19th January, 2015

The Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation (“CIEF”) kick started the year with an action packed day of show jumping last weekend. The first annual show of the year coupled the trials for international selection for the Barbados round of the Caribbean Equestrian Association’s Junior Show Jumping Competition (“CEA JSJC”) with a National Jumping Show.

Each calendar year, the four CEA countries, Cayman, Barbardos, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, meet once in each country to compete over four show jumping courses. Each time, they compete on horses loaned by the country hosting the event. The first event of the year is always hosted by Barbados and Cayman riders fought a close race for a spot on the team to head that way next month.

New to the trials, in the Under 14 age group, were Jenna Boucher on her horse Katrina and Basil Humphries on his horse, Storm. In addition, Ashley van den Bol on Amarilla and Chloe Fowler on Shirley also put themselves forward. In the Under 16 age group, good friends Isabelle Smith and Phoebe Serpell competed against each other on their mounts Edson Arantes MB and Sunday’s Edition.

The under 14s rode three rounds, each one on a different horse. Each round was a course of eight jumps and nine jumping efforts. The riders were allowed to ride their own horses first and the other two rounds were drawn at random for horse allocaton and order of go.

Van den Bol put in a solid performance in all three rounds and was the only rider to go clear in every round for the day. She took first place in the under 14 category and was selected as Team Cayman’s under 14 rider for Barbados. Van den Bol said “I am really pleased with the way I rode today. All the riders rode well so it was exciting to compete today and then a great reward for me to finish in front. I am very much looking forward to representing Cayman in Barbados next month.”

In second place and reserve team member for the under 14s was Fowler with four faults and a time of 160.93 seconds. Third was Boucher also with four faults and a time of 165.54 seconds and fourth was Humphries on five faults and a time of 163.64 seconds.

The under 16 competitors followed hot on the heels of the younger trialists. Serpell and Smith rode each other’s horses in the first round and both executed clinical clear rounds. In the second round, Smith was first to go in and collected four faults in the field for a knockdown. Serpell followed in after and finished with eight faults, leaving Smith in first place and selection as Team Cayman’s Under 16 rider for Barbados. Serpell will be the reserve for the Under 16s.

As the Team knuckle down to serious training in advance of their international meet, they will be joined by Humphries, who has been invited to travel to Barbados as well. He will be competing in an under 12s competition for fun and experience. The idea is to give up and coming riders, who have not ridden for their country before, some experience at an international level, without the pressure of riding for the Team. Humphries is relishing the invitation and really looking forward to the competition.

The Barbados competition is scheduled for 8th and 9th February. Barbados and Cayman will be joined by teams from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

In the Open Jumping competition which followed the trials, Amara Thompson on Rumour Has It took first place in the 1m class. Continuing her run of excellent form, Lea Rado, on Never Ending Story, took first place in the 0.8m and 0.7m classes. In the 0.8m class she was followed by Madeleine Aquart on Rambo in second place, Thompson on Teddy in third and Hannah Fowler on Seligkeit in fourth.

In the 0.7m class, Aquart was second again with Chloe Fowler and Oscar the Great and Powerful in third, Thompson in fourth, Rado on Star in fifth and Meegan Slattery on Max in sixth. Skye Buckley took first place in the 0.6m class on Max with Rado and Star in second. The beginners rounded out the day with a cross rails class and both riders completed clear rounds; Kyra Slattery on Diamond and Grace Bostock on Lucyana.

The next jumping show is the National Jumping Series Round 2, to be held at the Equestrian Centre off Linford Pierson Highway on Sunday 1st February at 8am. Entry is free and spectators are welcomed! Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase.