From Highland Superspar to the World Cup
Dawnay has also recently started up her own wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre
Dawnay Jacobs grew up on a family farm in Arnot.
She was a proud Hoërskool Middelburg-er; but had to say adieu to all she knew in the middle of grade 11 after her parents decided to move to the Western Cape.
Dawnay completed her secondary schooling through Paarl Gymnasium. Dawnay’s parents currently own Highland Superspar.
“I’ve been riding since I can remember,” Dawnay sighed contently, “My grandma, Dawn van Wyk, owned Daydream Stud and bred with Nooitgedacht horses. It’s because of my grandma that the “horsey-bug” bit my mom, and because of my mom; it bit me too! Both of my parents use to ride, though neither of them does so any longer.”
“I use to do a bit of show jumping and dressage too,” explained Dawnay, “but it got to a point where my time was so restricted that I had to choose between dressage and jumping, or polo and polocrosse. Polo and polocrosse won… mainly because of the adrenaline rush you get with either. I enjoy doing some Western, and Western mounted games, too – I mainly just do it ‘for fun’, but sometimes it’s good for the horses’ psychological health to do something other than what they always do.”
Dawnay is an accomplished polo and polocrosse rider; having trotted out as a Protea player for South Africa in all of the recognised age categories.
Dawnay also competed under the South African flag in the polocrosse world cup in Australia.
“What are the highlights of my career thus far?” Dawnay enquired, beaming from ear to ear, “Well, the horses are, of course! Every single one of my horses had been a highlight. My motto is, ‘love the animal first and the sport second.’ My horses come first and they’re definitely the best part of my career.”
Dawnay’s competition horses all have one unique trait in common; “They’re all fathered by Rualda Ranger. Ranger was imported by my grandma, Dawn, from Australia.
My competition horses are the result of Ranger and some thoroughbred mares’ efforts.
Despite knowing my competition horses from birth; teaching them to be polocrosse horses still takes a lot of time and patience.”
At the moment, Dawnay is focusing on her polocrosse whilst also being fully invested in working with her mother at the grocery store that they own.
Dawnay has also recently started up her own wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre.
“In ten years time, I hope I’ll be able to run the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre full-time; hopefully on a large farm with God by my side all of the way.”
