, and he could have quite easily won it. He’s been there knocking on the door, and I knew that he was on form, and I thought to myself, “We’ve been building for this, just don’t mess it up, ‘cause you’re going to let the horse down”, but it all fell into place.

HORSE AND RIDER

HQ: No pressure! So, we noticed some of the horses across all the levels would jump the first half of the track incredibly well, then run out of steam. Your horses both looked incredibly fit and ready; how did you prepare them for this?

Ronnie: We started to do a lot more track work. They are quite fit anyway. I think the biggest thing is that horses and riders get tired, so while my horses are quite fit anyway, we started to do a lot more track work. As I went in, AnneMarie Eslinger said, “Your second round starts after the dyke, so take a deep breath and carry on”. I jumped out of the dyke, took a deep breath, and carried on.

HQ: That is very interesting, as we saw many combinations start to take rails after the dyke!

Ronnie: Ya, things start to fall away from the planks, which are big and wavy and on flat cups, then the water, and you get all long and sprawled out to the water, and then the last three jumps are big and bold, but also fiddly little jumps.

Though I must say that as much as the horse’s fitness matters, riders also get tired. Through experience, I was surprisingly calm, which is important as when you are nervous, you waste energy. I felt very strong for both my rounds - better than I every have. I think most people have their horses fit enough, but they get nervous and when they turn after the dyke they gasp and think we are nearly home, and you often see riders having a few poles down in quick succession. Sometimes, riders make these mistakes, usually the younger riders, and they come back better for it. I’ve made those mistakes, and through time, I wouldn’t say it gets easier, but you can control your emotions better. Also, through experience, you learn to stay calm and aware because you know what can happen.

This year was also a weird Derby as there were a lot of newbies - both new riders and new horses. Many horses have retired, and it was almost a changing-of-the-guard type thing. Not that the standard was lower, but just that experience at Derby pays off. It was my stallion’s first time; he could have jumped a clear, but I didn’t expect him to, but he got better around the track. He had a few early mistakes but jumped his best jumps from the stile to the end. I think he was too fresh; I probably could have worked him harder on the Saturday, but again, that’s what you must figure out: what your horse can and can’t take before the Derby. So, you learn from experience. My stallion was also a bit more anxious about the environment than the first few days, but Goofy just lapped up the excitement. I didn’t hear or feel anything; I blocked it out, but Goofy must have sensed it because I was told afterwards that it was deathly quiet while we jumped, and he felt incredible, like he would not touch a fence!

HQ: So, you were the top qualifier and last to go, then Jeanne went and had the one rail, so you had to jump clear. You mentioned earlier in the week that you win Derby in your mind, so how did you mentally process it all?

Ronnie: You can just as easily lose Derby in your mind! On Friday, the qualifications came out, and I was the first and second top qualifier, and I was like, “Oh no, no one ever wins it from the top qualifier”. I said this to Gonda as well, and her response was, “Oh brilliant!”, and I said, “No-one ever wins from the top qualifier”, and her response was: “Well, I did! You either embrace it and win it or fall away and let the pressure get to you.” That made a lot of sense to me, so I just didn’t let it get to me. Both my horses and I were on form, so I embraced it.

TOP TIP FROM RONNIE

You don’t actually have to take much notice about being the top qualifier. If you get nervous, reframe it as a positive! You can learn to love being top qualifier; it simply means you and your horse are on top form, and at least you will know what you have to do!

I always held the unpopular opinion that it would either be a four-fault jump-off or it would be won on a clear. Jeanne had the plank down, which was really unlucky - my heart went out to her - but she will win it one day, and there is no one more deserving than her. I watched her go through the finish, knew I definitely needed a clear and I just knew what I had to do.

We train all our lives for these moments, to either rise to the occasion and jump a clear, or you can grumble. I’ve lost it from those positions, too! I lost the Outdoor Grand Prix this year with time faults, and I lost President’s Cup on Eldo when I needed a clear and had one down, so from experience, you learn! And this time, I was not having fences down or time faults. Experience; you can’t buy it. You have to go through very difficult moments to enjoy the big ones. I was so angry at myself for having lost the Outdoor Grand Prix, but to win at Derby, I can understand why it happened. You have to take the good from the bad; I was calm, relaxed and knew what I had to do.

HQ: It’s like that saying, “You either win or you learn”

Ronnie: Exactly, but I wasn’t going to lose again; it hurt too much!

HQ: You’ve ridden a few Derbies yourself and some people have said it was maybe bigger and tougher than usual; what do you have to say about that?

Ronnie: I’m, of course, going to say that it was the biggest one yet, the hardest one ever... (laughing)! I thought Anna’s course last year was bigger. I think the planks this year were maybe bigger, with a bit more distance. However, I think it rode difficult this year, but maybe not as big. But different parts of it were tougher. The dyke rode better because of the brown poles as opposed to the traditional white poles. It’s difficult to judge, though, because there were a lot of new combinations, but then again, Levubu and last year’s winner both finished on eight faults, so it was tough enough.

Number three (the Liverpool) was possibly the biggest I’ve seen it and in a strange place. The white hedge oxer at the top was a lot bigger and bushier than it has ever been, and that fell a lot. It was different, and I suppose that’s why we have different course designers every three years. But it’s not an easy Derby; I’ve jumped enough, and it doesn’t get easier!

One of the other things is that in past years, the bank has had a 'wing' type element to it, whereas this year there were just flags. It seemed very open, and I think that’s why the horses had big eyes. I don’t think the horses knew where they were going, and it made it

harder to jump. Magic didn’t really have anything to lock on to, and he tried to canter off the side and I thought I was going to fall off the top; that was not enjoyable for a few seconds!

In the warmup, we were all feeling sick and thinking, ‘Why do we do this?’, and then you do it and come out feeling like it’s the best thing ever. Then you spend all year getting amped for these classes, and you get to them, and you think, ‘Why am I doing this?’

I’d probably summarise it and say it was maybe not the biggest Derby, but there were different questions in different places.

HQ: SA Derby or Hickstead bank, which one is worse?

Ronnie: Sjoe, the Hickstead bank is more difficult, I think, but I have never had a pole down at the bank there, and I jumped it five times. SA Derby has planks, whereas Hickstead has poles, but there is also a 1.20m vertical two strides before the bank, which sucks. So Hickstead is harder with the jump then the bank and SA Derby harder with the planks.

HQ: You’ve done Hickstead and SA Derby; have you done Hamburg?

Ronnie: Yes, Hamburg is the hardest because there is one stride at the bottom. It is also the most technical Derby I have ever ridden. I’ve only done it once; there was a four-fault jump-off, and I tied for 3rd on eight faults. I had stupid faults, though; I had the plank down because I actually didn’t know how to jump it, and in hindsight, I would know to slide all the way down to the bottom rather than jump off it like we do here. Weirdly, I also had a fault going into the dyke because there was a big camera hanging overhead and my horse was so busy looking at the camera he didn’t look at the jump! Hamburg is very technical, but Hickstead and SA Derby are very similar.

HQ: That’s so interesting and nice to know we are on par with Europe! There seemed to be less time penalties this year than in the past; why do you think that was?

Ronnie: I think everyone is riding quicker. In the qualifiers, all the horses looked much quicker in their canters. We are having to ride much quicker in our normal shows, and I think it helps. Also, on the grass there is so much distance between fences that you really get going; there are less pulls.

HQ: Do you do anything extra to get yourself fit enough for Derby?

Ronnie: I obviously ride a lot and get some fitness from working on the track, but I also do boxing. A guy called Raf, whose competition name is “War-Child” (so that says it all), comes and trains me between riding and coaching; it’s brutal, but you need to be in pain and suffer. Last year I was sick and hadn’t trained so much, and I turned after the dyke, and I felt sick. I was on Cornet’s Mandarino in his first Derby, and he’s strong and I thought to myself, ‘I never want to feel like this again, so I better train’. It’s a horrible feeling, realising you are not fit enough, and I wanted to vomit. But I rode two this year, and I felt like I could go again. You have to be fit; mistakes happen when you are not.

HQ: Your plans with Gillian for the rest of the year?

Ronnie: We have the World Cup at Heartlands coming up, and he’s been on such form I will probably choose him as my nominated horse, but I may only do the Grand Prix and the World Cup. I was lying third in Showjumper of the Year behind Campbell, who has retired, and Bibisi, who did not compete in Derby, so I need to see where we are on the rankings after this because that comes into it. I don’t think I can win the World Cup Series, so hopefully, my wife can win that. I would love to win another World Cup as well.

HQ: And then Derby next year?

Ronnie: 100%. I’ve won my first one, and I told Gonda I am coming after her record of six Derby wins. But if I can get half, that would be enough. Nicole won three in a row, so why not? I’d love to do it again on Goofy, and Cornet's Mandarino is back and Magic Boy has the experience now. I have a great team of young horses coming through, and I’ve got the first one under the belt, so the pressure is off to some extent. I have great horses that I know can do it, so I would love to go and get another one.

HQ: Well, we will be rooting for you! Lastly, Junior Derby is around the corner; what advice do you have for the younger generation?

Ronnie: I hope all the adult riders motivate the younger generation. We are also at a point where we have to give back, and I hope we inspire the younger generation. I had so many little people coming up and wanting autographs,

and it was so special. I hope the future generation of Derby champions were there watching. I was one of those kids who watched the Derby years ago and wanted it then; I saw Ronnie win on Panaché and Barry and wanted to be like them. You have to dream it, want it and work for it. It takes hard work, and what you put in is what you get out. You can have the most money in the world, but you must also work hard. You can buy the best horses in the world, but if you don’t work, it’s all for nothing. So, dream big and work hard!

TEXT: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT PHOTOGRAPHY

HQ

couldn't resist having a quick chat with 2023 Derby Runner-Up Jeanne Körber after her spectacular round (and terrifying moment at the bank!).

HQ: First things first - the bank! Talk us through what happened.

Jeanne: I think my heart is still in my throat! I thought I had a nice slow approach to give him time to go down, but then the next thing I just felt him launch off! The grass on the bank seemed to give way, so maybe he didn't feel secure and then just jumped; who knows? I was then trying really hard to look up and stay secure in the saddle when I just felt him leaving the ground (again) too early after just one stride! He is just exceptional; that was a big mistake and could've ended very badly for both of us, but he just pricked his ears and tried his heart out to clear it!

HQ: It was incredible! And he so nearly cleared it - what amazing scope! Can you tell us a bit about how your partnership with Lexington came about?

Jeanne: Where do I begin? Obviously, Lexington is out of a very special Fiorella that I produced up to the 1.50m, and then, unfortunately, due to an injury, she couldn't carry on with her sporting career. While I was still competing with her, Lexington was coming up on auction, and I knew that he was going to be very popular because he was amazing, but he's also beautiful, and the black horses always seem to go for more money on the auctions. So, I roped in Michael Whitehouse to try and help me buy him at the auction, and when I rode him, I think I only tried him - I didn't ride any other horses - and knew that that was the horse I wanted.

Michael gave me a hard time saying, "Why did you not try other horses? You should have sat on more of them and just made sure", and I said to him, "This is the one, and if I can't have this horse then we look around again, but this is the horse that I want". We were very lucky to get him that evening. It was a very, very special evening.

HQ: Can you tell us about Callaho Lexington?

Jeanne: Lexington has just been the most giving horse from day one. He never says no; he never spooks at any jumps; he always tries his heart out; and he loves his work. We always joke and laugh because he's like Mr Perfect. Even if you're walking on an outride on a loose rein, he is on the bit. He never puts a foot out of place. I think he's maybe bucked with us three or four times from excitement on an outride, and then literally within split seconds, he'll be walking on the bit marching as if to say, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry - I didn't mean to do that", and so we always giggle at him because he really is Mr Perfect.

He has got the most beautiful personality and nature in the stables. He just loves attention and cuddles and pulls the funniest faces. When you bring carrots, he shows his teeth and his

tongue and gives you kisses, and he just is a is a magnificent horse. Even with those pictures of him jumping off the bank, if you look at his expression, he's just pricking his ears and making a plan. I mean, that could have ended terribly with us both falling, but he just pricked his ears, made a plan and tried his heart out.

It is a privilege to jump a horse like him in the big classes and World Cups because I know I will make it through the finish. If I just give him half a decent ride, he's going to try his heart out and get through, so yeah, I'm very lucky to have a horse like him.

HORSE AND RIDER

He's also absolutely beautiful to ride. On the flat, I could probably ride him in a halter. With the jumping, he gets very strong, and he gets very keen and sometimes actually also quite anxious, but maybe that is because of me as well? I also get very nervous, and I'm not as cool, calm and collected as other riders, and that can make him quite anxious and strong.

HQ: Do you have any tips or tricks for dealing with anxiety?

Jeanne: I work a lot on getting both him and me in calm spaces. Around corners, I try to take deep breaths and talk to him, and that seems to be working. This has been the best year we have had so far, with quite a few podium finishes, and I feel like we still have a lot more to achieve together.

I have also been working with a lady who doesn't like to be called a life coach but helps me mentally with dealing with stuff in lifefamily, work and sport. She helps with my riding to try and stay calm and stay focused. Horse riding has got a hell of a lot of highs and lows - the highs are unreal, and you can have an amazing competition, and it can keep you going for six months to a year even, but there are a lot of lows and disappointments too like if you have an injured horse or you have that last pole down in a jump-off with the fastest time. I've had that many times; it's super disappointing, and she's really helped me with dealing with that and staying positive and focusing on the good things, and it really helps me a lot.

HQ: Any tips for riders planning on doing a Big Derby?

Jeanne: You definitely need to feel like you are sitting on a horse that can do it; one that has the ability to do it and also is brave enough to do it. It's a very big track; it's hectic on the rider and the horse and on the day there's that added pressure of the crowds and everything that comes with it. It is exhilarating, and it's exciting and amazing, but it's also incredibly stressful and creates a lot of anxiety, so I would say you definitely need to put in the work at home building up to Derby.

I would recommend that you go and do the training; you can't overdo it! Even though Lexington is super brave and has done Derby three times, I think we did three sessions - one with him at Chatan's place, once at Dunblane, and then once at Bryce McCall's. At home, we've also put up a couple of Derby-type fences. It's better to do bits of Derby stuff regularly to make sure that you and the horse feel confident and prepared. You don't want to get into the arena and feel like you could have trained this a bit more or that a bit more. If you feel confident that your horse knows the obstacles and they feel confident, it just makes it much easier on the last day.

With my young horse, Callaho Pica's Boy, I wasn't sure if I was going to compete with him, as I did not want to be competing in two arenas. When I realised the 1.30m would be in the main arena, I bought a late entry, but I hadn't actually done much practice with him. As he's a younger horse, I would have liked to do four or five Derby training sessions, whereas I only did two sessions, so he was a little bit more anxious. Gonda, my coach, asked how the first class had gone, and I told her that he had spooked at number three, and I made him jump, and that after that, I think I spooked at a few jumps because I felt a little bit under-prepared with him. I would definitely say that you should rather put in the work and the training so that you and your horse can be more confident and not get anxious.

HQ: What would you say are some of the most difficult Derby elements?

Jeanne: Funny you say that… Obviously, in my case, I would now say the bank and the plank! But even before what happened with us yesterday, for me, it would be the bank and the plank because it's so important to be slow enough to the bank but also keep the momentum so that your horse doesn't back away and then you have a stop. Then to have the timing right in terms of when they jump off the bank and then looking up at the right moment at the top of the plank, and keeping your balance as best as possible for the horse so that they have the best possible chance of clearing the jump – it's a lot to think about!

Oh, and another thing to mention about the 'what happened at the bank' - Gonda (who has been training me for 22 years) always says "don't hear what happens behind you". For example, if you have a pole or have had a bad ride at one jump, don't think about it, don't hear it, just focus on the next jump. It seems like such a simple thing, but it is hard to do because you are upset about the pole or you're upset about the ride, and it can affect the rest of your round, whereas if you keep it together, you can carry on.

Last year I also had the plank down and I managed to keep it together for the rest of the round, so you still end up on the podium, so it's important not to hear what happens behind you. What happened on Sunday was a bit different as my heart was in my throat, and I was trying to figure out what happened, but we still managed to get ourselves together, take a deep breath and tackle the rest of the track.

Then, I think that the dyke is quite a tricky element because you've got to have your horse cantering on the hocks and a little bit balanced. It's almost the same kind of ride that you want at the balustrade as you don't want to be off it; you want to be maybe a touch deep to it, but a balanced ride, not like floating into it.

Basically, there are lots of tricky elements, but for me, we'll be working on the bank!

HQ: Well, congratulations, Jeanne. It was a stunning round, and we hope to see you at the top of the podium next year!

THE 2023

MINI DERBY

TEXT: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT PHOTOGRAPHY

ERREPLUS CALLAHO LINDOR AND KIARA BURN

TAKE THE WIN

The Mini Derby is the bridge between the Micro and the Main Derby. The track is built to 1.40m Championship standards and runs under normal competition rules where all the clears go through to a jump-off over a shortened course. This year, Kevin Spratley built a strong track for the 24 starters, and the riders were clearly well-prepared. Five riders jumped clear to progress through to the jump-off: three very experienced Derby riders, Nicole Horwood, Jonathan Clarke and Graham Winn and two of our top young riders, Kiara Burn and Paige Lee Goetsch.

HQ quickly caught up with Kiara Burn as she was on her way to her parents and coach after her impressive win.

HQ: How was your build-up to the Derby?

Kiara: We just had one down in each class, but I was very happy with him. He hasn’t done a lot of 1.40m classes, and neither have I, so I was really chuffed with him the whole weekend. We just had to try to keep him as energetic as possible because he can get quite tired.

HQ: Tell us about today.

Kiara: My goal for today was to just have a nice clear, and we got that, and I was so happy! Then I realised I’d have to do a jump-off, and I wasn’t sure I’d even be able to do it; I was so tired after the first round, and I couldn’t stop coughing. I was even saying to my groom that we were just going to go and have a nice second round, as there is no way we can beat

these people. I mean - I was competing against Jonathan Clarke and Nicole Horwood! So, we just went in and rode what we had planned, and I was really surprised!! He got me out of that big combination at the end; he was just incredible! This was our first Derby together as well, so it was just incredible.

HQ: Being your first Derby together, was there anything you were nervous about?  Kiara: Well, yes, obviously! It’s Derby!! The poles that I had had in the warmup classes were mostly my fault because I don’t know how to ride Derby and how to go up and down the hills.

My main thing was focusing on keeping a good rhythm with him and making sure the hills and things didn’t break my canter. The planks were making me nervous as well, as everyone was getting three strides there, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get it. But Lindor was just amazing; he just knew what to do and took over!

HQ: Well, huge congratulations on this incredible achievement! Seeing as you can’t improve on your Mini Derby record, is it Big Derby next year?  Kiara: (Nervous laugh) We will see; I’m just taking it one step at a time for now.

CHAT WITH SIMON BURN, KIARA’S DAD

HQ: Simon (dad), how does it feel that your daughter has just won the Mini Derby?

Simon: I am so proud; I couldn’t be prouder.

HQ: And on a horse that you had originally ridden!

Simon: Yes, well, I trained him; what can I say!

CHAT WITH JOANNE VAN ACHTENBURG

We also caught hold of Kiara’s long-time coach and previous Big Derby contender, Joanne Van Achtenburg; she said:

It was completely unexpected because it was Kiara’s first adult Derby and her first Derby in the Bob Charter. She has been knocking on the door the whole year, being the first princess at many big title competitions, and today was just her day, and I am so over the moon for her!

CHAT WITH JONATHAN CLARK

We also caught up with bronze medal winner Jonathan Clark. He rode the 10-year-old Indoctro x Conti gelding, Back on Track Sheldon.

HQ: How did it go?

Jono: Ah, I was really disappointed I hit the rail, but I am pleased with him; he has come third three times this show.

HQ: You and Sheldon have been developing a super partnership recently. Maybe he will be in the Big Derby next year?

Jono: Ya, it has finally come together. And maybe… He’s quite little, though.

Despite the myriad of titles Jono has to his name, he is missing a Derby title, so hopefully, we will see him back next year to take on the 'Big One'!

CHAT WITH PAIGE LEE GOETSCH

Finishing up in fifth place in the Mini Derby were the lovely Callaho Lucetto and Young Rider Paige Lee Goetsch.

HQ: Was this your first Adult Derby attempt?

Paige: No, my first go was with Caspar in the 1.40s two or three years ago. I jumped Lucetto in the Micro Derby last year, and we had a fast time but took a rail going into the dyke, so that added on four seconds, and we actually finished up in fifth then too!

HQ: How was your build-up to the show?

Paige: Well, I have always known since he was a young horse that he was brave enough and careful enough to do the Derby stuff without getting too rattled, so I have been building him

up towards this show. I took him down a level at SA Champs and put him back up into the 1.40m for this show, and he exceeded all my expectations.

HQ: Were you nervous?

Paige: Yes, extremely! I always find I get a little more nervous for Derby. The first Derby attempt I did on Caspar, I remember I was really, really nervous, so I prepared myself mentally to get nervous! But Looch is a solid oke; he’s not scared of a thing; he can actually be too game, so I don’t have to worry about him; I just need to worry about me helping him get the best result he can get.

HQ: Big one next year?

Paige: 100%... If I have the guts, yes!

U A

THE 2023

TEXT: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT PHOTOGRAPHY

GMICRO DERBY

A CHAT WITH THE WINNERS

The Micro Derby, or perhaps more appropriately, the Speed Derby, was the highlight of Saturday at the UAG SA Derby. The Micro Derby is run under 'Table C' rules, meaning 4 seconds would be added to the time for every rail a horse had down, rather than penalties. A refusal would not incur penalties either but would obviously increase the final time. Two refusals would still constitute an elimination. To put it simply, the 'Micro Derby' winner would be calculated by who could complete the course in the fastest time. It is the ultimate test of the balance of riding carefully to not incur knocks and time penalties but riding fast enough to win it!

Kevin Spratley built a solid track with clever alternative options for riders to choose between. This allowed horses that were perhaps less confident with derby elements to complete the round but also provided options to save on time. At number four, riders could either jump up the steps or do the small steps on a curved two strides to a small vertical. The dyke was also an option, potentially also to save the footing for the next day. Riders could either jump the last two elements of the dyke, which were built to height or jump a double of angled verticals with water trays under them, which was likely the time-saving route. The last option for shaving off a few seconds was to jump the road-crossing normally or to jump across it with a vertical on a bounce stride; all combinations elected to jump the road-crossing on the direct route.

As the class was run in reverse order of classification, it was unsurprising that the first few combinations had a tough time. Several struggled with the balustrades at the top of the slope, and this was potentially the bogey fence across all grades throughout the show. Horses either felt unsure and uncomfortable with jumping into the downhill or would drop their hind legs over it and take a rail.

HQ had a quick chat with our podium placing riders and some of their support team after the competition.

With some riders having issues at the jumps with options, we did confirm with the course builder that if a horse refused at 'option A', they were allowed to attempt 'option B' instead.

THIRD PLACE: KELLY SEARLE AND EQUIFEEDS JUST AL

Taking the bronze medal in the Micro Derby this year was a combination who had travelled all the way up from George, Kelly Searle, and EquiFeeds Just Al. In the words of their supporter, Colin; "If they're good enough, they're big enough", and that is certainly true of 'Al'. At just 15.3hh this barefoot Thoroughbred jumped an incredibly speedy round, coming home in 101.52 seconds with only one rail, ending up on 105.52s.

We asked a very emotional Kelly about her special partner, Al and their round.

Kelly: I got Al off the track; I knew the owners in Cape Town, and they said I should watch him race, so I turned on Teletrack and saw this little Thoroughbred that was flicking toes, and I wanted him! For a year after that, I messaged the owners every couple of months, asking when my horse was coming off the track. Then one day they phoned me and told me to fetch him the next day. I had two horses in livery, and I actually didn't have space for another one, but I went there all excited, and when I got there

and realised he was 15.2/15.3hh (and I am very tall), so I thought, 'oh no'…. But I got on, and I rode him, and he rides big and forward and had a beautiful canter and trot, so I took him home as they gave him to me for free. I evented him up to 1m and showjumped as well up to 1.20m. He moved on to another rider for a year, and then she kindly gave him back to me; I am very grateful for that!

HQ: Tell us about today.

Kelly: We came all the way up from George last week. He has had a water tray issue for a long time, and I took him for water tray training three days ago, and I couldn't get him into the arena, and then I couldn't get him near a water jump! But today, he put his game face on and did his job. He's pretty much followed in my other horse's footsteps, and I couldn't have asked for more (Kelly is a previous Micro Derby Winner, having won in 2014 with Ultra Montani Ganesh).

HQ: It just shows if a horse and rider have a bond, they can do anything (including jump a double of verticals over water trays and then open water!)

SECOND PLACE: TRACEY CARNEY AND LOCARNO NIKITA

Taking home silver was Tracey Carney with her own Locarno Nikita. They got home just 0.02 seconds inside of Kelly's time (despite having one rail), so they finished up on 105.50 seconds.

HQ: Can you tell us about Locarno Nikita and your round?

Tracey: He is affectionately known as Nicolas. I bought him as a 7-year-old from Steve Atkinson; Johan Lotter found him for me. He turns 17 in November and was ranked the top 1.35m horse in SA last year. I'm so glad I managed to give him a podium finish this year at Derby.

WINNERS COURTNEY WEBBER AND OPAL DE LA BASTIDE

The winning combination was KZN rider Courtney Webber aboard Opal de la Bastide, owned by Courtney and Shelley Moore. HQ had a quick catch-up with the pair and some of their support team.

HQ: Can you tell us about Opal and his partnership with Courtney?

Shelly: I bought him as a three-year-old from a small stud in Belgium, where we saw him free-jumping while scouting for horses with Grant Langley. His breeder, Florence de Potter d'Indoye, had bred another horse (Bon Esprit de la Bastide) that I owned and produced myself up to Open level from scratch and then sadly lost to a traumatic injury. Opal produced one foal, a filly Foresyte Onyx out of a Nintendor mare, who is currently jumping in the 1.20m with Grant before we had to unexpectedly geld him.

Opal was backed and produced by the Foresyte team for me, and I rode him for a while, but he is quite a sensitive horse, and after Courtney jumped him in the 6 Bar at Shongweni and fell in love with him, I decided to give her the ride on him.

She has a great bond with him and gets the best out of him. We briefly contemplated selling him, but the thought of not having him in my

barn broke my heart as I just adore him, so Courtney now co-owns him, and he is staying! Courts has done the most wonderful job with him, and they've already jumped a few 1.50m classes together.

I love watching her ride him, and I was over the moon at their beautiful winning round in the Micro Derby. Her mom and I came up from Durban to watch, and it was so exciting to be here to see it in person. She deserves this as she is such a hard worker and truly loves her horses. I'm looking forward to seeing them go on to many more wins together.

HQ: Lynette (Mom), how are you feeling after that win?

Lynette: Not being the most impulsive person, messaging Shelly, "Let's go and watch Courtney ride", was the best decision this year. To see your daughter achieving her dreams is such a joy. She loves her horses, and without Grant and Shelly at her side, it would literally just be a dream.

Courtney: My mom and sister rode horses, and apparently, from a young age, I was obsessed. I started riding at the age of six and went to ride with Grant Langley when I was eight years old. I was such a baby when I started with Grant - as everyone knows from Zdenek Muchna mentioning that every time he is on the live stream! Grant has changed my riding, and I couldn't be more grateful that he believed in me and pushed me to achieve goals I never thought were possible.

HQ: Congratultations! Tell us about your round.

Courtney: I honestly never expected to win; all I was hoping for was to go into the arena, ride as best as I can, and give Opal the best opportunity to jump clear. I was so nervous before I went in; I was third last to go, and some very fast riders had already gone. I thought I stood no chance, but Opal felt so good and had lots of energy.

As I started, he just felt so insane over number one and then everything was just there. I didn't even think I was fast and as I landed, I saw on the board, ranked first and that just made my day. I'd like to give the biggest thank you to my horse Opal, my groom Ticha, Grant Langley, Shelly Moore, my parents and the whole of Team Langley rooting for me back home. It was my first win on Opal and a win I will never forget!

HQ: Surely the first of many! If you had to do it again, would you prefer to ride the Speed Derby or ride it as a Competition?

Courtney: I would definitely ride the Speed Derby again; it was intense, as you have no time to chill, but I realised that Opal enjoys that tempo and jumped his best.

HQ: What are your plans from here?

Courtney: My plans for the next few years are to jump a few more 1.50 classes with Opal. I hadn't done a Derby on Opal before but realised after this show that he is so brave, so I'm very keen to keep doing Derby with him and do the 1.40m Derby next year! I've also been on the team for Foreyste Auctions, so I'm very excited to get planning for our next auction in the new year.

WHAT A WIN!

Congratulations to our podium winners –such a wonderful representation of KZN, Gauteng, and the Cape!

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

TEXT: AMELIA CAMPBELL-HORNE PHOTOGRAPHY: MERLYNN TRICHARDT PHOTOGRAPHY

BUSTING MYTHS

BAREFOOT HORSES AT THE SA DERBY!

Going barefoot or keeping sporthorses barefoot is a trend that is on the rise around the globe. Barefoot showjumpers came into the spotlight after the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, where the Swedes took home the Gold medal with a team of two out of three barefoot horses.

It is a trend that is slowly infiltrating the South African competitive equestrian sphere. In the Cape, a significant portion of competitions still take place on a grass surface, but for the rest of the country, 90% of jumping competitions are held on fibre and sand-based surfaces. Keeping

a horse barefoot on these artificial surfaces is generally accepted to be fine. Still, there is much uncertainty from individuals when it comes to competing barefoot horses on grass surfaces.

At the recent SA Derby, we spotted a few horses that competed successfully on grass and chatted with their riders to get some firsthand feedback on what it is like to compete barefoot on grass. Hopefully, this will give some riders peace of mind about keeping their horses barefoot on grass!

Geordi Byrne and Callaho Sequoia-Vella

• 10th in the 1.35m Speed Derby and did a 1.40m Qualifier on Day 2

• "When I first jumped on grass barefoot with Sequoia Vella, I was so wary because I had always ridden horses with shoes before, and it felt strange not having to worry about studs. We contemplated putting shoes on just for the KZN and UAG Derby last year, but I wasn't so keen on the idea because Ella naturally has a very big stride/step where she can easily drop strides in any related distance, and I didn't think it was worth it as a temporary solution. I've always had Ella

barefoot, and I didn't want to change that. My instructor, Maud Scott-Barns, put my mind at ease, reminding me that naturally, in the wild, horses don't have shoes, and these are not artificial surfaces. Once I got over my own mental block about jumping with no shoes on grass, I didn't even notice the difference. This year at the Derby, I jumped my first 1.40m round with her, and it didn't change a thing about my round and how she went. I'm a big advocate for keeping a horse barefoot if you can, and I am confident in Ella that she is stable on her feet when jumping in a grass arena."

Tamsyn Muller and Ricochet du Rouet PZ

• 2nd in the 1.30m A2 Competition

• "Pumpkin felt so stable on the grass; not once did I feel that he was unsure about his footing. When I won the Micro Derby in 2015 on Mozart, he was also barefoot."

Rebekah Klintworth and Dolarch's Brandenburg Claire (also owns Dolarch Deluxe)

• 9th in the 1.20m A2 Competition

• "You do not worry that your horse is going to slip; it is how they run in the wild. With shoes, it's like walking on ice with tackies. Last year, even with studs, Deluxe slipped. I've taken Deluxe's shoes off, and she is transitioning with Scoot Boots and pads in the paddock."

Kyla Brimacombe and Tack N Togs Onduno Walfaction

• 6th in the 1.20m in the A2 Competition and 4th in the 1.20 Two-Phase

• "'Tigger' felt more stable than my horses with shoes! Just don't tell my farrier."

Shannon Wyndham-Quin and Regenesis Vet Disa's Esperanto

• Came 2nd in the 1.50m Competition and were just outside of placings in the Big Derby

• Shannon said she got Esperanto when he was 11 years old, and he went down to her in the Cape. They put shoes on as they did a lot of road work and jumped on grass the majority of the time. When they moved up to Jo'burg earlier this year, they decided to remove his shoes (May 2023), and she says he has felt so much better without shoes and highly doubts she will ever put shoes back on him again. She told us, "If a horse can be barefoot, I think it is fantastic for them to be barefoot."

HORSE AND RIDER

Kelly Searle and EquiFeeds Just Al

• Came 3rd in the Micro (Speed) Derby

• "Ally felt incredible in the Bob Charter on the grass; we train on grass at home, and most of our shows in the Western Cape are on grass, and I have never felt the need to put shoes on him."

Courtney

• Winners of the 1.35 Micro Derby!

• "My Junior horse Foresyte Lois Lane was barefoot, as well, and she felt so good in the Bob Charter. Opal also doesn't have shoes, and I feel that they are better in the grass without shoes. Opal didn't slip once and felt super the whole show."

Webber and Opal de la Bastide

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Tamsyn Muller

PREVIOUS MICRO-DERBY WINNER RETURNS TO OPENS

With Derby Fever in the air, we had a quick chat with previous Micro Derby Winner Tamsyn Muller, who sprung back into the opens for Derby this year, competing the CampbellHorne's Ricochet du Rouet PZ, aka Pumpkin!

HQ: So, tell us a bit about yourself.

TM: I started riding when I was about eleven years old; we were lucky enough to have an equestrian property in Noordhoek, Cape Town. My sister, Astrid, rode, but I wasn't really that interested. I enjoyed sailing and fishing more, which is ironic as now I get seasick swimming! When I did start riding, I rode the sweetest pony called Captain, who lived with our next-door neighbour. He was a saint, never put a foot wrong, and that got me completely hooked - I never looked back!

HQ: Then what came next?

TM: I was lucky enough to be offered a horse, Gran Finale, that no one wanted to ride, and we formed a fantastic bond. We competed very successfully in my Junior career. We took part in SA Junior Champs, and he placed in every discipline! Pony Club is also huge In Cape Town, and together, we got our Western Cape Pony Club Colours in equitation, dressage and showjumping. Then Pohlands Mozart Magic came into my life, another horse no one wanted to ride. I brought him on as a youngster, and he did everything from dressage, equitation, showjumping to eventing…

HQ: How did you end up moving up to Joburg?

TM: I studied part-time events management at CPUT while I was work riding in the day, which included working for Dean Kannemeyer's schooling the racehorses that needed it. I then moved up to ride for the SA Lipizzaners for two years, and I bought Pohlands Mozart Magic up with me.

HQ: What was your experience of working for the Lipizzaners?

TM: I loved working for the Lippizaners; you get to learn so much about yourself. It was tough; I'm guessing it is similar to working overseas. We were very hands-on at home in Cape Town; we would feed our horses, tack up and even muck out stables on the weekends, so working hard is no stranger to me, but the Lippies was tough! We worked from 8am to 12pm, six days a week (after your training programme). You were assigned three or four horses that were yours to work during the week and use in performances, and we worked the horses in 30-minute slots. The training program at the Lipizzaners is not for the faint-hearted, but in saying that, I had the best time; you learn so much while you are there, from the history to every bit of care, riding, bandaging, lunging, and in-hand work. Possibly one of the most important things I learnt was riding the higher dressage movements; those horses are so well schooled! They definitely give you a solid background in flat work, and after my time there, I went on to compete with a mare called TI Hannah in Medium dressage.

HQ: You really have a very well-rounded background in equestrian disciplines! So, what came next?

TM: I left the Lippies after those two years as I struggled with all the weekends and never got time to compete with my horses. I had also picked up a few clients either for teaching or work riding, and I was eventing Mozart in the 1m classes and doing the odd showjumping competition, so I decided to pursue that.

HQ: It was clearly a good move as you and Mozart went on to have a lot of success. Can you tell us about that partnership?

TM: I got Mozart as a 4-year-old in Noordhoek; he was a different horse, very unpredictable, but he ended up being my heart horse. When we moved up to Johannesburg I bought him up as an event horse. He was jumping in the 1.20m and eventing 90cm. We moved up to 1m eventing classes here and did well until he saw the big ditches on the course! I remember my last eventing show at Northern Farms; he was clear up until the ditch at the end of the track. He didn't want to go near it, so I walked him past it straight to the box and said that was enough! I then took him to the Kimberley Diamond Show for our first 1.30m, and he walked away with his first championship win. So, he was just in the wrong discipline, and we never looked back from there! I jumped my first 1.30m, 1.35m and 1.40m on him.

HQ: And you had some special wins along the way, including the Micro Derby! Tell us about that one.

TM: That win meant everything to me. Mozart loved the Bob Charter, but that day, there was something different about him, and my mom picked that up. He was a very difficult boxer. I had to buy him his own two berth as he was terrible at sharing a box, and the day leading up to the Micro Derby, he fell over with me trying to load him. The day of the Derby, he didn't put a foot wrong, from the minute I fetched him to

standing at the show to putting on his bridle (which he hated - he becomes a giraffe!). He did everything I asked; it was almost like he knew he was going to win. All the stars aligned on that day, and it was just meant to be; my instructor Carl Boonzaaier always said you have to go for it in the jump-off; sometimes it pays off, and sometimes you take a rail. But you must try! And we did, and it paid off. Mozart is now 19 years old and happily retired on a friend's farm, and still jumps the paddock fences to go wherever he wants.

HQ: It was an incredible round, and as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained! What are you up to now?

TM: I coach and work ride for a living. I coach all types of people; my youngest rider is nine years old, and I coach SANESA kids, happy hackers, endurance riders who want a bit of basic knowledge on the flat, and most other disciplines. I believe that most of your work happens on the flat. I train a lot using pole work and focus on the basics. Most of my younger clients are hands-on with their horses, so they tack up, ice, groom, etc., which is all part of riding.

At the moment, I have also been lucky enough to be helping a friend of mine, Amelia CampbellHorne, with her 'sharper' horses while she has been out with injury. I will be competing with

Rico and Cor de Coeur in a couple of shows until she is strong enough to ride all of hers again. It has been wonderful to be competing and in the Open classes again, and I would love to compete in the Opens again consistently!

In my spare time, I have been training to compete in Half and Full Ironmans, which keeps me very fit, and it would be an awesome achievement if I could qualify for a KONA (World Champs entry). In my perfect world, I would be competing in Triathlons and 4-legged events!

HQ: Well, we wish you all the best in those endeavours, and congratulations for picking up a 2nd in the 1.30s Welcome Class; hopefully, it will be the first of many more to come this year!

YOUR EQUESTRIAN QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What is a puissance competition? And how does it work?

A puissance competition, also known as the 'high jump' in equestrian sports, is a popular showjumping event that tests the horse and rider's ability to clear an increasingly high obstacle, typically a wall or fence. The name 'puissance' is derived from the French word for 'power,' which aptly

describes the strength and skill required to compete in this event.

A puissance competition generally works as follows:

1. Obstacle: The primary feature of a puissance competition is a single jump, usually a wall or fence, which is initially set at a moderate height, typically around 1.2 to 1.5 metres. The wall or fence is designed to be knocked down easily if touched by the horse.

2. Rounds: The competition typically consists of multiple rounds, and in each round, the height of the jump is increased. Riders and their horses must successfully clear the obstacle in each round to advance to the next.

3. Elimination: If a horse and rider fail to clear the obstacle or knock it down, they are eliminated from the competition. The last pair remaining that successfully clears the highest jump wins.

4. Winning height: The winning height in a puissance competition can vary but is often impressive, with some competitions seeing jumps exceeding 2.13 metres or more.

Puissance competitions are popular with spectators. They are known for their excitement and suspense as the jumps get higher with each round, and riders and horses must display exceptional skill, power, and trust in each other to successfully clear the obstacles.

It's important to note, however, that while puissance competitions are thrilling to watch, they are physically demanding for the horses and require careful training and preparation to ensure the safety and well-being of the equine athletes. Riders and horses participating in puissance competitions typically have strong showjumping backgrounds and are well-trained and fit.

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