JESSICA O’Brien, a Grade 5 pupil at Winston Park Primary School, is passionate about horse riding, specifically show jumping.
She began horse riding in 2014 and at the beginning of this year showed an interest in riding more competitively, so she joined the Thellwells Riding School.
Jessica has competed in a number of affiliated shows since January, doing extremely well in the 60cm class. She competed in two Triple P Challenges at Shongweni, winning one and taking second place in the first challenge, and winning two races in the second challenge. She also competed in two ESP Challenges, winning one and taking third place in the first, and two second places in the second ESP Challenge. Jessica also achieved second place in the SANESA Schools Challenge.
Her passion and determination for riding was tested in the week preceding her two first places in the Winter Triple P Challenge as her grandmother passed away on the Tuesday before the competition, and she fell off her horse three times that week. Jessica told her parents and her grandfather that she wanted to compete and dedicated her performance to her grandmother. Her two firsts would have made her grandmother proud.
Winston Park Primary School has chosen Jessica as its SPAR Star of the Month.
