SA’s first Griqua rider to make it on the showjumping circuit

Leatitia Snyman (26) is dubbed the first Griqua rider to make it onto the elite showjumping circuit, and she does not mind that title at all.

“It is an honour and a privilege to be here. I am just so excited to make my community proud and be an inspiration to all the children in my community who love horses,” she told Fourways Review in an interview at the SA Lipizzaners, where she is now a First Rand development student.

Snyman hails from a small community in Plettenberg Bay called Kranshoek, where horses are numerous but equestrian sports are not that accessible.

Since she was little she rode horses bareback. “I remember getting on a horse with no bridle, nothing. There was no one to guide me. From a very young age I decided I really liked horses. Without the horses in my community, I am not sure where my life would have taken me.”

After school, Snyman took a gap year in 2012 to volunteer at Bitou Horse Welfare where she looked after horses in the area by treating their injuries and administering African horse sickness injections, among other things.

It was there she heard about a show in the area. “I had a horse I was riding at the time owned by a man in Kranshoek and I went to the farrier… and told him I want to go to the show and he said ‘well you need to ride in a saddle’.”

Snyman taught herself how to ride in the saddle in the two weeks before the show, found sponsorship to compete and then walked three hours with her horse to attend it.

“I did some showing classes and got my beautiful rosettes and then everything started there. I saw people jumping and it was a different world and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Snyman did small jobs for people who owned horses to learn about the animals and make a buck or two. She was supported by local riders and mentors in Plettenberg Bay, including Lee Naude-Plociennik of Africa Hoofprint Foundation, which supports developing youth in equestrian sports.

This year Snyman was accepted for the development student programme at SA Lipizzaners and in-between her shows for the group in Kyalami, has been attending showjumping shows in the area, sponsored by First Rand and facilitated by Nova Stud.

“My dream is to become a brilliant equestrian rider… I want to give them [horses] everything because they always give us everything.”

The SA Lipizzaners have Christmas shows on 8, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23 December.bookings are available at quickit, and Grant a Wish charity event on 1 December.

Details: SA Lipizzaners 079 716 4792; stallion@lipizzaners.co.za

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