Shumbashaba vaulters dazzle
DIEPSLOOT – The Shumbashaba E Grade Vaulting team, comprising six team members, recently grabbed the hearts and attention of the judges and audience at the 2015 Gauteng Vaulting Championships held at the Equidome in Beaulieu, Kyalami.
Equestrian vaulting is a small, but growing, athletic discipline and is described as gymnastics on the back of an active lunged horse.
The team impressed judges with their dedication and enthusiasm in a stunning team performance of freestyle acrobatic moves to a four-minute choreography.
Michelle Blaauw, a volunteer at Shumbashaba, explained that what made this achievement more special was the fact that the team was formed just a couple of months ago and is made up of a bunch of eager Diepsloot boys training under the Shumbashaba Vaulting Development Programme which is run and managed by Sharon Boyce and Renae Erasmus.
Their coaches include Bongani Mvumvu, Nicole De Villiers, Melanie Harcourt-Cooke and Lars Hansen, as well as a handful of other volunteers who assist in training every other weekend.
The programme runs every Saturday and attracts as many as 50 to 60 disadvantaged children with plans afoot to grow this to other equestrian disciplines as well as potentially other avenues such as arts and cultural skills.
The underlying philosophy of the Shumbashaba programme is about restoring a sense of purpose and self-worth to the children, and this is evident in the six individuals who participated in the vaulting championships.
The team was led by 15-year-old Justice Ratau, who achieved an individual first place in the C-Grade Junior Male Championship.
Other team members include Siphomandla Moya, who achieved a first place in the D-Grade Junior Male category; Katlego Monereng, who came in first place in the E-Grade Individual U11 male category; Definite Masilela, who came in second place in the Individual E-Grade U11 category; Dignity Masilela, who came in third place in the Individual E-Grade U11; and Sean Malodi and Simphiwe Banda as reserves.
Details: 084 500 0672; www.shumbashaba.co.za
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Diepsloot children learn to vault
