Sunday 17 June 2007

To big competitions!



























This is Amanita and my daughter taking part in the FEI World Dressage Challenge. The Challenge was begun by the FEI to help countries that don't have access to top trainers and is run all over the world every year. Zambia falls under Zone 9 which consists of Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya and Swaziland. Other Zones include countries such as Brazil, New Zealand, Russia, Greece, South Africa and Jamaica, to name just a few! Every year top FEI Judges travel around the world to each of these countries, the same Judges doing the same Zones, and each Zone competes against itself, the top two competitors then competing against each other to win the World Challenge. These Judges also give clinics after the competition to help riders and to encourage the further improvement in dressage.


For the past few years Zambia has been in the top percentage for their Zone. Zambia has also won the Best Venue Award (for ALL the countries taking part) for two years. In 2005, a Zambian rider came third overall in the individual test from 64 competitors taking part in the Zone (Amanita was 7th!) and in 2006 one of our riders was 6th overall. We have won the team event several times and we have won the Children's Test twice in a row.


Nearly all the horses used in Zambia for every discipline are Thoroughbreds. These horses are nearly always 'multi task' horses, doing dressage, show jumping, cross country and, sometimes, taking part in the odd polocrosse match too! Most of them are bought as ex-racehorses, either having finished their careers in this very demanding sport or having not quite made the grade and being sold on for other purposes. There is very little breeding done in Zambia so they have nearly always come from Zimbabwe, sometimes starting in Zambia as Polo horses which don't have the 'right stuff' for that discipline and then being passed onto the show jumping and dressage disciplines. This makes it all the more amazing that these wonderful animals can adjust and achieve as well as they do.


For such a small riding country, I think we have reason to be proud of our achievements! The next Dressage Challenge will take place in October 2007.

4 comments:

Magdalen Islands said...

Once again Jayne, you have outdone yourself for the beautiful photos of your riding passion. Amanita is so becoming. A side view of the bridle is something that I would like to see a better photo of, though, but that is just personal interest,because I make my own bridles.

Jayne :) said...

Thanks :)

Just an ordinary snaffle bridle with a grakle noseband. Nothing fancy - we Englsh riders are very modest in dressing our horses - lol

Rising Rainbow said...

Wow, that's pretty interesting. I had no idea the FEI had such a program.

Head Cookie said...

congrats on 7th place what a great honor.