SA Hackneys maak geskiedenis
In die sowat twee eeue van die bestaan van Hackneys in Suid-Afrika, het die eerste amptelike uitvoer van perde van hierdie ras pas geskied. Twee van die land se bekendste hingste het hulle weg gevind na Nederland, nadat sterk bande tussen telers van daardie land en lede van die SA Hackneytelersgenootskap oor die afgelope aantal jare verstewig is.
Die twee Hackneyhingste is die vyfjarige Field Marshall, wat op die Kaapse Vlakte deur Dullah Davids geteel is, en die ses-jaar-oue Shani Rebel van Hennie du Preez van Rawsonville. Field Marshall was al die nasionale junior kampioen en Rebel het reeds goeie plasings op die SA kampioenskappe in die enkeltuig losgeslaan.
Die nuwe eienaars is onderskeidelik Peter Voigts, wat vir Field Marshall gekoop het, en Wilem de Heul. Beide telers meen Nederland benodig hierdie nuwe bloedlyne sodat die ras in hulle land verbeter kan word. Danie Alberts, voorsitter van die SA Hackneytelersgenootskap (wat Shani Rebel geteel het), sê die Hackneywêreld het hoë agting vir die gehalte van ons Hackneys. – Hennie Basson
Vrystater presteer in VSA
Suid-Afrika het die uitsonderlike eer te beurt geval toe ‘n Saalperd uit Bloemfontein die grootste skouprestasie vir dié ras ter wêreld behaal het. Casey’s Final Countdown, wat in Chris Viljoen se Si-Si-stalle geteel is, is as die grootkampioen-vyfgangryperd in Louisville, Kentucky in die VSA, aangewys is. Dit is die grootste Saalperdskou ter wêreld.
Chris bedryf die stoet saam met sy vrou, Ruelda, en hulle twee dogters, Chéri en Christil Casey. Die elfjarige Casey’s Final Countdown is egter reeds sedert 2004 in Amerika, waar hy deur Michelle MacFarlane van San Diego in Kalifornië afgerig word.
Drie ander ruiters uit hierdie provinsie het Suid-Afrika ook in die internasionale Saalperdruiterkuns verteenwoordig. Hulle is Alex van der Watt (17) en Elana Deacon (16), beide van Bloemfontein, asook Armandt Stoman (15) van Ficksburg. Alex is vir die senior Proteaspan gekies en Elana en Armandt vir die junior nasionale span. – Hennie Basson
KZN Le Trec champs
The first provincial Le Trec Championships were held last weekend in KwaZulu-Natal at the Shongweni Club. A field of 66 riders took part in training level (level T), level 1 and level 2. The phases took place in the order of phase B, then C then A.
Le Trec is about facing interesting challenges on your horse. So we made the course interesting and there were some difficult aspects. The phase B course was a 100 m
U-shaped track where the riders had to canter as slowly as they could without breaking into a trot, and then walk back as fast as they could, without breaking into a trot.
The phase C obstacle course was made up of 16 challenges including bending, a gate, a hedge jump, a large, murky water crossing, steep banks, low branches and an immobility exercise. The level 2’s did all 16, the level 1’s did 13 obstacles and the training level did only ten. The phase A course involved copying out a map and then following the course. Level T and 1 had aerial photo maps, but Level 2 had a topographical map to follow.
The course was particularly tough with interesting challenges along the way. Level T did a short, easy 6 km ride. Level 1’s route was 12 km long with a few more challenges, but Level 2 had to do 18 km and face more challenges.
The marshals were fantastic. They were all Moms, Dads, friends and siblings of the riders and were thrown in the deep end with the scoring. A special thanks to them. Thanks too to the team who helped add up the scores and double-, then triple-check the spreadsheets.
Scores and photographs are up on the website www.trec-sa.co.za – Karen Edley
Groom benefits from Institute
Institute of Horsemanship student, Rejoice Ndlovu, has recently successfully completed his second study programme, scoring 97% in the theoretical and 87% in the practical part of the “Groundwork” examination. He previously completed the first programme, “Teaching your horse to lead”, with equal success.
According to Rejoice, he found the study material well-presented and easy to understand. His ambition is to gain enough knowledge so that he can teach other people to work effectively with horses. He is currently employed as a groom by Eeben Barlow, architect of the Institute of Horsemanship concept.
“When I go to visit the stables where I used to work before coming to Mr Barlow, I see how much I have learnt from the Institute. I think the Institute can play an important role in giving people who work with horses, a better understanding of what to do to get the best out of their horses.”
A special gift to mankind
by Liane van der Hoven
The idea of spirituality and horses is not a new one. In the Islamic world, the horse is seen as a special gift from Allah to mankind. Indeed, caring for one’s equine charges is a religious obligation.
This Persian painting tells the story of mankind’s quest for enlightenment. The painting is undated and the artist is unknown.
The front figures receive instruction and reject sensual pleasures. The centre figures are involved with more ponderous studies and discussions. A symbolic and substantial mountain range must be crossed before the individual reaches a harmonious relationship between body and soul. This is symbolised by the horse and rider.
In this issue of SA Horseman, we focus on esoterics. Although the articles barely scratch the surface of the subject of spirituality and horses, we nevertheless trust that our readers will find it infor-mative and interesting.
