The cream of the crop of local youth equestrian athletes will be taking part in the Western Cape Junior Eventing Championships this Saturday and Sunday at Sandringham Estate outside Stellenbosch.
The event is hosted by the Western Cape Equestrian Federation, a member of the Western Cape Provincial Sport Federation (WCPSC).
Participants are coming from the WCPSC districts Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Eden and West Coast, with Central Karoo and Overberg not represented. The tournament features two divisions: boys and girls under 14 and boys and girls under 18. They all compete against each other regardless of sex.
Sylvia Bruckner, president of the Western Cape Equestrian Federation, was looking forward to this weekend’s event and said it was like having 18 different sporting codes in one, a bit like the Pentathlon. Eventing is an Olympic sport, with the first leg comprising of the dressage test, followed by the cross country over 5 km and then the competition concludes with show jumping.
Sylvia says the cross-country features six jumps and is for the brave of heart. The winners will be crowned as provincial champions for 2020. Approximately 90 to 100 athletes who have qualified for these championships are expected to compete for the coveted titles.
This is the premier event for juniors and Sylvia says she expects good support for the athletes, as equestrian is very much a family spectator sport.
The action starts at 08:00 on Saturday and Sunday and spectators are welcome to cheer on the competitors and their horses. Entry is free.
