Kaapsehoop Horse Trails hosted a fun cross-jump show this past weekend, with the aim to entice riders from other disciplines – such as dressage – to attempt the art of eventing.

Leon Smith, organiser, said he tried to build the course in a way that there would be something for everyone, from easy to difficult. The classes comprised of 50/60 centimetres and 70/80 centimetre events.

In the first classes riders had the opportunity to show their horses the daunting jumps beforehand.
Cross-country courses for eventing are held outdoors, through fields and wooded areas.

The terrain is unique for each course, which usually incorporates the course into the natural terrain of the area, and therefore events in certain parts of the world may be held on mostly flat land, while others are over very steep hills.

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Smith made good use of the terrain to help the inexperienced horses and riders at the lower levels to prepare for an obstacle. He also managed to make an obstacle more difficult for the experienced competitors.

“After the rain the going was perfect,” he said.

There was also a large but inviting water complex that was spectacularly full after the week’s consistent rain.

Competitors agreed that the venue was the perfect terrain to train for multiple disciplines, such as dressage, cross-country and even showjumping.

After the show a spitbraai was hosted to raise funds for the annual Complete Eventing Camp that will be held at Kaapsehoop in March 2020. This camp invites five child riders per province to get the discipline going from grassroots level.