Teen and horse ride for gold

Nicole Duvenhage (15) and her horse, Quickstep, are about to set the riding world ablaze. She recently placed second at the Gauteng West Inter School Equestrian League and has received a gold medal for equitation as well as a bronze medal for dressage where she was announced the victor ludorum winner.

Duvenhage, a Grade 10 pupil at Curro Aurora in Sundowner, has been a horse rider since she was in Grade 4 but has been riding her 18-year-old horse, Quickstep, for about a year. “When a friend of mine introduced me to horse riding, I just fell in love with the horses and I just enjoy myself when I’m around horses,” she said

Inspired by her parents and her two older brothers who, she said, are her biggest supporters, Duvenhage said that this just makes her want to work harder to secure her future as an international rider. She and her two friends started an equestrian team at their school and the team now has seven riders.

She admitted that the sport is expensive, but added that one must not look at the cost but rather how much passion one has for the sport. “I used to play tennis before I became a rider, but now I cannot imagine doing anything else,” she said. Her favourite rider is Nicole Horwood, a professional rider who has won many accolades. “Nicole has a passion for horses, she rides with grace and looks well after her horse, which inspires me more every day,” Duvenhage said.

Her equestrian instructor, Tasmin Maher, is a role model for Duvenhage, because she works hard, is dedicated to the horses and always has a smile on her face. Apart from riding, Duvenhage enjoys shopping and spending time with her friends and family as well as travelling.

She plans on spending a gap year after school training with Olympic riders in the Netherlands, in the hope of riding in the Olympics one day. Furthermore, Duvenhage plans to study equestrian sciences overseas to learn everything she can about horses.