ARCH RIVAL jumps his first 1.30m classes

Kayla Gertenbach tells us about her very exciting show jumping partner, ARCH RIVAL. He came from Geoff Woodruff’s yard, and was a very good stayer, winning 6 races and placing 13 times, including the Grade 2 OK Gold Bowl, amassing stakes of almost R775000. He’s by A.P. Arrow out of the National Emblem mare, Competitive Edge. I was still in Europe at this time. He did a bit of work and was mostly hacked in the beginning. I came back to SA in May 2018 and started with him then.

He had a great attitude right from the start. Was very bold and brave, but very very sensitive – he does not react well to pressure at all.

He is also very receptive and vocal. Squeals when he is having fun, or when he does a big jump. Whinnies every time I come past his stable or paddock and can buck like hell, he really has a huge buck, but only ever playful, never nasty. Within a month I took him to a training show and jumped him around the 90cm class and then he progressed very quickly on from there. He has plenty very natural ability and an attitude to match! He goes around the ring like he’s a king. July 2019 he jumped his first 1.20m show and then in August 2019 I was kicked by a horse in the chest and suffered severe, life threatening injuries, so I was out of action for about 7 months. In this time my sister Chelsey kept him in work for me and took him to a handful of 1.10m shows.

Then when I finally got up and running again, covid happened. So after lockdown we jumped a couple of 1.20m shows to get going again (and for myself to get going again) and now this past weekend jumped his first open show in the 1.30m classes.

So he’s done a lot in a really short time! I think his biggest assets are his “can do” attitude and his huge canter! He really has a champion mind! I have very big hopes for him and can without a doubt say the he will make it to the big classes! He just jumps anything you ask him to and does it with a smile on his face.

He finds everything so easy, he is not even trying yet. He’s just having fun, which causes him to lose focus sometimes, but I imagine once he needs to start trying that will change! He loves his job and is always having fun. He is really such a pleasure! He isn’t the simplest of rides as he is so sensitive, but I have had many unconventional horses in the past, so this doesn’t phase me too much. His jump definitely makes up for that! My plan now is to keep him in 1.30m for a while that he can do his learning there. Maybe middle through next year he can move up to the 1.35 classes. He is a very special horse, and possibly the best horse I’ve ever sat on.