A lovely article appeared in the Newsday Newspaper of 24th February 2015 on our recently concluded Show Jumping Competition. Click here to read article online.
Budding horseback riders, Hadley Rahael and Jordanne Brown were crowned 2015 Junior Show Jumping Team champions at the Caribbean Equestrian Association Junior Jumping Competition which galloped away in Barbados from February 7-8.
Together, the national pair strutted to victory in fine style, beating the host nation into runner-up spot while the Cayman Islands placed third and Jamaica fourth. Rahael, aged 14, vied for honours in the 16 and Under division. Altogether, she had 12 faults over four jumping rounds. Brown, riding in the 14 and Under category, had one knockdown for four faults over her four jumping rounds. Team TT finished with a total of 16 faults. Barbados accumulated 22 faults, the Cayman Islands 33 and Jamaica 58.
The 16 and Under riders were the first to ride on day-one of the tourney, with Rahael producing a refusal on the quarter horse, Haze, for four faults. The Barbadian rider on the huge warm-blood, Destino, had two knockdowns and time faults for ten faults. The Cayman Islander recorded four faults on the grey thoroughbred, Essien, but the Jamaican got a clear round on the small thoroughbred, Super Trooper.
In the 14 and Under first round, all riders had clear rounds, except for the Caymans’ rider on Emmanuel, a tall thoroughbred, who was eliminated for two refusals, accumulating 25 faults.
Into the second round, once again all riders achieved clear rounds, except for the Jamaican rider on Emmanuel. In the 16 and Under level, all the riders received four faults except for Rahael who had a successful clear round on Super Trooper.
Meanwhile on day-two, Rahael was the first to ride and had two knockdowns for eight faults on Essien. The other riders at that level had clear rounds, except the Jamaican on Destino. In the 14 and Under, it was Brown’s turn to ride Emmanuel, who had eliminated both his riders the day before. Brown however, rode with understanding and went on to achieve a clear round which gave TT a huge competitive advantage. All the other riders in the 14 and Under level had clear rounds as well.
The final round for the younger division saw Barbados being represented by a 10-year old girl in the 14 and Under level. She managed to get Emmanuel around the course with only one knockdown. Brown was doing well on the pony Reina, until the last jump when the pony tipped off a rail for four faults — Browns only penalty for the entire competition.
At this point, the fight for pole position stood between TT on 16 faults and Barbados on 18 faults. However, the pressure eased when the Barbadian rider had a knockdown for a total of 22 faults. At this time Rahael was scheduled to ride Destino, who was yet to go clear for any rider. Rahael kept her composure and rode the huge warm-blood to perfection for a clear round.
The TT riders were coached by Patrice Stollmeyer who trains Brown at Saddle Valley Stables. Rahael is trained by Margaret Auerbach and Sara Mc Cartney at Goodwin Heights Stables.
Brown and Rahael will be representing the red, white and black once more in Cayman Islands in April, as they play host to their leg of the Caribbean Equestrian Association Junior Jumping Competition.