Rider chases his dreams unbridled
Asher du Plessis (17) is not only the headboy of Mokopane English Combined School (Mecs) but also a very talented horse rider and he recently achieved great positions during a national competition.
MOKOPANE – Asher competed against 2 000 horseriders for the Limpopo team at the Core League National Championships 2017 at Kyalami in Midrand, Gauteng and achieved various prizes. He achieved 12th place on his horse, Sporty, for two phase 80 cm jump, 11th place for the 80 cm competition and an eighth place for equation.
Asher began riding horses as part of therapy at the age of 10 and that is where his love of the animals and the sport began. He told Bosveld he has bags and walls full of medals and has competed at nine national competitions.
His first horse was named Vellies, which he rode for a year, then it was Junior which he rode for about two years and then it was Sporty who he had to give up this year as it was the last year for him to participate.
Sporty was a racehorse which was not trained to do equestrian competitions, but Asher had taught him how. “I love my horse, but we did not get along the first two years. It was difficult to train him. He did not like me and threw me off his back several times,” said Asher. They now have an unbreakable bond and even play hide and seek with each other.
This rider trained hard to be so good in what he does, four to six times a week and even some weekends. He found that it helped a lot with discipline and even becoming headboy at his school. His favourite part of riding is the jumping item and not the dressage part, even though he won several of medals for it. “When I enter the arena I think about nothing but my horse.”
Asher is still in Gr 11 but his dream is to be a pilot and study in this field after school. He does not have a life motto to live by but said he believes if there is no pain, then there is no gain. His brother, Hans du Plessis a teacher and rugby player for the Potties Rugby Club, inspires him a lot. “One time while I was performing with Sporty, I hesitated to jump over a high fence, but my brother yelled ‘A Du Plessis never takes the easy way out!’ and I made the jump and won the round.”
