EDITION 17 | OCTOBER 2022
TOY PONIES
Meet Flash, Freya, Sam and Skye! Find a great selection of bridles, saddles, grooming and matching sets too for your LeMieux Toy Pony.
• Two new ponies, Thomas and Popcorn, coming soon! •
LIMITED STOCK. Contact your nearest Western Shoppe branch to order.
www.westernshoppe.com
WELCOME
Hello and welcome to our special DERBY EDITION!
With the United Aviation Group South African Derby 2022 kicking off in style today, we couldn’t resist putting together a fun guide for our FAVOURITE show on the equestrian calendar.
If you can’t be there in person, we hope to see you tuned into the livestream to watch your favourite riders battle it out to be the SA Derby Champion 2022. The excitement is real – DERBY FEVER IS UPON US!
Let the fun begin!
GET IN TOUCH
We’d love to hear from you and receive your photos, drawings or pony-related thoughts. To get in touch send an email to lizzie@hqmagazine.co.za and we’ll get back to you!
CONTENTS The south african derby 1 the rules 5 The trophy 6 the first sa derby winners 7 Past winners 8 tribute to the horse 9 the jumps 12 PRoducts We Love 33 Puzzle fun 34 Next Issue 37
We take pride in our quality, personalised friendly service and uniqueness. No order is too big or too small. Embroidery is offered on all items. Let us design your yard’s numnahs, shirts, daysheets and ears
Whether it's for shows or daywear this is the place to buy your goods. We have stunning prints, colours, shapes and designs to choose from.
083 357 3799 mcleankeesha@yahoo.ie
The South African Derby
- OVER 50 YEARS OF HISTORY
The South African Derby is the most popular event on the equestrian calendar, attracting not only horse lovers but also those non-horsey members of the public. This has been the case for well over 50 years, and with the United Aviation South African Derby kicking off today, we couldn’t be more excited!
But before we put all of our focus on the United Aviation South African Derby 2022, let’s take a walk down memory lane to learn a bit more about the history of this special
THE EARLY DAYS
The Derby was first held at Inanda Club on their cricket field(!) in the spring of 1965. John Glennie, who founded Inanda Club, took on the massive task of turning the cricket field into a showjumping arena that could meet international standards. He based his ideas for the show on the Hickstead Derby in England, wanting the course to be testing but also have massive value for spectators.
John Glennie spoke to Hickstead founder and course designer Douglas Bunn to make this dream a reality. Douglas Bunn accepted the challenge and transformed the cricket pitch into a course full of walls, water jumps, stiles and the famous bank. All the hard work was worth it, and the firstever South African Derby was held in 1965.
On the back of this success, Inanda Club allowed the course builders to make some of the features of the course permanent. Certain jumps, like the dyke, tabletop, water jump and bank, were made permanent features on the now repurposed cricket pitch, and some can still be seen when you visit Inanda Club today.
1
Dressage joined the Derby in 1968 and was won in its first two years by Ernst Holtz and his horse Bandit. Carriage driving and the unique Compleat Horse were added in 1972, and the Show Horse Class was introduced in 1984, attracting even more riders!
KYALAMI PARK CLUB
In 2000, the Derby moved from Inanda Club and its current location at Kyalami Park Club (KPC). This allowed for larger courses to be built, and because there were eight competition arenas, there was plenty of space for the other disciplines.
Alan Stacey was the man given the job of designing the new Derby course, again based closely on the Hickstead Derby course.
The unique classes of Derby
THE SHOWJUMPING DERBY
The Showjumping Derby, held on Sunday afternoon, is considered to be the ultimate showjumping test in South Africa, testing the ability, courage, strength and endurance of both horse and rider. Today the course consists of 18 jumps at an average height of 1.55m, with the wall standing at a massive 1.7m and the incredible Derby bank, down which the horses have to slide, standing at 3m! There are qualifying classes during the week, and 24 riders qualify to compete in the Bob Charter arena on the Sunday.
2
THE DRESSAGE DERBY
In the Dressage Derby, the three top horse and rider combinations qualify by competing in events earlier in the show. On the final day, each rider has to ride all three horses, and each horse and rider receives points during each test. The highest scoring horse and highest scoring rider are then determined by adding up all the points. Therefore, the winning rider is not necessarily the owner of the winning horse.
THE COMPLEAT HORSE
‘Compleat’ is from the Shakespearean form of the word ‘complete’, and this set of classes really puts the horses through their paces. The horses have to do six separate tests to determine the winner! First off, the horses have to be presented for conformation judging, and they are then ridden by the judge. They also have to perform a utility test. The top 15 then go forward to ride a dressage test and jump a showjumping round. The best five from this set of horse and rider combinations get to perform a free test in the main arena on the Sunday afternoon. A winner is chosen based on this performance!
4
The rules for the Derby
OFFENCE PENALTY
Fall of horse or rider
Not starting the course within 45 seconds
Taking the wrong course or jumping in incorrect order
Exceeding time allowed in the first round 1 penalty per second
Exceeding time allowed in the jump-off 1 penalty per second
Exceeding time limit (i.e. taking twice the time allowed)
Element of fence dislodged 4 Foot in the water jump 4 Refusing a jump, running out or circling: • First offence • Second offence 4 Elimination
Elimination
Elimination
Elimination
5
Elimination
The trophy
winners one particular year, but this has not of the lucky competitors to have a Certus
6
The first SA Derby winners 1965
- ERNIE HAYWARD AND BEAUHEIRA
Ernie Hayward began riding at the age of six. He used to ride his bike for 12km to reach the stables, which were situated where Sandton City is found today. Ernie had a very successful showjumping career in South Africa before moving overseas. He and his wife Denise left South Africa in June 1959 with just seven pounds in their pockets. Ernie won the Open Jumping event on his first ever showjumping performance in the UK. This was the first of many impressive wins in England.
After this, Ernie and Denise travelled to Ireland and Belgium, where he successfully competed on his horse Easter Parade. As their trip ended, they sold Easter Parade for 2,500 pounds and returned to Cape Town in October 1959.
The first Derby was held in 1965, and not long before the event, Ernie was approached by Mr Peterson, who owned the 21-year-old horse Beauheira. He asked Ernie if he would like to compete the mare in the Derby event. Even though Ernie only practised with Beauheira a couple of times, he agreed to give the Derby a go.
Beauheira turned out to be quite a tricky horse to ride, but her ability and bravery, along with Ernie’s talent, created the unbelievable partnership that
7
PAST WINNERS
1965 Beauheira | E Hayward
1966 Geronimo | Gert Myberg
1967 Eldorado | Gonda Butters
1968 Esprit | Peter Levor
1969 Major Dominus | Phillip Smith
1970 Torch Sign | Mickey Louw
1971 Torch Sign | Mickey Louw
1972 Torch Sign | Mickey Louw
1973 Take a Chance | Tony Lewis
1974 Lobil King Cole | Wendy Grayston
1975 Toyota’s Charlie’s Swop | Peter Gotz
1976 Prima’s Format | Gonda Betrix
1977 Epol Xenophon | Mickey Louw
1978 Toyota Tambourlaine | Janine Myburg
1979 Elizabeth Anne’s Honey Girl | Gonda Betrix
1980 Elizabeth Anne’s Honey Girl | Gonda Betrix
1981 Toyota Dress Suit | Janine Myburg
1982 Compass Line | Errol Wucherpfennig
Royal Swazi Spa Bye & Bye | Lachlan Maclachlan
Ascot Fever | Willie Peters
Storm Finch | Anneli Wucherpfennig
Jongleur | Tony Lewis
1983 Bischoff High Hopes | Lester Sander
1984 Billy Onduno L. | Cpl. Wayne Dale
1985 Sagorin’s Isis Bridge | Gonda Betrix
1986 Toyota Gossiper | Peter Gotz
1987 Bye & Bye | Gail Foxcoft
1988 Cognac | Anne Marie Esslinger
1989 Sentinel High Hopes | Ronnie Lawrence
1990 Babcock Africa’s Bye & Bye | Gail Foxcroft
1991 AAA Watchfire | Gonda Betrix
1992 Audi Storm Finch | Anneli Wucherpfennig
1993 Gestetner’s Blue Rock | Bryce McCall
1994 Noble Cut | Peter Gotz
1995 Avis Panache | Ronnie Lawrence
1996 Equi Feeds Rival | Steven Chalom
1997 TBC Checkpoint | Barry Taylor
1998 Mid Tempest | Shirley Kemp
1999 Not Held
2000 Fubu Sunday’s Eagle | Barry Taylor
2001 Listor | Mandy Johnstone
2002 Avis Ella | Lynne Piercy
2003 Porsche SA Avalanche | Barry Taylor
2004 Porsche SA Avalanche | Barry Taylor
2005 CPH Lindenburg | Gail Foxcroft
2006 Ryobi Napoleon Z | Ronnie Lawrence
2007 Greet a Star | Lorette Knowles-Taylor
2008 Equilibrium’s Warrangal P | Lisa Williams
2009 A New Era | Jade Hooke
2010 Avis Gryphon Rouge | Ronnie Lawrence
2011 A New Era | Jade Hooke
2012 Capital Don Cumarco | Nicole Horwood
2013 Capital Don Cumarco | Nicole Horwood
2014 Capital Don Cumarco | Nicole Horwood
2015 Alzu Oregon | Anne Marie Esslinger
2016 Capital Don Cumarco | Nicole Horwood
2017 Sunny Park Stables Elpaso | Nicola Sime-Riley
2018 Hera Van De Bien | Kelly O’Connor
2019 Back on Track Clouny 3 | Rainer Korber
2020 Not held
2021 Protein Feeds Campbell | Lisa Williams
8
Tribute to the horse
Adapted from the original by Ronald Duncan
The cavalcade of grace now stands
It speaks in silence
Its story is the land
Where in this wide world
Can man find
Nobility without pride
Friendship without envy
Or beauty without vanity?
Here where grace is laced with muscle
And strength by gentleness confined
He serves without servility
He has fought without enmity
There is nothing more powerful
Nothing less violent
There is nothing so quick
Nothing more patient
Our pioneers were borne on his back
Our history is his industry
We are his heirs
He, our inheritance
Ladies and gentlemen,
I give you the horse
9
10
11
THE JUMPS
1. The first jump is the stone wall. After landing, you continue on the left rein up the hill to…
2. The oxer, after which you stay on the left rein, down the hill towards…
3. The Liverpool, which is usually the widest fence on the course. Then you have a tight left turn into…
4. The giant steps. This is a closed combination. You jump over the first element up a step and over the second element up another step. Both elements are big! Then you have quite a long right turn to…
5. The hedge from which you continue right to the next fence…
6. The balustrade, which is an upright at the edge of the bank, making this a much more difficult obstacle than it appears. After this you take a sharp left to…
7. The table top, which is another closed obstacle with two elements. Over 7a, you land on the table and over 7b (the second element) you jump off the table. Then it is a relatively short related distance to …
8. The St Andrew’s cross. Once over the this, you must go sharp left and steady your horse for the next obstacle which is…
12
9. The Derby Bank. This is the one we have all been waiting for! It is an almost sheer drop of approximately 3m. From the bank you drop down directly to the next fence…
10. The planks. The planks are probably considered the trickiest obstacle in the course, as it takes serious balance and power to clear after the drop from the bank. Once over the planks, heading left, you have a few seconds to recover before the next fence…
11. The white oxer. After which you take a sharp right to…
12. The Devil’s Dyke, consisting of three elements: 12a – in, 12b – middle and 12c – out. 12b usually has a ditch or water tray underneath it. Being next to the stands, it is an obvious crowd favourite. As a rider approaches the whole crowd falls completely silent, holding its collective breath. After the dyke you take a tight right rein to…
13. The stile, from where it is a related distance to…
14. The rustic Hickstead planks, from where it is a sharp left and a burst of speed for…
15. The water, which is approximately 3.8m wide. You need balance, control AND speed for this element, after which you have to collect your horse rapidly for…
16. The stone wall which is usually the tallest obstacle in the course. From there it is a right hairpin bend to…
17. The combination white gates: 17a with one stride to 17b. You stay on the right rein to…
18. The rustic oxer over bales. WOOHOO! You’ve finished!
13
14
15
THE STONE WALL
16
OXer 17
The
BLUE AND RED LIVERPOOL
18
THE STEPS
19
THE HEDGE
20
21
THE BALUSTRADE
The table top
22
THE ST ANDREW'S CROSS
23
THE BANK AND THE PLANKS
24
THE WHITE OXER
25
THE DEVILS DYKE
26
THE STILE 27
THE RUSTIC PLANKS
28
THE WATER JUMP
29
THE WALL
30
THE double gates
31
THE rustic oxer
32
PRODUCTS WE LOVE
CAVALLO HOOF BOOTS
Cavallo Hoof Boots protect your pony’s bare feet, allowing him or her to feel comfortable when doing ANY kind of riding, be it in the arena or outriding! The Cavallo Hoof Boots protect the bottom of the hoof from stones and general ground sensitivity, reduce shock and offer overall support.
Benefits and features:
• Promotes healthy hooves
• Absorbs shock
• Provides comfort for pain and hoof sensitivity
• Offers protection when your pony is recovering from an injury such as an abscess, navicular or other
• A comfortable boot that lasts with rust and waterproof finishes
A variety of boot models are available in the Cavallo range, even Cute Little Booties for small ponies!
Available online and in-store at Western Shoppe. Learn more at www.westernshoppe.com
33
Can you find all the past derby winning horses and riders on this list?
CAMPBELL | DON CUMARCO | NICOLE HORWOOD | A NEW ERA | KELLY O’CONNOR |
ELPASO | RAINER KORBER | LISA WILLIAMS | LINDENBURG | BARRY TAYLOR |
OREGON | JADE HOOKE | HERA | GAIL FOXCROFT | GONDA BETRIX
34
To check you’ve been reading carefully...Can you name these jumps and what number they are?
35
a d e f b c
Do you know who all these horses and riders are?
36
OUR NEXT EDITION OF HQ PONY MAGAZINE AVAILABLE ON 1 NOVEMBER. SEE YOU THEN! 37
