The South African Individual Eventing Championships, which took place for the first time at Kurland in the Western Cape, saw an extremely successful show come to a close on 18 September 2016.
The Western Cape for the first time held the South African Individual Eventing Championships in the region on the picturesque Kurland Hotel and Spa estate. Taking place from 16-18 September 2016, the event, sponsored by Nedbank Private Wealth, had a jam-packed schedule that more than made up for the somewhat awry weather over the weekend.
Thursday, 15 September, saw guests and participants arrive, and opened with a talk by renowned international course designer Eric Winter. Not only has he been shortlisted to design the eventing track for the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, but he is also the new course designer for Badmington in the UK – not to mention the overseeing designer on Kurland’s 2* FEI courses.
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It has been great working in SA,” Winter says, “The people are so enthusiastic and have an amazing passion for the sport of eventing. Kurland is a very special place. It is set in the most breath-taking natural surroundings. The actual slopes and dips of the fields, alongside the large expansive flat areas of the polo pitches make it a very interesting place for a cross country course. The beautiful polo pavilion is just the icing on the cake as it provides a wonderful centre to the event. I have been working alongside a group of very talented designers: Graham Winn, Jacki Cherry and Andile Balula. They have been really inspired and I must say, inspiring.”
Friday, 16 September, saw dressage taking place against a stormy backdrop, followed by an incredible Gourmet Braai sponsored by Nedbank Private Wealth. “The braai was an absolute treat,” says Lance Gibbons, the event’s Show Director. “Kurland pulled out all the stops in hosting an incredible evening, with Porcupine Ridge once again sponsoring drinks for our guests.”
Reports from attendees, riders and sponsors alike have been positive, with Sarah Arnot, President of the Western Cape Eventing Association (WCEA) saying that despite tough weather conditions on cross country day, the tracks rode really well. “Very few venues could have run in those conditions, but the ground at Kurland held up. We were rewarded with glorious sunshine on Sunday for an exciting showjumping finish at all levels. Feedback from the riders was fantastic and very supportive; the riders from Gauteng and KZN were full of praise for the stunning venue, great tracks and world class organisation. Kurland is rapidly becoming the most prestigious event in South Africa and a win here is truly special.”
Renowned Gauteng rider Colin Hallaby and WOW Safwan were the champions of the day, taking home the Winner’s Trophy – The Whitbread Cup and The Yazoo Ranger Floating Trophy for highest placed Thoroughbred. “I’d like to give a huge thank you to the Kurland team for making this experience one in a lifetime,” Hallaby says, “If one was to win SA Champs, this is the place to do it! I’m still on cloud nine and will be for a long time to come. I’ll be back defending my title next year, that’s for certain!”
“Our winner, Colin Hallaby, was well-deserved,” says Gibbons. “He mentioned that Kurland was the venue he really wanted to play on, and what meant the most to him was how he could engage and interact with his fellow riders and supporters with all the events we held and how the pavilion ran, creating such a sense of community in the sport. That’s what we’re trying to do with Kurland – we’re trying to create a family event where everyone can enjoy themselves.” The Kurland Eventing Committee hopes to attract further SA Championships to the region and certainly, with the response they’ve received, it seems set to become one of the most respected eventing destinations in South Africa.
Nedbank Private Wealth was a headline sponsor for the first time this year, with Richard Mulholland saying that it was “an incredible three days”. “I believe that the partnership has resulted in significant benefits for everyone: for the eventing community, the infrastructure at Kurland was elevated to international standards, and the experience of the riders, their families, grooms, and coaches was taken to new heights,” he explains. “For ourselves, we got to meet and engage with some of the most amazing people. Everyone we met has responded positively to our involvement and we’ve identified numerous collaborative opportunities. The greatest memories for me from the three days were, firstly, seeing families and friends enjoying quality time together and, secondly, the beginning of so many genuine relationships, both personal and business-wise.”
Suzy Lubner, one of the riders, says the event was “magnificently organised”. “Nedbank surely added another whole level and hospitality to all the riders who were welcomed and treated with a wonderful rider’s marquee to relax,” she says, “We were also allowed the privilege to listen to a heart-warming talk by the international course builder. I rode around his track thinking about much of what he shared, the most relevant being that as a partner with your horse, you ride with two hearts. The course was so beautifully built and laid out, and most importantly safe for us to ride even in the very wet weather. Riding on Kurland for me is like riding on sacred land. It is a glorious pocket of nature at its very best, exquisite and so perfectly prepared for all the riders to have this experience which only happens twice in a year. The organisation by the Kurland Eventing Committee was meticulous. I loved every moment! To end the experience, my clinic with Graham Winn was the topping of a perfect weekend.”
Major sponsors of the South African Individual Eventing Championships were Nedbank Private Wealth, Plett Polo, Porcupine Ridge, Equibox, Humbaur, Bella Matata By Dominique Thoenes, Tiletoria, Kurland Hotel & Spa, Trueb Construction, The Write Shoppe, Film & Event Media, G Photography, Tamodi Lodge, Bramon Wine Estate, The Miszewski Family, Marilyn Chaplin, Mike & Paulette Doo, Sunshine Coast Eventing, and DGIT Media.
Class 1-14 sponsors of the show were (in order of appearance) D360 Solutions, Farmers Choice Estate Agency, Redford Lane Wines, Giraffe View Safari Camp, Sunrise Productions (in honour of Tatooine Legacy), Nedbank Private Wealth, Kurland Hotel & Spa, Cape Vet Equine Practice, Trogon House and Forest Spa, C3 Food Services, TAC Horse Transport, Ocean Blue Adventures, The Moyle Family, and The Quinlan Family.
Leanne Lane, Owner of Redford Lane Wines, the SA Champs’ Class 3 sponsors, says this is a fantastic day out for families. “This is the second Kurland event that we have sponsored. Redford Lane Wines is a family-run wine estate with an emphasis on family and team work, and sponsoring Kurland eventing ticks those boxes for us. From the competitors to the event organisers, there’s a huge comradery between horses and humans that ties this special event together.”
Prize sponsors for the Championships were Africanyon, Face Adrenalin, Giraffe View Safari Camp, Equine Librium, The Table, Ocean Blue Adventures, Down to Earth, Plett Game Reserve, and Glow Lighting.
As the first time the Western Cape has hosted this calibre of eventing, Show Director Lance Gibbons says it was much bigger than initially anticipated. “It was hugely rewarding and I think what makes it this rewarding is that it was received so well by riders and spectators,” he explains. “People genuinely loved what we put on and all left singing our praises after having a spectacular weekend. It is a destination that for some is a really long way to travel, and the fact that people valued it so much is really very exciting and encouraging for us to continue growing Kurland as the great eventing destination we want it to be.”
