No horse-ing around

English Riding, Show Jumping and Dressage Competition
Mariselle Stofberg
Tamara Engelsmann

On the 2nd of March Nicolene Gründeling, Tabitha von Ludwiger, Danika Gogol, Tiana Gogol and Rachel Frankle, all riders from Gymnasium, were in Swakopmund to take part in the riding competition. Rachel Frankle who is homeschooling, still took part and rode for Gymnasium. Some of them arrived on the Thursday to get their horses settled in and others arrived on Friday, the day before the competition. There were about 11 or 12 schools participating, each school having about 13 riders. Nicolene, Tabitha, Danika and Tiana were in the Junior group and Rachel was part of the Children’s group. They were then divided into a team with DHPS and got 2nd in the team division.

Nicolene jumped 80cm classes with her horse Miggy Mouse and 70cm classes with her young horse Seeis Monte Kalino and rode both her horses in the Junior Novice dressage’s. Danika rode in the 1m classes with her horse Callaho Lucian. Tiana rode the 80cm classes with her horse Kariega Mist. Tabitha rode the 90cm classes and the Junior Novice dressage on Seeis Shelton, her horse. Rachel rode the 70cm classes and the Children’s Novice and Elementary dressage’s on her horse, Captain Jack Sparrow.

Participants riding for Gymnasium placed as follows: Danika was 1st in the jumping competition, 1st in Accumulator and 2nd in Cross Country. Tiana was 2nd in Accumulator and Tabitha 3rd in the Novice dressage. Nicolene 2nd in Precision and Speed Jumping and 5th in the Eventing Cross Country. Nicolene also rode in the dressage classes, but sadly did not place, but got a high score of 61.09%. Rachel was 1st in the Jumping Competition, 1st in the 36 Accumulator, 2nd in the Precision and Speed, 5th in the Novice dressage and 3rd in the Elementary dressage

They said it was so much fun and that they had the most school spirit. The weather was chilly which was phenomenal and perfect for the riders, even though they did say they got sunburn through the mist. They say Swakopmund is always the best place to have a competition for horse riding and that they will definitely be going again, because they enjoyed it so much. They will also try to arrange a schools league in Windhoek. Due to their excellent achievements, Gymnasium won the 3rd place overall out of the 11 schools.