THE SA SHOWJUMPING FEI CSIY TRI-NATIONS

Text | Amelia Campbell-Horne

Photography | Merlynn Trichardt Photography

For the first time 17 years South Africa will be hosting an International Tri-Nations Team event with countries from outside the African Continent invited to compete. The two nations sending Young Rider Teams to compete against our talented South African youngsters are Ireland and Portugal.

The event will be taking place during the 334 Midrand World Cup Qualifier which is hosted by Kyalami Park Club in Johannesburg from the 30th April to the 4th May 2024. The competition is set to feature a dedicated category of young riders which are riders between the ages of 16 and 21 years of age.

The Team event will take place on borrowed horses. These horses must be six years or older, capable, fit and have competed at 1.20m or higher. All riders selected for the Team must allow one of their horses to be used in the Team draw for the event, and the remainder of horses will be loaned (for a fee, and with all expenses covered for the duration of the show) from around the country and selected by the National Federation based on their performance, rideability, size, soundness and general suitability.

Provisional Tri-Nations Schedule

Tuesday 30th April 2024 - Training session with drawn horses

• Each athlete will be given between 45 minutes minimum and 60 minutes maximum in total (including warm-up and cool down) to ride the drawn horse.

• Each combination gets a training period in the main arena with a course consisting of eight obstacles including a combination. Each athlete is permitted a maximum of 90 seconds with the course.

Wednesday 1st May 2024 - Welcome A2 Competition

Thursday 2nd May 2024 – Competition in Two Phases

Friday 3rd May 2024 – Rest Day

Saturday 4th May 2024 – Young Rider Tri-Nations Team Competition - FEI CSIY

• The competition takes place over two rounds, over the same course and is judged under Table A, with both rounds against the clock.

SA Young Rider Team selection

SELECTION CRITERIA

In order to be selected, the riders needed to be the right age and be currently competing at 1.30m or above. Riders then had to submit an expression of interest and compete at the three qualification events: the 334 Grand Prix, the Tack n’ Togs President’s Cup and the Toyota Easter Festival, where the selectors kept a close eye on their performances.

At these events the selectors observed the riders’ performances; their placings (not that this had a direct link to selection); their consistency; the quality of riding by the athlete; and the technicality of the competitions and conditions (footing/weather etc) under which they performed. The selectors were also looking for athletes that could contribute towards a positive team environment and also athletes that performed well on different horses and under pressure and stress.

Following Easter Festival a ‘Top 8’ was published, and those riders attended a training day with the selectors at which they were required to ride two randomly drawn horses over a course of eight jumps. A day later, following a final meeting with the Team selectors, Lisa Williams, Tracey Carney and Brendan McNevin, the following team was announced:

Ashlee Taylor (Coach: Barry and Lorette Taylor)

Giorgia Scribante (Coach: Grant Langley)

Hamza Minty (Coach: Chad Cunningham)

Thomas van Rijckevorsel (Coach: Dominey Alexander)

Reserve: Janine Coetzee (Coach: Charley Crockart)

Holly Smith, Jason Slade and Victoria Greyvensteyn also made the Top 8 Shortlist, while several other highly successful Young Riders from across South Africa made the longlist. The other riders who made the long list were Alexandra Ric Hansen, Aoife White, Divan Bosman, Hannah Gerber, Helen Criticos, Jade Coetzee, Jenna Eager, Jorja Rohrich, Julia Bald, Kiara Burn, Marne Lombaard, Mikaela Martin, Nicholas Du Plooy, Olivia Roberts, Paige Nunan, Rebekah Klintworth, Robyn Salter, Salome Nel, Sarah Rose Friend, Shannay Marais, Tyla Parmenter Bridger, Uthmaan Minty, Zandi Alcock and Ziska Nel. With 32 top young riders vying for the four team spots, the selectors had a tough task in choosing just four.

TEAM RSA

CHEF D’EQUIPE: BRENDAN MCNEVIN

Horses are not only my sport and business, but they are my entire life. I have been fortunate enough to have been trained by some of the best riders in the country, and have competed at various levels, but I have definitely found a passion in training horses and riders to be prepared for our dynamic sport.

A highlight of my career was, in 2019, taking Team South Africa to China for a Nations Cup. It was truly inspiring, and such valuable team experience for our young riders. I am so proud to be a part of the development of our magical sport, and incredibly proud to be a part of this exciting young team of very talented riders.

Medals on Championship Day would be amazing… I don’t want to add any pressure, but do I think we have a gold medal team? Absolutely!

We also had a quick chat with three members of the RSA Tri-Nations team, and here is what they had to say:

Ashlee Taylor: It feels like a privilege to have been selected for this Team out of such a big group of amazing young riders. I don't think I felt much pressure about the selection shows because it was just a normal show to me, but of course, when it came to the training day, it was a little bit more pressure knowing that the selectors were watching us!

I think I'm most excited to meet new people from different countries, to ride in such a big competition among teammates, and, of course, to represent my country. I would say I am most nervous about doing well in the competition and not letting my teammates down.

I think having done the Philip Smith Equitation Championships will definitely help me to ride under pressure because we had to ride unknown horses in a very prestigious competition. Having said that, I don't think I can control the nerves that I will feel since nerves always come when you are under pressure and when it counts the most!

Giorgia Scribante: This is such an incredible opportunity, and I will be forever grateful to everyone who has helped play a role in getting me to where I am today - especially my incredible horses, as without them, this would not have been possible. Coming into an event such as the Tri-Nations Cup, I feel a bit nervous as I will be competing against really strong and talented riders, and I hope to do my absolute best for South Africa. However, I am super excited that I have been given this opportunity to ride for South Africa. I cannot wait for the competition, and I am really looking forward to riding alongside the rest of my Team!

Hamza Minty: I am so happy that I made the Team; it just pulled everything together. First winning Junior President’s Cup, then coming second in the Toyota Easter Festival Outdoor Grand Prix and then making the Team just made me so happy. The selection process was quite stressful, as being the youngest rider, I watched carefully what the older riders did and how they rode their horses. Riding in the Philip Smith definitely gave me a bit of an advantage because I rode eight different horses during the show, so I got to ride many different horses in preparation. I'm a bit nervous about the competition in general. I have seen how some of the other riders from Portugal and Ireland ride and they are really good! Having said that, I am super excited to ride alongside one of my idols Thomas VR and my other fellow team members, and also hope to make SA proud.

TEAM PORTUGAL

LUIS NEGRAO (POR) TEAM MANAGER

Luis Negrao competed in the three Olympic disciplines -dressage, showjumping and eventing - at an international level. At present he devotes most of his time to the training and competing of young horses. Regarding his personal training he has the qualification of Equestrian Master assigned by the Portuguese Equestrian Federation and recognised by the International Group for Equestrian Qualifications. He has a diploma for coaching the Olympic disciplines of dressage, showjumping and eventing. He is also a member of the Higher Pedagogical Council of the National School of Horsemanship - a certified organisation which is responsible for the training of trainers in Portugal.

He has formed and contributed to the formation of innumerable professional and amateur riders in the above-mentioned disciplines. He has participated as a coach in several CSIO-Y and European Championships over the last 10 years, having taken on the role of National Youth Coach around three years ago.

TEAM IRELAND

IRISH TEAM MANAGER: JAMES KERNAN

James, is recognised both nationally and internationally as one of the best trainers of showjumpers in the country. He has competed at the highest international level on an individual basis and as part of the famous three in a row Irish Showjumping team of 1977, 1978 and 1979 which won the Agha Khan cup at the Royal Dublin Show for three consecutive years. This famous team also included Captain Con Power, Paul Darragh and Eddie Macken. James has a wealth of experience in international competition having competed at the highest level himself, and he imparts his considerable experience to aspiring showjumpers. He has trained some of the current top showjumpers.