Local show jumper Jaimie Riley was chuffed when she realised she had the Pony Riders (PR) SA Showjumping individual championship open 1.10m title in the bag at the National Youth Championships at the Shongweni Club in Durban on July 3.
Riley and her Nooitgedacht warmblood gelding, Sunny Park Scooby Doo, thrived in the jump-off after finding themselves with their backs to the wall in the first and second rounds to win by 20 points.
She finished the first round, tied second and was third in the following round. But she regrouped and rode a winning jump off in a fast 26.94 seconds for the championship.
“This win means a lot as it is a hard and high class to ride and to get a clear. It also means a lot as I feel like my mom, Nicola Sime-Riley when I am jumping in the big classes,” Riley said.
Amber Botes and her Boerperd gelding, First For Horses Rasta, came second with 17 points and Skye Kingston and her Welsh Warmblood gelding, Ebb and Flow Rivendell Waimea Bay, rounded up the podium with 15 points.
Riley, who trains at Sunny Park Stables in the Benoni AH, and Botes shared the spoils after the first round when they stopped the clock in 69.66, 03.19 seconds behind runaway leader Kingston.
Kingston found herself on course to victory after she completed the second round in a fast 53.57, with Botes behind in 54.02 and Riley third in 55.71.
But Riley brought home a blazing fast time of 26.94 seconds in the jump-off for the title. Although Botes went faultless in the jump-off, she couldn’t match Riley’s time, finishing 1.98 seconds behind in 28.92 seconds, for the runner-up spot.
Kingston lost out on the title after incurring four penalties in the jump-off. She stopped the clock at 35.42 seconds for third place.
“This event was one of my biggest. I was nervous as I had knocked a pole on both ponies. Some people were fast and I didn’t know what to think. But my coach told me it was about having fun and I should let Scooby drop strides since he can,” said Riley.
The jumper hailed Scooby Doo for the clear efforts in the second round and jump-off, explaining the 23-year-old warmblood thrived on the course designed by Ryan Sander and Brett Webber.
“The final round was nerve-wracking for everyone and people were forgetting about the jump on the side of the arena. Everyone was nervous as it was the highest class for ponies. When I knew I had it in the bag, I was excited and chuffed with myself but mostly for Scoobs,” she said.
She credited her mom, Sime-Riley, for her success, saying the showjumping legend is her pillar and always hears her positive affirmations on the sidelines.
“You can expect me to try my absolute best in equestrian to become like my mother and be strong and overcome my fears.”
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