There is no height that two Kyalami vaulters cannot reach

Erin Muller and Asea Pozniakow (both 12 years old) of Riba Stables Vaulting Club earned gold and silver medals respectively, at the Competition Vaulting International Belgium 2018.

They finished in the same positions at the tournament last year, but while they competed in the one-star division on that occasion, this time they competed in the two-star division – the highest for vaulters their age.

The vaulters have now revealed exactly what was going through their minds as they performed all sorts of movements and tricks on horseback at such a prestigious event.

“I preferred doing my freestyle more than the compulsory set,” said Muller, who performed a Lara Croft routine she made up.

“I was a bit nervous but once I was in the arena all my nerves went away; I was tight and neat; I only had little deductions.”

She said the trick to vaulting well is not performing independently from the horse and the lunger (who controls the horse), but to work with them.

Pozniakow agreed that the freestyle set is much more fun because everyone does there own moves, and these moves can be more difficult in order to earn more points.

“I was Cruella de Vil and I got to do fun and creative choreography; I just focused on trying my best in every move and not on what everyone else was doing,” she said.

Pozniakow highlighted the role played by their coach, Jason Gertenbach who, although he could not go to Belgium, made video calls to the girls frequently to catch up and give them advice.

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