Salter’s equitation champ
The competition was tightly contested in the Mark White Nissan Philip Smith Memorial Equitation Championship this year, but in the end, top honours were awarded to rider Robyn Salter.
The championship was held during the annual Nissan Easter Festival at Kyalami Equestrian Park.
Starting in the main dressage arena on 20 April, the much-anticipated class culminated in the prestigious Bob Charter Arena on the sunny Easter Sunday morning of 21 April in front of a crowd of eager supporters.
The winning 17-year-old Salter – who attends Silvermine Academy in Cape Town – was followed by Gabriella Lubner in second place, Mikaela Bos in third and Beaulieu College’s Kelci Cronje in fourth.
In a bid for supporters to ‘meet the competitors’ ahead of the championship, the Equitation South Africa Facebook page, gave each of the top four riders an opportunity to share their riding history and a little about themselves too. The winning rider had said, “I am very grateful for my coaches, Sue Copley, for helping me achieve one of my dreams which was to qualify for the Philip Smith, as well as Ronnie Healy for helping make me the rider I am today.”
Salter further listed some of her wins. “Some of my biggest achievements as a pony rider include winning the SA Pony Rider Open Eventing Championship, Western Cape Pony Rider Open Equitation Championships two years in a row, as well as winning the SA Pony Rider Open Equitation Championship in 2017.”
In celebration of Salter’s win, the Western Cape Equitation Facebook page posted: “We are but so proud!!! Winner of the 2019 Philip Smith Memorial Championship is Robyn Salter! Congratulations to Gabi Lubner in second place and Mikaela Bos in third! What a show Western Cape!”
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