Uithouritkampioen na Wêreldspele
Die Suid-Afrikaanse 100-mylkampioen, Arkab Legato, is reeds vêr gevorder op die lang en moeilike pad om deur die kwarantynvereistes te kom, op pad na deelname aan die Wêreldspele later vanjaar in Kentucky, Amerika.
Dié skimmelreun moes reeds vir twee maande in kwarantyn in Kenilworth hier in Suid-Afrika staan voordat hy na Duitsland gevlieg het, waar hy ook vir twee maande in die Europese Unie moet staan voor hy Amerika mag binnegaan.
Sy eienaar en ruiter, Lani Pienaar, wat saam met Legato tans derde op die wêreldranglys vir ruiter-en-perdkombinasies is, het ná ondersoek van die verskillende opsies in Europa besluit dat Duitsland die aangewese plek is om haar basis te maak, tot hulle twee weke voor die tyd vir die spele sal oorvlieg Kentucky toe.
"Ons is almal verskriklik opgewonde. Dit is 'n mengsel van emosies tussen stres, opgewonde en bang vir die onbekende. Dit is vir ons almal 'n groot opoffering vir die hele jaar, maar ons sien baie uit daarna. Die koste is hoog en die borge skaars," het sy voor haar vertrek gesê.
Nissan Easter Festival rolled out
Nissan South Africa (Nissan SA) and the Gauteng Horse Society (GHS) recently celebrated the launch of the Nissan Easter Festival. The ten-day festival is held in April every year.
Shelly Beckbessinger, GHS's general and show manager, said that Nissan's participation raised the profile of this year's festival. Main equestrian events over the period included the SA Outdoor Grand Prix as well as showjumping, dressage and equitation Inter Africa competitions. Also featured were a host of family activities and a variety of stalls.
The GHS is the governing body of competitive equestrian sport in its region for the disciplines of dressage, driving, equitation, eventing, showing, showjumping and vaulting. Nissan SA has entered into an initial two-year sponsorship contract with the GHS with an option to review at the end of the period. – Press release
Research on horses with pica
TA recent study found that horses with pica, a propensity for consuming non-food items, have lower iron and copper blood levels than horses who restricted themselves to food items only. According to researchers from Turkey, "prophylactic use of iron and copper supplements in horses may be beneficial to prevent pica."
Horses with pica can lick or mouth foreign substances or, in some cases, actually ingest the materials. Some of the more common forms of pica in horses include chewing bones (osteophagia), ingesting faeces (coprophagia), chewing and eating wood (lignophagia), and eating soil or sand (geophagia). Pica is problematic as it can cause colic and tissue damage due to migrating foreign bodies.
The study, "Changes in serum mineral concentrations, biochemical and hematological parameters in horses with pica," will be published in an upcoming edition of the journal Biological Trace Element Research. The abstract is available on PubMed. – Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc in www.thehorse.com.
Nooitie-telers hou jaarvergadering
Die algemene jaarvergadering van die Nooitgedacht Perdetelersgenootskap het in Maart plaasgevind. Lede van die genootskap het vir 'n naweek op die plaas van Braam en Amelia Olivier in die Villiers-distrik bymekaargekom. 'n Keurdersvergadering en opknappingskursus, asook 'n mini-kliniek in die voorbereiding van perde vir die skou, is aangebied. 'n Demonstrasie in van die basiese beginsels van afrigting het ook plaasgevind.
'n Belangrike saak wat tydens beide die keurdersvergadering en die AJV bespreek is, is die kwessie van die basisregister en hoe basisperde bestuur moet word. Die Nooitgedachter het 'n oop stamboek, wat 'n baie groot verantwoordelikheid op beide die telers en die keurders plaas om seker te maak dat die ras nie sy karakter verloor deurdat vreemde perde onoordeelkundig in die ras toegelaat word nie.
Tydens die AJV is Marinus van Dijk as president verkies in die plek van Koof Snyman, wie om gesondheidsredes moes bedank. Izak Hofmeyr is as nuwe vise-president verkies. Die ander lede van die raad is Braam Olivier, Nigel Flanegan, William Bondesio en Johan Schreuder.
Cape Boerperd youth programme
The youth programme of the Cape Boerperd Breeders Society and the SA Boerperd Amateur Union, aims to introduce the Cape Boerperd and it's versatility to all horse loving children. The CBYP is a programme for young people with a common interest in horses. It offers a variety of programmes and competitions that challenge members to become involved, to learn, and to develop competence in all areas of the horse industry.
The CBYP is designed to bring out the best in its members – no matter what their skills and interests. Membership is open to all young people whom have not reached the age of 19 years on 1 January of a given year. Owning a Cape Boerperd is not a requirement.
All children interested in improving their horse mastership skills, are invited to join the CBYP. E-mail ezelle@capeboerperd.co.za for more information.
Wild horses go to town!
It was a different kind of rush hour as a herd of horses galloped wildly through a southern California town in the US, for up to two hours before they were captured. Ranch hand Abel Canales at the OK Corral in Otay Mesa, says wild horses from neighbouring Mexico apparently coaxed about a dozen horses and colts out of their stalls one Wednesday afternoon.
Police and border patrol trucks and news helicopters followed as they loped down suburban streets in the Eastlake area of Chula Vista and through the local Olympic Training Centre. Two horses finally stopped and were roped and led back to the ranch. Canales says he eventually captured the lead horse and managed to guide the tired herd back. The San Diego Humane Society says two animals had minor leg injuries. – Sapa-AP
Jake rescues race horses
Former Springbok rugby coach, Jake White, rushed to the rescue of two "retired" race horses to save them from a life of misery in Philippi recently. White, who coached South Africa to World Cup victory in 2007, was at an event where he heard of the terrible conditions in which the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) had found the two purebred horses.
He immediately responded with an offer to put up the animals, said Allan Perrins, executive head of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
The stallion, New Horizon, and the mare, London Tabloid, had in their day been famous race horses that could have been sold for thousands of rand. A foal and an Arab, both potentially purebred race horses, were found with the other two and also confiscated.
Perrins said they had twice issued warnings to Irene Steyn from Ottery before a court order was procured. Steyn was allegedly the owner of the four horses. Steyn appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on charges relating to a separate issue. She was accused of breeding pit bull terriers for dogfights. – Ilse Krige, News24
Vaulting goes to new heights
On 20 and 21 March, an international qualifier vaulting show for World Equestrian Games selection, was held at Kyalami Equestrian Park in Gauteng. This show was also the first selection qualifier for SA Championships. South African vaulters had a very successful show and achieved the scores they need to qualify for the Games.
The following vaulting competitors are eligible to compete at the games: Megan Taylor, Alexa Stais, Chelsey Gertenbach, Kelsey Jo Baumann, Kayla Gertenbach, Zahne Pienaar, Kegan Smith, Yorick Smith, Bongani Mvumvu, Sebastian Andrews, Dylan Jones and Khensani Maluleke.
The FEI has awarded vaulting competitors another international qualifier for WEG selection and SA Champs selection, which will be held in June, incorporated into the 26/27 June selection show. They have secured the services of top international coach and FEI judge, Dietmar Otto, to preside as the “A-judge” at the show and to hold coaching and judging clinics during his stay. Andrea van Rijswijk
Soweto takes the crown!
In a joint programme with the South African National Equestrian Federation, the Soweto Vaulters of the Soweto Equestrian Centre (SEC), started an intensive training programme in March 2009. Coaches Steffi Waidmann, Nicole de Villiers, Bongani Mvumvu, and chef d'equipe, Enos Mafokate, put in a massive effort to lead the team to victory in October 2009, when they took first prize at the Gauteng vaulting championships and was awarded Gauteng colours.
The team, consisting of Khensani Maluleke, Ofentse Makgatle, Lesego Ngidi, Palesa Mthenjane, Thembi Mthenjane, Paballo Masilo and Karabo Mafokate, went on to represent Gauteng at the national championships in December 2009, coming through at the end to take the crown and become the South African Mixed Team Vaulting Champions.
