Meet a young horse rider who has gumption and tenacity. This after Leelah Pasterkamp (12) can boast a comeback in equestrian sports this year.
The Bryanston resident endured a failure at last year’s South African National Equestrian Schools Association (Sanesa), where her horse repeatedly froze before jumps, resulting in her finishing poorly.
But instead of giving up, Leelah worked hard with her Chartwell Stables instructor, Shirley Sadleir, and when this year’s event came she did not disappoint.
Riding for Central Gauteng on a new horse, the King’s College and Preparatory School girl finished seventh in the country in in-hand utility, and 11th in the novice 70cm equitation event.
Leelah met the Sandton Chronicle afterwards and vowed to ride horses her whole life. “Riding brings freedom,” she said.
“I love spending time with horses because they can speak without opening their mouths.” She explained that most of this ‘speaking’ is encouragement offered to the rider.
Leelah’s favourite form of riding is equitation because it combines the adrenaline rush of showjumping with the concentration required in dressage.
“The only thing I do not like about riding is that some people do not respect their horses. Sometimes people do not do well at competitions and you see them afterwards blaming their horses,” she said.
Sadleir described the bond she has with her horse, Chartwell Ginger, as special. “Leelah is a natural rider and still works very hard as well,” Sadleir said.
“She sits beautifully and puts everything she has into what she does.”
She hopes to get Leelah onto an even larger horse next year so she can compete effectively in the junior division of competitions.
But before Sanesa and other important shows, Pasterkamp looks forward to enjoying a few training shows at the turn of the year.
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