AMANDA Viljoen from Glen Erasmia accomplished two first places at the recent Easterns Lower Inter Regions show jumping championships at Kyalami Equestrian Club.
Viljoen and her horse, Prince of Gold, competed in the team event, in which they came first and also in the championship which they also won.
Four horses and four riders were part of the four teams which competed, namely Northern Gauteng, Southern Gauteng, Eastern Gauteng (Viljoen’s team) and Central Gauteng.
Viljoen’s team won and they received Eastern region colours. Viljoen jumped the championship clear in the 90cm and again in the 1m jump off to become the 90cm champion.
Viljoen started show jumping when she was 45. She saw the sport at The Manor Equestrian Centre in Glen Marais, where she now practices, and got the urge to do it herself.
Viljoen, now 51, said she and Prince of Gold, who is 18 years old, try to practise three times a week and compete eight times a year, but their ages play a role in their ability to be active so much. But despite their ages, they went all the way to the jump off at this year’s championship and team event.
Viljoen’s first horse was a Palomino named Blondie. She started jumping with her and later bought Prince of Gold. She still has Blondie who lives at The Manor. Viljoen also trains at the Manor.
Viljoen, a mother of three daughters, said one shares a special bond with your horse.
“If you don’t feel well on the day, your horse can feel something is wrong and the day’s jumping won’t go as planned,” she said.
Prince of Gold’s father was a Zimbabwian champion called Sailor Prince, and all his offspring has Prince in their names.
When asked what Viljoen hopes to accomplish in this sport, she answered: ” I just ride for pleasure now and anything else that comes along will be a bonus. With any good student comes a good trainer, and mine is Louise Kennedy.”
