May the best Taylor win at the Nissan Easter Festival
FOURWAYS – Taylor couple plan to go all out at this year's Nissan Easter Festival, competing against, but also for each other. Read more about the couple's friendly rivalry here.
Lorette Knowles-Taylor wishes her husband well in this year's Nissan Easter Festival, but she also warns him to watch out for her.
At the end of 2016, the accomplished Team Nissan showjumper Barry Taylor was ranked second in South Africa, and his wife Lorette Knowles-Taylor was ranked fourth.
After many years of marriage, they both admit they are fired up for this year’s Nissan Easter Festival, where they will compete against each other.
“My trainer is my husband Barry, who has put up with me for 21 years and knows me better than anyone,” said a smiling Lorette.
Lorette will compete in the Nissan Grand Prix with her horse Nissan Catwalk 22. The competition will be held at the Kyalami Equestrian Park on 17 April at 2pm. “Catwalk definitely has the most character of all my horses – he is scared of his own shadow and has X-ray eyes, but face him at a scary jump and he is the bravest horse on four legs,” said Lorette.
Barry Taylor, who is about to get an ear nibble, will compete against his wife in the annual Nissan Easter Festival.
In terms of her preparation for the show, Lorette is still hard at work. “It’s been a slow comeback after my shoulder surgery at the end of September last year. But by the week of the show, all the serious graft should be complete. We give our horses an easier time just before we start, as we want them to be fresh and happy and give their best at the show.” she said.
Barry said he hoped to qualify for the Nissan Grand Prix on Counter Attack and said that the ‘big grey’ is like a Houdini when he wants to get out of any stable, but he is also a gentle giant.
“When jumping he is very feisty and takes quite a lot of skill to ride, but he’s my top horse for the Nissan Grand Prix and I’ve had fantastic preparation going into this show,” said Barry.
He explained that he first needs to focus on qualifying and then he plans on going for the win. “I’ll have a big jump two or three days before the show and a light lunge the day before the first qualifier. My biggest challenge is to not knock the jumps down and be consistent with what I have trained for at home.
“And as long as one of us wins, we are happy.”
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