The horse riders are back this year and we’re back with a brilliant BANG!

This year we have competed in numerous events and done very well. Some of our highlights have been…
The SANEF (South African National Equestrian Federation) schools League 2009 – where we did very well. Our team consisted of Morrigan Halkett riding Taffy, Susan Chamberlain riding Shannahan, Rae Eyman riding Matchfix and Lindsay Balkwill riding Flame. The team had many wonderful individual results and as a team did very well in the 4th Qualifier. Morrigan and Lindsay were also awarded Certificates of Merit for coming second overall for Equitation (where the rider and horse’s style are judged). Three of our riders (Morrigan, Susan and Lindsay) qualified to represent EP at the SANEF schools League Finals in Johannesburg. We are part of the first Eastern Cape schools league ever to ride in the National Finals in Johannesburg!

Morrigan Halkett riding Taffy and Lindsay Balkwill riding Flame rode in the Pony Club Inter-regionals and were both awarded Pony Club Equitation and Show jumping Colours.

On the 5th of September Morrigan Halkett riding Taffy, Kelly Hammond riding Golden Romeo and Lindsay Balkwill riding Air Supremacy competed in the Interschools Equestrian Challenge at the Port Elizabeth Riding Club. We competed in Dressage and Turnout and did quite well. Then it was time for the most exciting part of the day, the Eventing/Show Jumping. Our team flew around the complicated course and was one of very few teams to have all riders in the team complete the course! Our team came a very good 4th overall. Morrigan had some wonderful individual results. On that jovial note I would like to conclude by saying, “VP RIDERS ROCK!!!!”

The Equestrian team 2009 would like to say a huge thank you to VP, Mrs Martindale, Mr Vermaak, VP teachers, and our friends and family for their constant support!

Lindsay Balkwill
[ps-skip]

Riding has always been popular at Victoria Park and this year has been no exception but we have had a difficult year because most of the horses we part-leased for a long time are no longer available for our use.

As a result, during the first term, many riders could only ride once a fortnight, since only small groups could ride at a time.

Fortunately, during the second term, Karen Biddulph, of African Moon Beach Rides, very kindly agreed to let us use her ponies on Friday afternoons. This enabled many more riders to ride each week and we are most grateful to Karen and the trail ponies for their help.

Recently a group of 6 of our riders took part in a show at Beach Haven. For 4 of them this was their very first experience of competitive riding and they acquitted themselves very well. One of them, Kayla Rae, summed up what riding has meant to many budding equestriennes at VP. She said, I love riding, it is the best sport ever. It strengthens your muscles, it teaches you to build a relationship with a horse, it is great fun and there is a wonderful camaraderie among the riders.

At the Interschools Challenge this year, Victoria Park was represented by Mariza Langenberg, riding Cossack Gold. This talented pair achieved second place in Dressage and in the Games and was first in the combination event, which combined Show Jumping and Cross Country and was awarded second place overall in the Challenge.
Another talented VP rider, Kate Scallan, has continued to achieve greatness, both nationally and internationally in Showing and Dressage.