Young Horse Performance March 2009

YOUNG HORSE PERFORMANCE SERIES 1^ST LEG 21^ST MARCH 2009

On Saturday 21^st March 2009, Pretoria Equestrian Centre was a hub of activity with the start of the 2009 Young Horse Performance Series. The venue looked spectacular after the wonderful rain we have experienced over the past few months. A thunderstorm on Friday afternoon did not affect the superb condition of the grounds, and thus the horses in this series were competing under most favorable conditions.

The Young Horse Performance Series offers the breeders a showcase for their stallions and progeny, handsome trophies for display on any mantelpiece and extremely lucrative prize-money provided by the many sponsors involved in the series. As the series progresses the results are posted and made available to all interested parties as transparency provides fair and exciting competition for the final event.

This year the Final leg will be held at Charvid Equestrian Centre. This venue owned by David Georgiades, has one of the best Showjumping arenas in the country. The show will be sponsored by Hercules Cold Storage, so it would be a good idea to keep Saturday 5^th September 2009 open as one would not like to miss the opportunity to be involved in this show. If not as a competitor, then as a potential buyer as here you would see the cream of the show jumpers competing for the trophies. It would also be a wonderful opportunity to meet our top breeders and discuss their views on the future of Sport Horse Breeding in South Africa. The cocktail party and awards ceremony at the completion of the event is legendary!

Many of the top South African Warmblood breeders’ progeny were to be seen at the first leg: Branic Stud, Davenport Stud, Lorelock Stud, Eagles Stud, Callaho Stud, Glenfox Stud, PEC Stud, Schwaike Stud, Lorcana Stud, Capital Stud, Helderfontein Stud, Dageraad Stud, Saratoga Stud, Neuheusis Stud, Viogtskirch Stud and Saratoga Stud.

5 Year Olds

Winner of the show jumping competition, Optimistic (by Optimum vd Wellington  out of a Landjunker mare) ridden by Louise Kroon and bred by PEC Stud. This extremely quick, rideable mare is going to be the one to watch this year. The Davenport Stud’s Sinbad D (Sailor Prince xx out of a Wunderbar mare) ridden by Nadine Verryn came second, and the Davenport bred pony Jack Sparrow a creditable 3^rd place.

Chicoletto Z(by Cassini 11 out of a Corinado mare) the Capital Stud stallion so well ridden by Helen Bean was victorious in the Potential Show Jumper 5yr old and also came 4^th in the jumping section. Second place was the Schwaike Stud entry, Schwaike Zebulun( by Karandasj  out of a Voltaire mare) ridden by Maud Aarts. Third place went to the Helderfontein Stud entry, Helderfontein Empire( by Latano out of a Jokinal de Borneval/ Brer Rabbitt mare). 4^th place went to the Glenfox Stud’s young SAW stallion Love To Dance (by Lindenberg out of Gail’s 1998 WEG ride Time To Dance)

6 Year Olds

Winner of the show jumping competition, the Davenport Stud bred HSB Romaan ( by Rex Grannus Z out of a Drabant mare) looked impressive with Bianca Kroon in the saddle. They also came 3^rd in the Potential Show Jumper section. Second went to Consuela NH(by Consuelo (Holst) out of a Konigsrufe (Trak) mare) bred by the Neuheusis Stud in Namibia, and surely one of the horses to watch for the new category: best Namibian bred Warmblood trophy, sponsored by the Namibian Warmblood Society. She is owned and ridden by Michelle Ross, they also came 4^th in the Potential Show jumper section. The Eagle Stud’s Holsteiner stallion Eagles Lassiter ( by Lacapo out of a Coriander mare) came 3^rd, but was also the winner of the Potential Show jumper in the 6yr old category. This stallion competed last year and tied with Equifox Olorosso for the  Potential Show Jumper Champion – 5yr old. In fourth spot , the lovely Thoroughbred mare Mystic Ride( by Crown Collection out of a Red Ryder mare) ridden by Annieke Vreken.

As mentioned before, Eagle Stud’s Lassiter won the Potential Show Jumper section.  Second place went to Equifox Olorosso ( by Consuelo (Holst) out of a Menotti mare). It is clear that the battle of the giants has only just begun! Neither would want to share the Potential Showjumper  trophy for a second year!!

7 Year Olds

Four horses dominated this category, mixing and matching the places for the Show Jumping and Potential Show Jumper sections. Callaho’s Apache Bay (by Argentinus out of a Bold Indian mare) ridden by Mandy Johnston – 1^st Potential Show jumper, 2^nd Show Jumping - and the Holsteiner stallion Equifox Cameron (by Contender out of a Schampus xx mare) ridden by Gail Foxcroft – 1^st Show Jumping , 2^nd Potential Show Jumper. The 3^rd & 4^th places had the same scenario: HSB La Figaro xx ( by Casey Tibbs xx out of an Elliodor xx mare)- 4^th in the Potential Show Jumper and 3^rd in the Show Jumping ; and Eagle’s Contraband( by Concerto out of an Anschluss mare)- 3^rd in the Potential Show Jumper and 4^th in the Show Jumping.