From CIEF

When you have guests at home, you tidy the house and plump up the sofa cushions. The equestrian equivalent is taking place with unparalleled eagerness at the Equestrian Centre on Linford Pierson Highway this week. Hedges are being trimmed, grass cut, jump poles painted, tents erected, barns swept and horses bathed and shod.

The Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation is preparing to host the second leg of the Caribbean Equestrian Association’s Junior Show Jumping Competition this Saturday 10^th and Sunday 11^th May from 8.15am – 10.30am each day. Teams are flying in from Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago to fight it out for the Cayman crown. Over a course of two days, each team member will ride four horses over four different courses which will test not only their riding skills but their memory, their courage and their mettle. The Cayman Team of Isabelle Smith (Under 16 Rider) and Hannah Fowler (Under 14 Rider) have been honing their jumping skills since they each won their team trials last month.

For Smith this is the second time she will have represented Cayman, the first time being in Barbados earlier this year in the first leg of the CEA jumping season. Smith is no stranger to competition, having competed widely in Portugal with her horse Ed, prior to moving back to school on the island at the beginning of this academic year. She is a fearless rider and has a horse more than equal to the task of taking her where she wants to go.

Fowler will be representing Cayman for the first time. Although Fowler was supposed to ride for the team last year, in a drama worthy of a Jilly Cooper novel, she fell from a horse the week before the competition and had to sit and watch on crutches from the sidelines. Having waited a year to get back on the team, she is very excited to be part of this competition. “I was really disappointed to miss the competition last year and so I’m really looking forward to all aspects of the competition this year,” said Fowler. “I am really proud to represent my country on home soil for the first time and I will definitely give it my all. I’m also looking forward to meeting the visiting teams and spending time getting to know them and showing them some of what our beautiful island has to offer.”

While the teams are here for the weekend they will get to see some of the island when the competition is over each day. Jessica McTaggart-Giuzio, Vice- President of CIEF said “We are really grateful to the Sailing Club as one of their members has kindly agreed to host a boat trip for the team. We’ve also been overwhelmed by the support of the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee in our hosting of this international competition, and our corporate sponsors. Maples are our headline Gold Sponsor, with Butterfield Bank, Cayman National Bank, Genesis Trust and Corporate Services Ltd and Stepping Stones coming alongside as our Silver sponsors. We really could not do this without them; and the same goes for our tireless volunteers who are coming out even on Mother’s Day to make this happen, so we owe a big thank you to all of them. We wish all the teams the best of luck for a safe competition.”

The reserve team members are Thea Millward (U16) and Phoebe Serpell (U14).

Entry to the show jumping competition is free and support is welcomed. One thing is for sure; win or lose, the teams will give it everything they’ve got.

Photos:

Cayman Team L to R:

Reserve for U16 Thea Millward

U16 Rider Isabelle Smith

U14 Rider Hannah Fowler

Reserve U14 Rider Phoebe Serpell

CEA JSJC Gold and Silver Sponsors L to R

(L to R) Milly Serpell (Stepping Stones), Jonathan Hawkes (Genesis Trust), Sharon Hinds (President of CIEF), Reserve Under 16 Thea Millward, Under 16 Isabelle Smith, Ed, Under 14 Hannah Fowler, Reserve Under 14, Phoebe Serpell, Henry Smith (Maples and Calder) and Shari Whittaker (Cayman National Bank)

Absent : Butterfield Bank