Local wins prestigious equestrian title
“It is her dream to compete internationally. She hopes for a sponsorship to assist her to help her secure her dreams.”
Michaela Jansen van Rensburg D’Arrigo, an 18-year-old local rider based at Leopard Creek Equestrian Centre, recently won a prestigious title at the Philip Smith Memorial Championship at Kyalami Equestrian Park.
“She was the overall winner of the event. One of her prizes consists of an overseas trip with her trainer to an international competition of her choice,” said Julie Swartz, owner of Leopard Creek Equestrian Centre.
“This competition forms the highlight of the South African Equitation calendar, and we are blessed that Benoni actually brought back the winner.”
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This championship is by invitation only and normally only the top four equitation riders in South Africa are invited to compete in this prestigious competition.
“The lockdown ensured an invitation of six riders this year as the 2020 Philip Smith Memorial was postponed,” said Swartz.
D’Arrigo started riding horses at age three and started competing at the age of five for her school within Sanesa, as well as graded equitation and show jumping.
“She has trained and sold horses since she was 12, and to ride between five and 10 horses per day is not foreign to her,” said Swartz.
“She is competing in the 1.20 and 1.30 show-jumping classes on three horses and will be competing as a young adult in the Prix St George Dressage classes.
“Michaela not only brought this title home, but she has also secured numerous equitation titles prior to lockdown restrictions prohibiting most competitions, all in the junior open category (the highest category available).”
In 2018, D’Arrigo was the derby national winner, she was shortlisted for the Youth Olympics for show jumping but was forced to withdraw due to an injury to her horse, and was selected to be part of the High-Performance Youth Squad by the Gauteng Dressage Council, recognising young riders who perform at an advanced level of dressage.
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In 2019, D’Arrigo was the Easter Festival national winner, Gauteng winner and national winner, Sanesa Gauteng Finals winner, Sanesa National winner and received the Sanesa Presidential Award.
In 2020 and moving into this year she was the national winner for Junior Advanced Dressage Rider as well as victrix ludorum, she was ranked the top Junior Advanced Dressage Rider in Gauteng and second nationally and most recently was the overall winner of the Phillip Smith Memorial Championship.
“Sanesa allows riders to compete in different types of disciplines, and as a multi-disciplined rider, she excelled in most disciplines, as well as in eventing,” explained Swartz.
“It is her dream to compete internationally. She hopes for a sponsorship to assist her to help her secure her dreams.”
