Showjumping’s creative side

Tsheke is no horse rider but his employment as a gardener at Penny Place Stables in Blue Hills led him to construct eye-catching jumps for the showjumping ring.

After three years of working at Penny Place and watching horses and riders jump over what he calls ‘old-fashioned’ poles and planks, Tsheke appealed to the stable yard’s Anneli Wucherpfennig and Trevor Bern to create original jumps. Five years down the line and Penny Place’s jumps are something to marvel at.

Wucherpfennig is amazed at the jumps Tsheke created. “It was purely his initiative and it is fascinating what he has created.”

From Tsheke’s first jump with wood carvings of two horses’ heads joined together to his latest designs, including the letters of Penny Place, a horse and rider jumping, the queen of hearts, dolphins, flowers, and Wucherpfennig’s horses Tiger and Appolo. “The other grooms always come and watch and ask me how I make the jumps and I show them, and they ask how I know what to make, but I just create anything that comes to mind,” said Tsheke. He is also exploring the idea of creating an Ndebele jump to celebrate his culture for his next jump.

Tsheke explained that he draws on a piece of wood, then cuts it out with a jigsaw – which he admits is a challenge. He then paints and re-paints the wood with a second coat in a three-day long process.

He aims to transform showjumping areas with innovative jumps and his ultimate goal is to create a jump that is original and “something the world has never seen before”.

“I want showjumping to be exciting for the audience as well as for riders and horses, especially in adult competitions,” he said.

Tsheke has always had a talent for art and he is happy to have an outlet. “I am so grateful to Anneli and Trevor because without them I would be wasting my talent and I do not even know where I would be.”

Wucherpfennig and Tsheke are exploring the idea for him to create jumps for more clients.

Details: Anneli Wucherpfennig, 082 539 2857.