EQUISTERIAN ISSUE 9

Nanyuki Show: Rachel Robley on Muffin wins the Open Event 

Issue 009 

Polo • Horseracing • Dressage • Showjumping • Showing Oct-Dec 2015 Price: 200 KShs. 

South Africa's quartet Buster 

Mckenzie, Selby Williamson, 

Mike Osborn and Russel Watson 

excite fans at the Kenya Open 

International Polo tournament. 

SAMSUNG 

GALAXY 

REIGNS 

How David Mwikwa became a top jockey 

The E.A. Equestrian ■ OCT-DEC-2015 1

CONTENTS 

30 

DOWNMEMORYLANE 

My Life in the 

Bush 

The early days at 

Colcheccio Ranch 

EDITORS 

NOTE 

Maintain high 

discipline in 

racing 

7 

9 

12 

14 

15 

17 

22 

28 

FEI DRESSAGE 

Gal makes it a Reem 

Acra double at Odense 

COVER STORY 

Samsung Galaxy are the 

Nairobi Open champions 

FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING 

French cavalry-charge 

at first Longines leg in 

Oslo 

SIDEFEATURE 

How young Amani 

Nzomo wowed polo 

enthusiasts at the kenya 

International Tournament. 

NANYUKI SHOW 

Another resounding 

success at the Nanyuki 

Show 

FEI CLASSICS 

Michael Jung 

strikes out in front 

at Pau 

FEI WORLD CUP 

JUMPINGHarrie 

Smolders claims 

top honours at the 

Washington International 

horse show 

CELEBRITYPROFILE 

How I became a top 

jockey 

MAMA PUNDA 

35 

Diseases most 28 

common in horses 

and other domestic 

animals 

39-41 

PICTORIAL 

26 

FEI CLAS- 

SICS 

USA’s 

number one 

Beezie Madden 

clinches 

$150,000 win 

at the Del Mar 

International 

36- 37 

INTERNA- 

TIONAL NEWS 

FEI to establish 

working 

group to 

review dressage 

training 

methods 

MY VIEW 

Horse racing 

and golf are 

related 

The incident that took place at the 

Jockey Club of Kenya on October 

25 was most unfortunate. Five 

trainers refused to present their 

horses for racing because they 

were allegedly refused membership of the 

Jockey Club of Kenya. Another reason given 

was that they demanded that prize money 

be increased from the current Sh25,000 to 

Sh100,000 in line with the cost of maintaining 

horses. 

According to the JCK Chief Executive Officer, 

Mr David Davies, some trainers sent a 

request to the Board on October 19 asking to 

be considered for membership of the club ‘on 

a waiver of entrance and subscription fees 

for five years.’ They requested that they get 

a response from the Board by 23rd October, 

said Mr Davies. 

Davies also explained that on 23rd October, 

the Board informed the said trainers that 

their request would be discussed on 9th 

November at the next scheduled Board meeting. 

Apparently, the five trainers felt they did 

not get sufficient response from the Board 

to their request and therefore withdrew 

their horses from the race. The said trainers, 

among them, Nunu Nur, Onemus Mutua, Jacob 

Lokorian and Joe Karari, are household 

names in local racing. The EA Equestrian 

wishes to urge for sobriety in finding a lasting 

solution to a problem like this, which is 

unprecedented in local racing scene. Racing 

is a sport of high esteem, a sport of kings, 

where reasoning and gentility supersedes 

every other consideration. Where good manners 

is guarded jealously. For it to have degenerated 

to a point of boycotting races was 

as unfortunate as it was a big shame. If this 

can happen in racing, then the ripple effect 

to other ‘lesser’ sports will be overwhelming. 

It must not be allowed to happen again. Not 

in racing, folks.

EQUESTRIAN ROUND-UP 

Nissan Dominate EFG Tournament 

When five trainers 

almost brought 

racing to standstill 

Polo lovers were treated to fast paced action at the 

recently concluded EFG 4-8 Goal Tournament at The 

Manyatta Polo club in Gilgil on the october 16-18 

weekend. 

Four teams vied for this hotly contested high goal tournament 

, namely EFG ( Uday Kalan, Archie Voorspuy, Philip Arungah, 

Hrishi Madhvani ), JW Seagon ( Mbu Ngugi. Izzy Parsons, 

Stutti Miller, Kimoi Moi ) , Nissan Kenya (Craig Millar, Gordy 

Millar, Henry Limb, Harry Griffiths) and Samsung Galaxy (Jamie 

Murray, Tiva Gross, Joss craig, Nikki Barlow). 

After three days of fast and furious polo, Nissan Kenya 

emerged the overall winners having bagged the most victories 

over the weekend. 

The subsidiary also featured four teams and was eventually 

won by the Magadi Team of Megan Griffiths, Ben and a Tom 

Stonewigg and Harry Stichbury. Polo action continues this 

weekend at the Manyatta Polo Club. 

Picture shows Gordy Millar, Henry Limb and Harry Griffiths 

of Nissan Kenya waiting to receive the ball at the line out. 

Text by Ashe Ahluwalia 

Photo courtesy of Kiran Ahluwalia 

Well, Ngong racing began its season 

quite early in tepid fashion, then 

sojourned for a month. Nothing mindblowing 

occurred until October 25 when 

five local trainers decided to disrupt 

proceedings with a boycott. Their amazing 

reason was none other than that 

they wanted to become members of the 

Jockey Club, after nine minutes of holding 

a license! You have to laugh, because, 

one of the 'trainer's' has not even produced 

a winner as yet. It actually causes 

a mockery intheir own hemisphere, as 

no-where in the world would such a 

situation arise. Their grievance is petty 

to the extreme. 

Consequently, others reaped rewards, 

especially in the first three races when 

only three and two runners were 

competing. Spectators were obviously 

disgruntled, but it gave them something 

to talk about, far from the mundane. 

On 19th, October some trainers 

sent a request to the Board asking to be 

considered for membership of the club 

on a waiver of entrance and subscription 

fees for 5 years. They requested that 

they get a response from the Board by 

23rd. October. 

On 23rd October, The Board 

informed the said trainers that their request 

will be discussed on 9th November 

at the next scheduled Board Meeting. 

Apparently the 5 trainers in question 

felt they did not get sufficient response 

from the Board to their request and 

therefor withdrew their horses from 

yesterdays racing. 

Text by Innocent Emaculate 

Olympic champion Guerdat cleared of 

wrongdoing after horses fail dope tests 

By Nick Butler 

Swiss showjumpers 

Alessandra Bichsel 

and London 2012 

Olympic champion 

Steve Guerdat have been 

cleared of any wrongdoing by 

the International Equestrian 

Federation (FEI) after doping 

failures by their horses were 

attributed to poppy seed 

contamination. 

Samples taken from two 

of Guerdat's horses during 

competitions in France 

in May tested positive for 

morphine, a controlled 

medication, and a similar 

banned substance called Codeine, 

while one also showed 

evidence of a second illegal 

product, Oripavine. The first 

of these was Nino des Buissonnets, 

the mount on which 

he won his Olympic title. 

Bichsel's horse Charivari 

KG also tested positive for 

the same three substances 

that month, with both riders 

having used the same 

feed supplier. The duo were 

provisionally suspended on 

July 20, but their bans were 

lifted a week later, with the 

FEI admitting there was a 

high chance of unintentional 

contamination. 

All the horses did serve 

two month bans, but, with 

those now complete, the governing 

body have ruled that 

there will be no further sanctions 

beyond the automatic 

disqualification of the horses’ 

results at the events where 

they tested positive. 

Following independent 

laboratory tests, the FEI 

accepts how the failures were 

caused by contaminated 

poppy seeds. 

"Both these athletes and 

the Swiss National Federation 

have worked in full cooperation 

with the FEI to secure 

these landmark agreements," 

said FEI secretary general 

Sabrina Zeender. 

"It’s good to know that 

since the beginning of this 

year the FEI processes can 

facilitate such settlements so 

that athletes are able to clear 

their names when contamination 

is involved. 

— insidethegames.biz 


EQUESTRIAN ROUND-UP 

In Memoriam: Lloyd Landkamer 

(USA), 1955-2015 

By Louise Parkes 

German superstar, 

Michael Jung, 

steered Fischerincantas 

to victory 

in the 6-year-old division while 

Great Britain’s Laura Collett 

clinched the 7-year-old title with 

Mr Bass at the FEI World Breeding 

Federation Eventing Championships 

for Young Horses 2015 

at Le Lion d’Angers, France at the 

weekend. 

These Championships have 

been staged annually since 1992, 

and the 30th edition of the 

French fixture at the lovely Haras 

National at l‘Isle de Briand 

once again highlighted new and 

exciting talent in both age categories, 

and attracted a total of 

103 horses representing a wide 

range of studbooks. The two new 

champions were both Holsteiners, 

while the KWPN and ISH 

studbooks filled silver and bronze 

Lloyd Landkamer (USA), FEI Dressage Steward and discipline 

manager for Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage at the Alltech 

FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 in Kentucky (USA), has died at 

the age of 60. He passed away peacefully at his home, Brandywine 

Farm in Minnesota on 25 September, after a long and courageous 

battle against cancer. 

Landkamer, who started his career as a show secretary before 

going on to become a show manager and sport horse breeder, 

became an FEI 2* Dressage Steward at the beginning of 2009 and 

was promoted to 3* level in 2012. 

He was Event Director at the North American Junior and Young 

Rider Championships (NAJYRC), the United Stakes Equestrian 

Federation (USEF) Festival of Champions, and USEF Young Horse 

Championships, as well as working as a volunteer at numerous 

events. 

He was a member of the USEF Dressage Committee, and 

member of the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Executive 

Board, and was named USDF Volunteer of the Year in 2002. As a 

USEF and FEI official, he served as a USEF Steward, USEF Technical 

Delegate and FEI Chief Dressage Steward. 

Most recently Landkamer was show manager for the Adequan 

Global Dressage Festival in Wellington (USA). He was the recipient 

of the USDF Show Secretary of the Year, Manager of the Year, and 

Volunteer of the Year. At the 2015 NAJYRC, Landkamer was awarded 

the Howard B. Simpson High Five Trophy, awarded annually to 

the volunteer who best embodies Simpson's spirit of volunteering. 

Landkamer became an FEI Steward for the Dressage competitions 

at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington a decade ago 

and then became show manager when the schedule was expanded 

into the 12-week Global Dressage Festival, including seven international 

events. 

Uruguayan 

Endurance 

horse tests 

positive to 

prohibited 

substance 

The FEI has imposed a provisional 

suspension on a Uruguayan 

Endurance rider whose horse has 

tested positive for a prohibited 

substance. 

Samples taken at a CEI2* event 

in Trinidad (URU) on 8 August 

2015 from the horse LG Muneerah 

(FEI ID 104TQ89/URU), ridden by 

Fernanda Villar (URU) to win the 

120-kilometre competition, have 

returned positive for the banned 

substance Guanabenz, a sedative 

with analgesic effect. 

The athlete has been provisionally 

suspended from the day of 

notification (29 September 2015). 

Additionally the horse has been 

provisionally suspended for two 

months. 

The athlete and the horse 

owner/s have the opportunity for 

a preliminary hearing before the 

FEI Tribunal to request the lifting 

of the provisional suspensions. 


Collett, Jung take Young Horse Eventing gold at Le Lion 

Laura Collett 

in the 6-year-olds and the AA and 

Trekehener registers did likewise 

in the 7-year-old division. The 

ISH Studbook claimed the overall 

Studbook title with a score of 

151 points ahead of the German 

Holsteiner in second on 153 and 

the Dutch KWPN a close third on 

Michael Jung 

153.2 when the results of both 

age categories were analysed. 

The Ground Jury for the 

6-year-olds consisted of Great 

Britain’s Sandy Philips, Pascal 

Laurencon from France and South 

Africa’s Lesley Mawhinney, and, 

from the field of 34 starters, they 

placed Germany’s Ingrid Klimke 

and the grey Holsteiner mare 

Weisse Duene (Clarimo/Esprit 

V/Romino) in pole position on a 

score of 38.6 after dressage. 

Jung and Fischerincantas 

(Ibisco/Ressina/Coriano) however 

were just 0.5 points behind 

in second place followed by the 

Selle Francais gelding Vingt Vingt 

(Rubins des Bruyeres SF/Chana 

du Gwern SF/Robin des Pres), 

ridden by Frenchman Stanislas 

de Zuchowicz, in third on 44.1. 

Dutch rider, Merel Blom, was 

next in line with the KWPN The 

Quizmaster (Albaran XX/Zarah 

Maro/Casco) followed by Poland’s 

Kamil Rajnert and the BRAND 

mare, Libertina, in fifth, Sweden’s 

Christoffer Forsberg and the Oldenburg 

gelding, Quinn, in sixth 

and the ISH gelding SRS Adventure, 

ridden by Ireland’s Sophie 

Richards, in seventh spot. 


6 

The E.A. Equestrian ■ OCT-DEC-2015

FEI DRESSAGE 

The Netherlands’ Edward Gal won the first leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League at Odense in Denmark for the second year in a row. (FEI/Sanne Kolind) 

Gal makes it a Reem 

Acra double at Odense 


Dutch star, 

Edward Gal, 

made it a backto-back 

double 

when coming 

out on top at the opening leg of 

the Reem Acra FEI World Cup 

Dressage 2015/2016 Western 

European League at Odense in 

Denmark today. Last season he 

rode to victory at this event with 

the gelding Glock’s Undercover, 

but this time around he triumphed 

with the stallion Glock’s 

Voice, pinning the host country’s 

Anna Kasprzak and Donnperignon 

into runner-up spot and 

Agnete Kirk Thinggaard and Jojo 

AZ into third. 

It wasn’t the easiest of victories 

however, as Glock’s Voice 

showed some tense moments 

during his winning test. “He felt 

better today, but he was still a 

bit nervous”, said the 45-yearold 

rider who includes the 2010 

FEI World Cup Dressage title 

amongst his many achievements. 

“He felt good at the start, but he 

got edgy as we went along. However 

it was better than the Grand 

Prix. It was his first indoor show, 

so all things considered it was a 

good result”, the Dutchman said 

this evening. 

FAR FROM CERTAIN 

The outcome was far from 

certain after Kasprzak won 

yesterday’s Grand Prix on a 

mark of 73.860. Gal was a close 

second on 73.380 while his 

fellow-countryman, Hans Peter 

Minderhoud, lined up third with 

Glock’s Romanov on 73.320. 

Sweden’s rising star, 28-year-old 

Emilie Nyrerod, filled fourth 

spot with Miata ahead of Kirk 

Thinggard in fifth. Perhaps the 

biggest turnaround in terms of 

finishing spots today was that 

of Ireland’s Judy Reynolds, who 

rocketed up from 12th of the 

20 starters in the Grand Prix to 

fill fifth place at the end of the 

Freestyle. 

The 33-year-old Germanbased 

Irish athlete was holding 

the lead on her score of 74.425 

at the halfway stage of the competition. 

Her 13-year-old brown 

gelding has been showing everimproving 

form as the pair have 

climbed up to 54th in the world 

rankings over the past year, and 

this was the first major show 

for Vancouver K since they just 

missed out on Olympic qualification 

at the FEI European Championships 

in Aachen in August. 

Reynolds remains determined 

to make the cut to Rio through 

any other possible route, and has 

planned a consistent campaign 

of the Reem Acra series over the 

coming months. 

She was deeply disappointed 

with yesterday’s Grand Prix 

performance, and worked hard 

to turn that around. “The arena 

is very atmospheric and I was 

caught unawares when he backed 

off going into the corners. I was 

much better prepared for that 

reaction today”, she explained 

after posting a mark of 74.425. 

LEAD OVERTAKEN 

Her lead was overtaken by 

Nyrerod who was third into the 

arena after the break. The Swede 

has been making a significant 

impact this summer, earning 

high praise for her contribution 

to her country’s victory 

in their home leg of the FEI 

Nations Cup Dressage series at 

Falsterbo in July, before making 

another big impression at the 

Europeans in Aachen. Her score 

of 74.800 today moved her out 

in front until Kasprzak seriously 

raised the bar with a mark of 

77.100. However the Danish 

rider knew her result left the 

door open for Gal. 

>>>> 

Continued on page 13 


COVERSTORY 

Samsung East Africa Vice President and COO Robert Ngeru hands over the trophy to Samsung Galaxy team, who won the kenya International Cup 

Samsung Galaxy are the 

Nairobi Open champions 

South Africa's quartet Buster Mckenzie, Selby Williamson, Mike Osborn and Russel Watson excite 

fans at the Kenya Open International Polo tournament, as Kenyan farmer Jammie Murray clinches 

an MVP performance in the 10-14 goal event and Chloe Spoerry in the 5-7 tourney. 

By EA Equestrian Writer 

Nairobi is still tantalized by 

the just-concluded Kenya 

International Polo Championships 

that rocked 

the east African nation's 

capital for two successive weekends in the 

month of September. 

The high-octane 5-7 and 10-14 goal tournaments 

held at the Nairobi Polo Club (NPC) 

and sponsored by Samsung Galaxy arguably 

lived up to their billing owing to the caliber 

of international players they attracted. 

Teams, as in the past events, had a leeway 

to fly in world-class players they could 

afford and manage and this gave local fans 

an opportunity to watch and interact with 

their favourite international polo stars. 

Among those who stepped again to play 

polo on Kenyan soil included South African 

veterans six-goaler Buster McKenzie, five 

goaler Selby Williamson, Mike Osborn who 

is seeded fourth, Russel Watson (fifth seed) 

and Kenyan international and Mount Kenya 

large scale farmer Jammie Murray whose 

handicap is 4.5. 

8 

The E.A. Equestrian ■ OCT-DEC-2015

COVERSTORY 

Mckenzie, who runs a polo tourism business 

in South Africa and features for his 

home town team Plettenberg Bay, was the 

revered choice for Samurai who went out gun 

blazing in search of the Kenya International 

Polo title they last won in 2013. 

The father of three did not disappoint as 

he raked in crucial goals that saw Samurai 

end the 5-7 goal tournament runners-up and 

10-14 contest in third place. 

“Mckenzie was definitely a good catch. He 

is a machine on pitch," quipped Samurai captain 

and patron Raphael Nzomo during the 

tournaments. 

Mckenzie has been a force to reckon with 

in polo scene for over 30 years. He has an interest 

in the training of polo horses if he is 

not playing. 

“We needed to have beaten Samsung with 

a difference of two goals to lift the 10-14 goal 

trophy. That was hard luck on our side. We 

will live to fight another day,” noted Mckenzie 

after he starred for Samurai in the opening 

tournament he netted over ten goals. 

Nzomo, who facilitated Mckenzie’s return 

trip to the country, allowed Mckenzie to take 

charge of Samurai in 5-7 contest as he (Rafael) 

took part in the championship as an 

umpire before donning his jersey in the 10- 

14 contest. 

“Our team had a strong base. We prepared 

and trained well. I decided to take part as 

an umpire in the first tournament in order 

to give chance to our new players who were 

dying to make a debut in the Kenya International 

Championship. I believe my teammates 

Jonathan and Rowena Stichbury, and 

Kaila Millar had the capacity to aid Mckenzie 

as we ended the tournament as runners up,” 

noted Nzomo. 

Royal Salute proved money was a nonissue 

on their side as they were able to jet in 

two international hard hitters – Williamson 

and Osborn, who helped them achieve fourth 

place in the 5-7 and runners-up position in 

the 10-14 goal tournaments. 

Osborne has a polo playing career that has 

stretched since 1989 to date and is spread 

across England, Pakistan, Zambia, Zimbabwe 

and India. 

Watson, who so far has played 104 internationals 

test matches spread over a period 

of 25 years, was the pearl for Peroni that had 

another local hard hitter Mike du Toit. Their 

efforts saw Peroni end the 5-7 goal tournament 

in third place before settling at the tail 

end in the 10-14 contest. 

Murray was able to successfully lead sponsors 

Samsung to lift both tournaments following 

his tactical runs and skilful shots that 

saw him find the opponent’s goal line at ease. 

His great contribution for the winners 

saw him take the Most Valuable Player award 

home in the 10-14 goal tournaments while 

Chloe Spoerry was voted as MVP in the 5-7 

goal tournament. 

The experienced Murray has played polo 

in England, Thailand, Australia, South Africa 

and Zambia and has represented Team Kenya 

in Barbados, Zimbabwe and Zambia international 

meets. 

Everyone was in unison that the Best 

Playing Ponies were owned by Phillip Arungah 

and were ridden by Osborn in the 5-7 

tournament, while the 10-14 goal hero was 

Blue owned by Gordy Millar. 

Dormans emerged the Subsidiary Cup 

winners after cruising over Brown Cheese 

and Naked Pizza in both 5-7 and 10-14 contests 

which were played on round robin encounter. 

But the greatest sensation of the tournaments 

was 10-year-old Amani Nzomo who 

instantly became the talk of the championships. 

Amani was able to rescue his side Dormans 

to lift both tournaments and his most 

memorable moments was when he notched 

a last minute brace, against seasoned and 

veteran players, to help trailing Dormans 

register a win against hard fighting Browns 

Cheese. 

The first days of both tournaments were 

marked by low turn-outs as the opening 

matches both fell on Fridays when polo fans 

are still engaged in duties from where they 

get their daily bread. 

The fans were able to turn up in full force 

on Saturdays and Sundays to watch the 

swashbuckling matches while cheering their 

favourite players as they wielded their mallet 

head on at both sides of the pitch. 

The lush green and expansive pitch that 

can accommodate 11 football grounds was 

well watered for the tournaments with organizers 

filling the cracks on the ground and 

other opening with special and rich manure 

soil transported all the way from Mt. Longonot. 

“This soil not only helps the ground to be 

firm and lush but also prevents the horses 

from destroying their hooves. If a horse 

breaks a hoof then it is as good as gone as it 

will be costly feeding it yet it can’t help to play 

the game. The owner has no other option but 

to destroy it as it will be a liability,” said Nzomo, 

while adding patches of the rich Mt. Longonot 

soil in one of the cracks on the ground. 

The highly-contested matches were not 

free without accidents, though not of a serious 

scale. 

Perhaps the Kenyan football fraternity 

should borrow a leaf to learn how the polo 

fraternity values its players. 

At some point, the an ambulance in waiting 

could be seen criss-crossing the pitch to 

attend to any player that had even the slightest 

brush with their ponies just show how the 

medical attendants at the venue are competent 

and up to the task. 

During intervals, especially during second 

chukka of the last matches of main cup 

played on Sunday, fans were given opportunity 

to step on the grounds on main pitch to 

help re-carpet the bumps of earth uncovered 

by the hooves of the ponies. 


COVERSTORY 

Naked Pizza's Tim Chesire in action against Samsung 

Galaxy at the Kenya International Polo championship 

at Ngong Racecourse; RIGHT: Craig Millar of 

Samurai in action during the Samsung Galaxy Kenya 

International Cup. 

Fans, too, had a good time. They lacked no 

brand as whiskies and beverages like peroni, 

millar, red and white and sweet and dry wines 

were available depending on one’s brand of 

choice. 

The tournaments also marked the return 

of a section of old fans quite notable with the 

main stand including SuperSport representative 

and polo number one fan Farida Limo, 

who has missed better part of action this year 

on maternity. 

“It’s good to be back. Polo is rocking,” noted 

Limo who was accompanied by a bevy of beautiful 

friends. 

This tournaments were also unique in the 

sense that the NPC and the Kenya Polo Association 

teamed up to support the forthcoming 

Redcross Society golden jubilee anniversary. 

“We have decided to partner with the Kenya 

Red Cross this season. We want to appreciate 

their continued efforts and service to the people 

of Kenya. 

“The proceeds collected from the entrance 

fees and tailgating in both tournaments will 

be channeled to the Kenya Red Cross kitty in 

support of disaster management, to provide 

water and sanitation, improve education, provide 

health services and improve food security 

among other activities across the country,” 

noted NPC captain Vishal Somaia. 

5-7 GOAL TOURNAMENT (SEPTEMBER 18-20) 

Points and Standings 

1. Overall Winners Samsung 5p 

2. Runners Up Samurai 4p 

3. Third: Peroni 3P 

4. Fourth: R.Salute 0 

5. Subsidiary Cup winners: 

Dormans 6 points 

Results 

1. Samsung 5 Samurai 2.5 

2. Samsung 9 Royal Salute 3 

3. Samsung 2 Peroni 2 

4. Samurai 6.5 Peroni 5 

5. Samurai 6.5 Royal Salute 5 

6. Peroni 5 Royal Salute 3 

10-14 GOAL TOURNAMENT (SEPTEMBER 

25-27) 

Points and standings 

Overall winners: 

Samsung 4P points and 18 goals 

Runners Up: 

Royal Salute 4 points and 19 goals 

Third Place: 

Samurai 4 points and 16 goals 

Fourth Place: 

Peroni No point. 

Subsidiary Cup winners: 

Dormans 6 points 

Results 

1. Samurai 5 Samsung 4 

2. Samsung 8 Royal Salute 6 

3. Royal Salute 4.5 Samurai 3 

4. Royal Salute 9 Peroni 6 

5. Samurai 11 Peroni 6 

6. Samsung 6 Peroni 4 

The E.A. Equestrian ■ OCT-DEC-2015 

10

COVERSTORY PICTORIAL 

1 2 

3 

5 

4 

1. A horse is rushed for first aid during the Kenya 

Open International at Jamhuri Park. 

2. Samsung Galaxy team that won the Samsung 

Galaxy Kenya Open. 

3. The Royal Salute team that participated at the 

event. 

4. Mr and Mrs Phillip Arungah and other polo 

enthusiasts during the Kenya Open. 

5. Mrs Arungah, who was voted the most elegantlydressed 

lady during the tournament, savours her 

prize. 

OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD IN AN EQUESTRIAN TOURNEY 

Dominic Grammaticas of Royal Salute was unfortunate to trip during the Kenya International tournament at the Jamhuri Park (September 18-20, 25-27, 2015) 



Leprevost leads 

French cavalrycharge 

at first 

Longines leg in 

Oslo 

In a thrilling 15-horse jump-off, the 35-year-old 

rider and her fabulous 10-year-old mare pinned 

her French counterparts, Simon Delestre and 

Patrice Delaveau, into second and third places 


French riders ran rampant 

at the opening 

leg of the Longines 

FEI World Cup 

Jumping 2015/2016 

Western European League in Oslo, 

Norway today where Penelope Leprevost 

came out on top with Flora 

de Mariposa. In a thrilling 15-horse 

jump-off, the 35-year-old rider 

and her fabulous 10-year-old mare 

pinned her French counterparts, Simon 

Delestre and Patrice Delaveau, 

into second and third places, while 

Kevin Staut also carried the French 

flag into fifth spot behind Germany’s 

Marcus Ehning. 

A super-star start-list guaranteed 

a great day of sport. A total of 

39 horse-and-rider combinations 

from 21 nations were in action, and 

as Show Director, Morten Aasen, 

said this evening “when the entries 

were coming in, we had 16 of the 

top 20 riders in the Longines rankings, 

so it was like a dream come 

true! Having such a great line-up 

was like having a European Championship 

here - but it turned into a 

French Championship in the end!” 

All the hallmarks 

The 13-fence first course carried 

all the hallmarks of its creator, Germany’s 

Frank Rothenberger, with 

no allowance made for the fact that 

this was the first serious indoor test 

of the season for many. Big, bold 

oxers and a demanding triple combination 

of a double of oxers followed 

by a vertical stretched them 

all the way. One of the bogeys of 

the class however was the narrow, 

but wide, oxer at fence two which 

put paid to many chances, while the 

triple bar at fence eight produced 

some moments of high drama. 

Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann 

almost parted company with 

Cantinero when the pair paddled 

through the poles here, and, with 

just five horses left to go, World No 

1, Great Britain’s Scott Brash also 

ran into trouble when meeting this 

on a wrong stride with Hello Sanctos. 

Despite concerns about just 

how tough it might be during the 

coursewalk however, “the course 

turned out easier than we expected” 

according to Leprevost. 

First clear 

Ireland’s Billy Twomey led the 

way into the jump-off with the veteran 

Tinka’s Serenade who collected 

12 faults, and it was Ehning who 

produced the first clear when fourth 

“In the first round we had 

just one small error when 

we were too long at the 

triple bar, I wasn’t happy 

with that”. 

Penelope Leprevost FRA (1st) 

Result: 

1, Flora de Mariposa (Penelope 

Leprevost) FRA 0/0 43.01; 2, Qlassic 

Bois Margot (Simon Delestre) FRA 0/0 

43.36; 3, Lacrimoso 3 HDC (Patrice 

Delaveau) FRA 0/0 43.48; 4, Comme Il 

Faut (Marcus Ehning) GER 0/0 44.08; 

5, Reveue de Hurtebise HDC (Kevin 

Staut) FRA 0/0 44.50; 6, VDL Groep 

Arera C (Maikel van der Vleuten) NED 

0/0 49.17; 7, Clooney (Martin Fuchs) 

SUI 0/0 54.02; 8, Don VHP Z (Harrie 

Smolders) NED 0/4 44.07; 9, Rokfeller 

Facts and Figures: 

Oslo in Norway presented the first 

leg of the Longines FEI World Cup 

Jumping 2015/2015 Western European 

League. 

39 horse-and-rider combinations from 

21 nations competed. 

French riders filled the top three, and 

four of the top five places. 

The winning rider was 35-year-old 

Penelope Leprevost from France 

riding the 10-year-old mare Flora de 

Mariposa. 

This is the 38th season of FEI World 

Cup Jumping. 

The Western European League consists 

of 11 legs, the next taking place in 

Helsinki, Finland next weekend. 

The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping 

2015/2016 Final will take place in 

Gothenburg, Sweden from 23 to 28 

March 2016. 

7 double-clear rounds in today’s first 

qualifying leg in Oslo. 

Course designer was Germany’s Frank 

Rothenberger. 

A total of 15 horse-and-rider combinations 

qualified for the second-round 

jump-off against the clock. 

de Pleville Bois Margot (Eduardo 

Alvarez Aznar) ESP 0/4 45.87; 10, 

Embassy ll (Hans-Dieter Dreher) GER 

0/4 46.23; 11, VDL Zirocco Blue NOP 

(Jur Vrieling) NED 0/4 48.02; 12, Nino 

des Buissonnets (Steve Guerdat) SUI 

0/4 50.34; 13, Vienna Olympic (Shk. 

Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani) QAT 0/4 55.09; 

14, Utamaro d’Escuassines (Joe Clee) 

GBR 0/8 49.87; 15, Tinka’s Serenade 

(Billy Twomey) IRL 0/12. 

Standings: 

Longines FEI World Cup Jumping 

2015/2016 Western European League 

leaderboard - after Round 1 at Oslo 

(NOR): 

1. Penelope Leprevost FRA 20 

2. Simon Delestre FRA 17 

3. Patrice Delaveau FRA 15 

4. Marcus Ehning GER 13 

5. Kevin Staut FRA 12 

6. Maikel van der Vleuten NED - 

11 

7. Martin Fuchs SUI 10 

8. Harrie Smolders NED 9 

9. Eduardo Alvarez Aznar ESP 8 

10. Hans-Dieter Dreher GER 7 

11. Jur Vrieling NED 6 

12. Steve Guerdat SUI 5 

13. Joe Clee GBR 4 

14. Billy Twomey IRL 3 

15. Max Kuhner AUT 2 


12


to run with Comme Il Faut. Once the 

French got going however it was 

all about them, Delestre scorching 

home with the stallion Qlassic Bois 

Margot in 43.38 seconds to really 

put it up to the rest of the field, and 

his fellow-countryman, Delaveau, 

only 0.12 seconds slower to slot into 

temporary second place. 

Try as they would, none of the 

rest could touch Delestre’s targettime 

until Leprevost set sail. She had 

a clear plan, and she stuck to it. “In 

the jump-off, most of the other riders 

took an inside line (around fence 

13) to the double, but I went outside 

because I didn’t want to break the 

rhythm for Flora, who is anyway always 

fast - I think maybe that’s what 

made the difference” she explained. 

The decision paid off handsomely, 

with the clock showing just 43.01 

seconds, an advantage of 0.37 seconds 

over her French rival, as she 

galloped through the timers. 

A good surprise 

“To win today was a good surprise!” 

Leprevost said afterwards. “It 

was the first indoor of the season for 

Flora, she is a super mare but I didn’t 

know if she would be perfect indoors 

just yet, but she was very good”. She 

now plans to compete in both the 

third Western European League leg 

on home turf in Lyon, France in two 

weeks’ time and at the fourth leg in 

Verona, Italy at the beginning of November. 

Delestre wasn’t unhappy about 

having to settle for runner-up spot 

today. “I gave it all to the very last 

fence, and I could do no more. My 

horse has a big stride so I decided to 

take the inside line in the jump-off, 

and even if I had it all to do again I 

would do the same!” he said. Talking 

about the battle that ensued between 

himself and his fellow French 

riders, he pointed out that while 

they have a good team spirit, there 

was no love lost in trying to collect 

those all-important maximum qualifying 

points for the Longines FEI 

World Cup Jumping Final which 

will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden 

next March. 

“We are a good team and we like 

to help each other - it’s a great pleasure 

to compete together. But we 

have three fast horses, and when it 

comes to the jump-off we like to play 

the game!”, he said. 

The Longines FEI World Cup 

Jumping 2015/2016 Western European 

League now moves on to 

Helsinki, Finland on Sunday 25 October. 

>>>from page 7 

Gal makes it a Reem Acra double at Odense 

“It wasn’t quite our day 

today. He (Donnperignon) 

was really good yesterday, but 

today he didn’t have the same 

feeling in the warm-up. We 

started well, but there were a 

couple of misunderstandings 

and it made him tight, which 

came out in the piaffe. I need 

to improve my choreography, 

I know that”, Kasprzak said. 

When Kirk Thinggaard 

posted 76.250 with the lovely 

Jojo AZ who always makes his 

job look like a whole lot of fun, 

only Gal was left to threaten 

Kasprzak’s advantage, and 

in the end the Dutchman did 

it despite some difficult moments 

during the test. 

“The atmosphere in the 

stands got to horse, and he 

wasn’t as smooth as he can be. 

Sometimes he reacts weirdly, 

but you know sometimes the 

weird horses are the good 

ones!” he pointed at the postcompetition 

press conference. 

“With performances like 

that, sometimes you win, and 

sometimes you lose” he added, 

having clinched victory 

with a mark of 78.800. 

For further information 

on the first leg of the Reem 

Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 

2015/2016 Western European 

League series check 

out website http://jbkhorseshows. 

The second leg of the series 

will take place in Lyon, 

France on Friday 30 October 

2015. 

Result: 

1, Glock’s Voice (Edward Gal) NED 78.00; 2, Donnperignon (Anna Kazkprzak) 

DEN 77.100; 3, Jojo AZ (Agnete Kirk Thinggaard) DEN 76.250; 4, Miata (Emilie 

Nyrerod) SWE 74.800; 5, Vancouver K (Judy Reynolds) IRL 74.425; 6, Glock’s 

Romanov (Hans Peter Minderhoud) NED 74.350; 7, Blue Hors Hotline (Daniel 

Bachmann Andersen) DEN 73.750; 8, Batuta (Goncalo Carvalho) POR 73.000; 

9, Di Lapponia T (Paulinda Friberg) SWE 72.200; 10, Radetzky (Marjan van der 

Jagt) NED 71.175; 11, Daintree 3 (Kathleen Keller) GER 70.800; 12, Fabienne 

(Nathalie Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein) DEN 69.925; 13, NOHS Daijoubo (Severo Jesus 

Jurado Lopez) ESP 69.475; 14, Rainbow Dancer 4 (Anne Lene Holmen) NOR 

68.550; 15, Zircoon Spring Flower (Jennie Larsson) SWE 62.700. 

Facts and Figures: 

Odense in Denmark staged the 

opening leg of the Reem Acra FEI 

World Cup Dressage 2015/2016 

Western European League today. 

The series consists of nine legs, 

leading to the Reem Acra 2016 

Final in Gothenburg, Sweden next 

March. 

The Ground Jury for today’s competition 

was: At C, Hans-Christian 

Matthiesen; At H, Mariette Sanders 

Van Gansewin; At B, Raphael 

Saleh; At M, Isobel Wessels: At E, 

Susanne Baarup. 

The Netherlands’ Edward Gal won 

the competition for the second 

year in a row. In 2014 he topped 

the line-up with Glock’s Undercover, 

this time around he claimed 

the honours with Glock’s Voice. 

Runner-up today was Denmark’s 

Anna Kasprzak and Donnperignon 

who won yesterday’s Grand Prix 

in which Gal and Glock’s Voice 

finished second. 

The winning horse, Glock’s Voice, 

is a 13-year-old stallion by de Niro. 

The winning score was 78.800 

percent. 

Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 

2015/2016 leaderboard: standings 

after Round 1 of the Western European 

League at Odense (DEN): 

1. Inna Logutenkova UKR 30 

2. Alexandre Ayache FRA 20 

2. Marcela Krinke Susmejl SUI 20 

2. Ellen Schulten-Baumer GER 20 

2. Edward Gal NED 20 

6. Jennie Larsson SWE 19 

7. Matthias Bouten GER 17 

7. Anna Kasprzak DEN 17 

9. Ester Soldi ITA 15 

9. Anna von Wendt FIN 15 

9. Martin Christensen DEN 15 

9. Agnete Kirk Thinggaard DEN 15 

'We had a record crowd this 

year with over 36,000 spectators, 

and the majority of those 

in last few days. We are really 

pleased with how it has gone 

this year. 

- Bo Kristoffersen, JBK Horseshows 

Organiser 


SIDEFEATURE 

Precocious 

and multitalented 

How young Amani Nzomo wowed polo enthusiasts at 

the kenya International Tournament. 

By Ea Equestrian Writer 

There is no doubt that young Amani 

Nzomo is a future polo champion. This 

is quite evident in the way he holds his 

mallet, rides his ponies and finds the 

back of opponent goal line with ease. 

Just to prove that this young lad is a continental 

champion in the waiting, Nzomo recently caused a 

stir during the Samsung Galaxy Kenya International 

Polo Championship where he twice helped his team, 

Dormans, clinched both the 5-7 and 10-14 goal tournaments 

held at the Nairobi Polo Club. 

The most memorable moment for this last born 

in a family of five during the tournaments that 

ran for two weekends in September was when he 

rescued Dormans with a last minute brace to win the 

encounter, which they were trailing, 8-6.5 against 

hard fighting Browns Cheese. 

“That was the best day of my life; I have never 

experienced this phenomenon in my life. I can’t 

believe I scored while playing against seasoned and 

international stars,” he says. 

When asked what makes him stand out from his 

peers who are also mad about polo, Nzomo, 10, says 

he does everything that puts him on course to be a 

polo champion. 

“I wake up very early in the morning to train 

my father’s horses and attend all the polo classes 

as scheduled by my Zimbabwean coach Smart 

Kuusawa.” 

“I have been handling horses since I was five and 

I get better with time. Apparently, my relations with 

the animals have improved of late, thanks to my 

dedicated coach Kuusawa,”he notes. 

Nzomo says on a typical day he wakes up very 

early in the morning to accompany Kuusawa to the 

adjacent Ngong forest where they drill the horses in 

the morning dew-climbing them on hills and descents 

to make the animals strong and stable. 

The horses are taken for a second schedule at 

midday where they are taught how to play the game. 

“Just like footballers horses too needs to know 

the rules of the game, here we teach them all the 

cues, for example if I hit a backhand shot with my 

mallet the horse should automatically know that we 

are going back and so should make an about-turn ,” 

he says. 

The year six student at Brookhouse School in Nairobi 

says he is literally on fire since teaming up with 

Kuusawa who has trained him for two months now. 

“My game has improved, from the way I hold my 

mallet, take the shots and ride my horses, I can feel 

it. You know when you are fit you feel it within you,” 

he says. 

Nzomo does not hide his passion for polo and 

openly admits that he is interested in attending 

a polo school in either South Africa or 

England. 

“I know South African hard hitter 

Buster Mckenzie has a nice polo 

school which I would not hesitate 

to attend. My dream is to be 

the best polo player not only in 

Kenya but in Africa.” 

He would also love to play 

polo internationally in South Africa, 

England, Argentina, Barbados 

or Australia. 

His father Rafael has already given 

him a clean bill of health and says his 

last born will be free for international polo in 

another two years. 

“To prepare him for the great task ahead I allow 

him to go for serious training with his coach three 

times in a week and I hope when he turns 13 or 14 

years he will be able to proceed for the international 

contests,” says Rafael. 

Apart from Polo, Nzomo is also a force to reckon 

with in rugby, football and in the Go-Kart motorsport 

competition. 

He was recently the star attraction for Ligi 

Ndogo’s U-11 football team at the Gothia Cup in 

Germany where he scored a brace in Kenya’s 7-1 

demolition of the hosts. 

Multi-talented Nzomo is also the 2012 Go-Kart 

champion in the 50cc category he won during the Rift 

Valley Motor Sports Club competition in Nakuru.He 

also features for the Brookhouse School rugby team 

where he plays the scrum half position. 

My game has 

improved, from the way I 

hold my mallet, take the 

shots and ride my horses, 

I can feel it. You know 

when you are fit you feel 

it within you 


14

Another resounding 

success at the 

Nanyuki Show 


NANYUKISHOW 

The Open Event was won predictably by Rachel Robley on Muffin. It was very sad that Louisa 

Vittone, with Lots and Lots, who were lying second, were unable to finish the event, after Louisa 

had a fall from Duncan, injuring her leg, in the Intermediate event. The only other runner, Anita 

Mills Stanley with Mugeni, came second. 

By Rose Caldwell 

It is always difficult to write about one’s 

own show, especially when one is part of the 

committee, however, judging by the number 

of lovely letters and comments from people 

attending the show, I can safely say that it 

was a resounding success, enjoyed by competitors 

and spectators alike. 

As it takes place in the holidays, it is always 

a great show for the young and there 

were enough of them to be able to hold 

Young Rider Classes. 

Although the going was hard due to the 

lack of rain, the horses all coped well and 

only one horse had to be spun at the vet 

check. 

Bryn and Tara Llewelyn started the 

building of the cross country course in May. 

Nanyuki club is not an easy place for building 

a cross country course, having no natural 

features and all the fences needing to be 

dismantled and removed each year. So a lot 

of work and a lot of imagination needed to 

build an interesting course with sufficient 

challenges. They succeeded extremely well 

and the faults incurred , were evenly spread. 

The course was, as always, beautifully built 

and designed and with Tara’s artistic talent 

and attention to detail, each fence was a picture. 

Clare and Charlie Hewitt Stubbs built the 

show jumping courses in the main arena and 

as always Clare’s courses rode well and were 

challenging enough without being too problematical 

and the classes were well filled. 

James Cullen and yours truly built the 

easier courses in Ring 2 with the object being 

to encourage novice riders and horses 

and get them going, which I think we succeeded 

in doing! 

The Dressage was judged by our usual 

stalwarts, Debbie Boyd Moss and Val Frost 

and we were lucky to have a visiting Judge 

from England, Jane Tizzard, who gave a 

clinic before the show and her expertise was 

greatly appreciated by all who took part in it. 

She was also an asset to our camp evenings! 

The Open Event was won predictably by 

Rachel Robley on Muffin. It was very sad 

that Louisa Vittone, with Lots and Lots, 

who were lying second, were unable to finish 

the event, after Louisa had a fall from 

Duncan, injuring her leg, in the Intermediate 

event. The only other runner, Anita Mills 

Stanley with Mugeni, came second. 

The Intermediate Event was won by Monica 

Campori on Warren, having held onto 

her comfortable lead after the Dressage. 

The Novice Event was won by Millie 

Seagon on Field Marshall and Pre Novice by 

Aisha Gross on Ndala. This was Ndala’s first 

show and he had only been jumping for two 


16

months so very commendable! 

The Juvenile Open went to Ellie Jones Perrot 

on Sultan, the Juvenile Intermediate to 

William Tozer on Mona Lisa and the Juvenile 

Novice to Georgie Perrot Jones on Sadiki. 

The Young Rider Novice went to Georgie 

Perrot Jones on Dhoruba and Young Rider 

PreNovice to Millie Tozer on Special Forces. 

The Show Jumping was of a high standard 

especially for the big event, The Mount 

Kenya Championship. The previous night, at 

the auction, buyers went mad and horses were 

bought for record amounts, which of course 

all added to the excitement on the day! The 

event was a real cliff hanger with five horses 

coming through to the jump off against the 

clock. This was eventually won by Gemma 

Boyd Moss on Cossack Dancer, who had been 

inadvertently ‘bought’ at the auction by her 

father, whose bid had been mistakenly noted 

and he lacked the courage to reverse it. Suffice 

to say he ended up a very happy man! 

From the smiles on their faces, the youth found the Nanyuki Show thoroughly enjoyable. 

EXCELLENT SHOPPING 

Elizabeth Warner on Shackleton was a very 

worthy reserve and they gave it their all with a 

wonderful round. 

Nanyuki Show is host to many other a 

ctivities. An excellent flower show was laid on 

by the local Horticultural society and the craft 

fair was fully booked, offering some excellent 

>>>>> 


COVERSTORY 

NANYUKISHOW 

Special Awards: 

Adult Victor Ludorum : Rachel Robley on Muffin 

Pony Victor Ludorum: Ellie Perrot Jones on Sultan 

Dressage Victor Ludorum: Karen Grant on Bombadier (hopefully 

making up for her being dumped twice on the cross country!) 

Hard Luck Trophy : Louisa Vittone 

Best Locally bred Horse: Ndala belonging to the Llewelyns 

Frances Drake Trophy for Best Cross Country: Elizabeth 

Warner and Shackleton 

>>>>> 

shopping opportunities for one and all. 

Terrier racing is always a favorite and 

the Dog Show organized by Sarah Fernandes 

was hilarious with a motley selection 

of dogs taking part! 

Joost Kappe provided music during 

the entire event and ran the very popular 

disco on Saturday night, which followed 

the sweep stake, carrying on into the early 

hours. 

As always, the camp site was loud and 

cheerful with plenty of wine consumed as 

we put the world to rights each evening! 

The Jimmy Caldwell Memorial Trophy 

was presented by the committee in 

memory of my husband Jimmy, for the 

most improved young rider, which went 

to Holly Roberts. Her delighted face was 

a joy to see! 

So ended another Nanyuki Show, 

which has been going since the early fifties. 

Everyone had great fun and with 

thanks to our loyal sponsors, a substantial 

amount of money was raised which will be 

donated to our local charities, who are, as 

ever, in dire need of support. 


18

FEI CLASSICS 

Michael Jung 

strikes out in 

front at Pau 

Michael Jung (GER) gets off to a good start at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau, first leg of the FEI Classics 2015/2016 season, where he is in first and second place after Dressage 

(pictured here with Halunke FBW). (Trevor Holt/FEI) 

by Kate Green 

Michael Jung (GER) 

gave a masterclass in 

Cross Country riding 

at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau 

(FRA), opening leg 

of the FEI Classics 

2015/2016, and remains in first and second 

places on Halunke FBW and fischerRocana 

FST. 

However, tomorrow’s Jumping phase 

promises to be a thriller as he does not have a 

Jumping fence in hand over CCI4* first-timer 

Emily King (GBR), who is still in third place 

on Brookleigh, or France’s Astier Nicolas, 

fourth on Piaf de B’neville. 

The top 10 has changed little after Dressage 

with 28 clear rounds from the 47 Cross 

Country starters, 15 of them inside the 

optimum time. 

Pierre Michelet’s track was shorter by 24 

seconds than last year and the time allowed 

of 11 minutes 38 seconds proved easily 

achievable on the good footing; several riders 

enjoyed the luxury of being able to take the 

long option at the last complex at fence 27 

and still finish comfortably inside the time. 

Jung’s first round on fischerRocana FST 

was sheer poetry; the Olympic and triple 

European champion rides the mare with the 

lightest of contact and has an extraordinary 

eye for distances, flying the fences spectacularly 

with hardly a pull on the reins. 

He had to work a bit harder on Halunke 

FBW; the white-faced black gelding had 

some time off after winning the European 

title in 2013 and is a heavier type to steer, 

but although his name means “rascal”, the 

11-year-old proved perfectly well-mannered 

at his first CCI4* and finished just one second 

over the optimum time. 

Emily King’s performance was also a joy 

to watch, as the teenager, visibly concentrating 

hard on the job in hand, maintained a 

perfect rhythm throughout and took all the 

direct routes to finish six seconds inside the 

optimum time. 

>>>>> 


FEI CLASSICS 

Michael Jung (GER) gave a masterclass in Cross Country at Les 4 Etoiles de Pau (FRA), opening leg of the FEI Classics 2015/2016, today and remains in first and second 

places on Halunke FBW and fischerRocana FST (pictured). (Trevor Holt/FEI) 

>>>From page 19 

Michael Jung has another perfect day 

She will find herself under severe pressure 

tomorrow, but the 19-year-old has spent time 

training with British Olympic gold medalist 

Ben Maher and is well capable of a good performance 

in the Jumping arena. 

“I’m so pleased, I’ve never had such a good 

round on the horse, so it was great timing for 

it to happen here,” said a delighted King. “My 

plan was to keep attacking on a forward stride 

and he listened to me all the way and felt so 

happy. The Jumping is probably our weakest 

phase, but I will just have to keep Ben’s words 

ringing in my ear!” 

Neither King nor Astier Nicolas have a 

Jumping fence in hand over Tim Price (NZL), 

who had a typically smooth round on Wesko 

to remain in fifth place. Popular French rider 

Karim Florent Loughouag incurred just two 

time penalties on the stallion Entebbe de Hus, 

allowing Tim Lips (NED) on Concrex Bayro 

and Paul Tapner (AUS) on Indian Mill to rise a 

place each to sixth and seventh respectively. 

American rider Jennie Brannigan, ninth 

after Dressage, was eliminated for a dramatic 


20 

horse fall with Cambalda at the racecourse 

hedge (fence 15). Her departure allowed Bill 

Levett (AUS) to move up a place to ninth on 

Shannondale Titan and last year’s runners-up, 

Andreas Dibowski and FRH Butts Avedon, to 

come up into the top 10. 

Pathfinder Sarah Bullimore (GBR) set the 

tone for a good day with a double clear on Valentino 

V, and she is now in 12th place behind 

Sir Mark Todd, who produced a masterful 

round on NZB Campino, 11th. 

However, Bullimore’s day deteriorated 

with a frustrating run-out on Reve de Rouet 

at 27b, a brush fence on an acute turn, and 

she was stopped on course and eliminated 

after Lilly Corinne got the flag between her 

front legs on the narrow “bunch of grapes”, 

fence 21. 

Lucy Wiegersma (GBR) had the day’s 

strangest misfortune. She was going well on 

Mr Chunky when jumping too far to the left 

into the final water complex at 24; the gelding, 

unable to make the sharp right-hand turn 

in time to the bounce up over a fish-shaped 

fence, took off over the boundary railings and 

fell in the much deeper water on the other 

side, leaving Wiegersma wading in chest-high 

water. 

To find out what happens tomorrow, 

tune into FEI TV at 14.30 local time for what 

promises to be a thrilling Jumping finale. 

Results after Cross Country 

1 Michael Jung/Halunke FBW (GER) 34.5 + 0.4 = 34.9 

penalties 

2 Michael Jung/fischerRocana FST (GER) 35.4 + 0 = 35.4 

3 Emily King/Brookleigh (GBR) 38.3 + 0 = 38.3 

4 Astier Nicolas/Piaf d’B’neville (FRA) 38.5 + 0 = 38.5 

5 Tim Price/Wesko (NZL) 40.0 + 0 = 40.0 

6 Tim Lips/Concrex Bayro (NED) 40.9 + 0 = 40.9 

7 Indian Mill/Paul Tapner (AUS) 42.3 + 0 = 42.3 

8 Karim Florent Laghouag/Entebbe de Hus (FRA) 40.6 

+ 2 = 42.6 

9 Bill Levett/Shannondale Titan (AUS) 42.9 + 0 = 42.9 

10 Andreas Dibowski/FRH Butts Avedon 42.9 + 0 = 42.9

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Fax + 254 020 211 3135. Nyayo National Stadium Tel: + 254 020 201 3704, +254 477 6262


Harrie Smolders 

claims top honours 

at the Washington 

International horse show 

I think it’s super 

important for us to be 

a part of the League. 

Washington has such 

a huge history in 

the sport and been a 

World Cup qualifier 

for a number of years 

and with the League 

consolidating this year, 

it was super important 

to us to maintain that 

status. We couldn’t be 

happier to be part of 

the Longines World 

Cup Jumping North 

American League. 

Victoria Lowell, WIHS President: 

By Esther Hahn 

The Netherlands’ 

Harrie 

Smolders 

expertly 

navigated two 

challenging 

courses to win the $125,000 

Longines FEI World Cup 

Jumping Qualifier at the CSI4* 

Washington International Horse 

Show. In his third visit to the 

historic competition, the Dutch 

rider etched his name into the 

President’s Cup for a second 

time, having won the headlining 

class in 2006. 

“This show suits me,” Smolders 

said. “I don’t know why, 

but the results are always good. 

And for our stable, it’s been very 

successful this week. My student 

Jos Verlooy (BEL) was fourth 

in tonight’s class and won the 

Puissance on Friday night, and is 

the leading rider of the show. It’s 

a bit busy with the classes going 

on and telling my students all 

the information that I know, but 

it really worked out.” 

Smolders drew the final 

position in tonight’s order of go, 

which allowed him the advantage 

of basing his strategy on the 

others’ performances. Only one 

other rider, Callan Solem (USA), 

rode double clear in the jump 

off of six horse-and-rider pairs, 

directly before Smolders’ turn. 

“I didn’t see many go in the 

jump off, but I heard the results, 

of course,” Smolders said. “So 

then there was no one clear 

until Callan put some pressure 

on because she had a fantastic 

round. She wasn’t super fast, but 

she put the pressure on. I was 

quite pleased that she was clear 

because that meant I had to go. 

I had to decide. There was no 

other option.” 

At the beginning of his final 

round, Smolders lost valuable 

time when his mount Emerald 

(Diamant de Semilly x Carthago) 

slipped in an early turn, forcing 

the rider to add an extra stride. 

“I knew I was getting close 

so I tried to make the turn to 

the last two fences quite short,” 

Smolders said. “I knew I was 

close. To be honest, I didn’t 

know if it was enough.” 

But luckily for the Dutch 

rider, it was just enough, winning 

the class by 11-hundredths 

of a second. 

“I must say Callan did a super 

round,” Smolders said. “She 

put some pressure on. I was also 

pleased because I knew what to 

do. Otherwise, if there’s no one 

clear, you have to decide what to 

do, but now I had no choice but 

to go.” 

Indoor challenge 

The course designed by 

Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) challenged 

the 28 riders by utilizing 

the long and narrow arena. 

“There’s not an abundance 

of space, and the ring is quite 

narrow in relation to its length,” 

said D’Ambrosio, who also 

happens to hold the show’s Puissance 

record that he set in 1983. 

“It’s a particular type of ring, 

and it’s a little bit of a puzzle to 

get a World Cup Qualifier course 

in there. But for the most part, 

things ride fairly smooth, and 

we’ve had some nice competitions. 

I would say that it keeps 

me on my toes. I think it keeps 

the riders on their toes as well.” 

Nonetheless, D’Ambrosio 

had predicted ahead of the 

class’s start that six would ride 

clear and into the jump off, 

which ultimately proved to be 

accurate. 

“The first course was quite 

tough,” Smolders said. “When I 

walked it, I thought it was not 

too big, but my horse is quite 

scopey. The ring is quite long 

but not so wide, and the fences 

down the sides and right off 

the rail were quite tough for the 

horses.” 

D’Ambrosio purposefully set 

a demanding course to ensure 

that the right horse-and-rider 

combinations would earn the 

valuable points toward qualifying 

for the culminating event in 

the spring. 

“I strive to design a course 

that rewards the riders who are 

capable of going to the World 

Cup Final,” D’Ambrosio said. 

“World Cup Qualifiers have to 

have a standard that is somewhat 

similar in consistency. It’s 

to prepare the horses and riders 

to have the accuracy to jump the 

dimensions. That’s an important 

part of my job.” 

Solem gave some credit for 

her final round to fellow competitor 

McLain Ward (USA) who 

inspired her to ride for the first 

double clear in the jump off. 

“I was fortunate to have the 

counsel of McLain,” Solem said. 

“And he said, ‘Callan you have 

to try to win. Harrie’s going to 

be so fast. You have to do it.’ He 

encouraged me to do four in the 

first line, and he said, ‘You’re 

third a lot; try to win this class.’ 

I really appreciated that encouragement. 

Going to these shows 

on my own, trying to find my 


22


Harrie Smolders (NED) and Emerald (left), winners of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping at the Washington International Horse Show, were presented with a Longines 

watch by Taylor Mace, National Event Manager for Longines. (StockImageServices.com/FEI) 

Facts and Figures 

way a little bit, and producing 

the horses; I’m always trying to 

leave them better than I found 

them and sometimes it’s nice 

for me to have a little push 

to say, ‘Come on, you’re good 

enough, go ahead and try.’ I appreciate 

that.” 

A breakthrough year 

Smolders has had the ride 

on his flashy, 11-year-old, 

chestnut stallion for the past 

five years. 

“I had him as a 6-year-old,” 

Smolders said. “He was always 

an amazing talent with great 

scope, technique, and rideability, 

but I must say this year is his 

biggest breakthrough. He’s very 

consistent in the big classes, 

the World Cup Qualifiers. Now 

that he’s 11, I feel that he has 

the experience in his body, and 

is physically able to compete at 

the highest level.” 

The next stop for horse-andrider 

team is the National Horse 

Show in Lexington, Ky. for their 

second Longines FEI World 

Cup Jumping North American 

League qualifier. Then Emerald 

will fly back to Europe, where 

he’s scheduled to compete 

in the World Cup qualifier in 

Madrid in November. Smolders 

hopes to qualify Emerald for 

the Longines FEI World Cup 

Jumping Final in Gothenburg 

(SWE) in March. 

“He’s a very spectacular 

horse,” Smolders said. “He’s a 

bit of a stallion, a bit of a character, 

but his talent and technique 

are endless. When people see 

him once, they normally never 

forget him.” 

Solem is also hoping to qualify 

her 12-year-old gelding, VDL 

Wizard (Gentleman x Ahorn), 

for the World Cup Final. 

“I’m very lucky to have him 

and every day that I ride him 

is such a pleasure,” Solem said. 

“He loves this sport so much. 

He’s taken to whinnying at 

the in gate before he goes. He 

really likes to do it. He had a 

rough start when he came as a 

seven-year-old. He was riddled 

with this and that and he didn’t 

really do much for the first 

three years. So even though he’s 

12, he’s more like a ten-year-old. 

He’s just getting fit and strong 

and ready to peak in this next 

year, I hope.” 

“I am also going to do Kentucky 

next week and hopefully 

Toronto after that and those 

couple of last World Cups in 

Florida,” she continued. “I didn’t 

do the first two [World Cup 

qualifiers]. I had gone to Europe 

this summer so I thought the 

horses should have a little break 

and freshen up for the fall, so 

I’m a little bit behind. But if we 

keep doing a good job, hopefully 

we’ll be at the Final.” 

Six horses went clear in the first round, and only 

the two final riders in the jump-off field were 

double clear in the final round. 

The course designer was Anthony D’Ambrosio 

(USA). 

The first round was contested over 12 obstacles 

with 15 jumping efforts. The jump-off round had 

eight obstacles with nine efforts. The maximum 

height was set at 1.60 meters. 

Five nations were represented in the class: Belgium 

(four riders), Columbia (one rider), Ireland 

(three riders), the Netherlands (one rider), and 

Results 

1. Emerald (Harrie Smolders), NED, 0 faults/39.32 

seconds (JO); 

2. VDL Wizard (Callan Solem), USA, 0/39.43 (JO); 

3. H&M Forever D Arco ter Linden (Nicola Philippaerts), 

BEL, 4/38.17 (JO); 

4. Sunshine (Jos Verlooy), BEL, 4/40.07 (JO); 

5. Cafino (Victoria Colvin) USA, 8/38.93 (JO); 

6. Emilie de Diamant A S (Jack Towell), USA, 

8/41.91 (JO); 



24



Facts and Figures 

Eight horses went clear in the first round, and 

half of the jump-off field were double clear in the 

final round. 

The course designer was Heiko Wahlers (GER). 

The first round was contested over 13 obstacles 

with 16 jumping efforts. The jump-off round had 

seven obstacles with eight efforts. The height was 

set at 1.60 meters. 

Nine nations were represented in the class: 

Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, 

Germany, Ireland, and the United States. 

Results 

1. Simon (Beezie Madden), USA, 0 faults/37.33 

seconds (JO); 

2. Lucifer V (Jack “Hardin” Towell), USA, 0/38.75 (JO); 

3. Nikh Quanto (Christian Heineking), GER, 0/40.80 

(JO); 

4. Czardas (Kirsten Coe), USA, 0/41.83 (JO); 

5. Cristallo (Richard Spooner) USA, 4/37.45 (JO); 

6. Gazelle (Kent Farrington), USA, 4/38.85 (JO); 

7. Darius de la Ferme Rose (Michelle Rodal), USA, 

4/46.62 (JO); 

8. Mark Q (Kevin Babington), IRL, 12/40.52 (JO). 

7. Simba de la Roque (Conor Swail), IRL, 4/66.00 

268. The Valeska E.A. (Charlie Equestrian Jayne), USA, 4/66.12. ■ OCT-DEC-2015


USA’s number one Beezie 

Madden clinches $150,000 win 

at the Del Mar International 

By Esther Hahn 

Against a field stacked 

with seasoned, international 

competitors, 

Beezie Madden (USA) 

reinforced her ranking 

as the USA’s number 

one Jumping athlete, and the world 

number two in the Longines Rankings, 

by riding the fastest clear in an eight-man 

jump off. 

The stands in the indoor venue were 

packed as Madden strategically maneuvered 

16-year-old Dutch Warmblood 

gelding Simon (Mr. Blue x Polydox) to 

the win in 37.33 seconds, over a second 

faster than Jack “Hardin” Towell’s 

38.75-second round. 

“I saw a couple of the earlier rounds, 

thanks to the TVs that Longines now 

provides in the schooling areas,” Madden 

said. “I planned to do seven strides up the 

first line, same as the others, but then 

to catch them on the turns later in the 

course. 

“I actually didn’t see Hardin go, but 

I think my turns at least to the double 

combination and probably after the 

double combination - my horse is brilliant 

with that. He has a lot of practice 

trying to do short turns because 

running isn’t always his best thing. 

But I have to say, he and I together 

are figuring that part out a little 

better and doing seven up the 

first line wouldn’t always have 

been in our plan, but tonight and 

the way he’s been going lately, I’m 

very comfortable doing that with 

him. Indoors especially, he can be really 

fast with the short turns.” 

Madden’s plan worked accordingly, 

and she and her veteran mount shaved 

additional time with tighter turns than 

the rest of the field. 

“Simon has been my World Cup Final 

horse for the last three years,” according 

to Madden. “He doesn’t really have any 

quirks except that he whinnies at the in 

gate every time before he goes into the 

ring. He’s a pleasure to deal with and to 

ride.” 

Earlier in the year, Madden helped 

launch the inaugural Longines FEI World 

Cup Jumping North American League, 

but tonight’s event was the first of the 

series that she could attend, without 

conflicting with her international commitments. 

She recently returned to the 

United States after competing on the 

country’s all-female team at the Furusiyya 

FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final in 

Barcelona in September. 

“I like that the North American 

League has reduced the number of qualifiers 

and number of scores that count 

toward qualifying for the Final,” said 

Madden. “It gives more opportunities 

for international competition. This is the 

first one I’ve done in the League, but I can 

still get enough in to get four good scores 

and not really over jump my horses.” 

The next qualifying class for Madden 

will be aboard Breitling LS (Quintero x 

Acord II) in Lexington, Ky. on November 

1, followed by the East Coast stops in 

Toronto, Palm Beach, and Ocala. Madden 

will also compete in the CSI-5* in Thermal 

on November 8. 

Leading the pack 

“It feels great to be at my current 

rankings,” Madden said. “It’s the highest 

I’ve been in the world rankings. I’m just 

lucky to have a string of good horses that 

can let me be there and a fantastic owner 

in Abigail Wexner. It gives me a chance. 

I’m very lucky to have my whole team.” 

Staying at the top is especially important 

this year as Madden hopes to be 

selected to represent the United States 

at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games next 

summer. 

“We’re trying to hit the grand prix 

classes that are high on the list,” said 

Madden. “We’re not trying not to run 

around to a bunch of shows but trying 

to pick the ones that are worth the effort 

and trying to do well at them.” 

With such high stakes on the line, 

Madden’s ability to focus on the task at 

hand while competing is both an asset 

and a testament for one of the country’s 

most decorated riders. 

“Anybody who says that they never 

get nervous isn’t telling the truth,” according 

to Madden. “I get excited and 

anxious for sure and with some nerves. 

But luckily when I get on a horse, it all 

goes away.” 

By mid-November, Madden will have 

the opportunity to rest herself and her 

horses before returning to competitions 

at the beginning of January. 

Crème de la crème 

The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping 

North American League class gave 

reason for many of the class’ 29 riders to 

schedule their first visits to the Del Mar 

International Horse Show in California. 

The solid, 13-obstacle track designed 

by Germany’s Heiko Wahlers presented 

multiple challenges to the horse-andrider 

pairs that included optional striding 

and a very large triple combination. One 

of the biggest questions, according to the 

riders during the course walk, was the decision 

between six or seven strides from 

a double combination to a wide oxer over 

a liverpool. The decision to set a really big 

course stemmed from the many great riders 

featured in the class, Wahlers said. 

When the evening’s first two riders, 

Richard Spooner (USA) and Kent Farrington 

(USA), both managed faultless 

rounds, it was clear to the full house of 

spectators that the riding level was elevated 

to an international caliber. Kirsten 

Coe (USA), Michelle Rodal (USA), Kevin 

Babington (IRL), and Christian Heineking 

(GER) joined Spooner, Farrington, 

Towell, and Madden in the jump off. All 

eight riders have extensive experience 

competing at international level, including 

multiple FEI World Cup Jumping 

Final and FEI Nations Cup Jumping 

appearances amongst them. 

“I thought (before my jump-off 

round) that Kent had already gone and 

Spooner had already gone and had a rail 

and knew I had Beezie behind me, but 

with Lucifer this year, too many times 

I’ve gone too fast and had the last jump 

down in several grand prix in Europe that 

I could’ve easily taken one more,” Hardin 

said. “My turns on him are not great, and 

I knew from the beginning that Beezie 

was definitely going to be able to go 

faster. And going to the last jump, I saw 

one less and then I thought, you know 

what, I’m probably going to gallop down 

there, knock it down, and I would’ve still 

been slower than Beezie. 

“So I decided to take one more, and 

Beezie beat me. But I’ve been the bridesmaid 

a lot in the past couple months, so 

it is what it is. But having Beezie behind 

me, you can only do so much, and I was 

thrilled with my horse. He’s really improved 

in the past two years, and even in 

the past year. This was his first World Cup 

last year, and I hope next year that he’ll 

have a bright future ahead of him.” 

Heineking managed a clear first round 

despite his horse losing a shoe after the 

liverpool. The pair successfully completed 

the remaining eleven fences and had the 

shoe reattached ahead of the jump off, 

finishing in third overall. 


CELEBRITYPROFILE 


How I became a top jockey 

In 1989, I won my first race aboard Bond Erin, owned by Charles Farrar. After that win, I continued 

winning in quick succession. I continued as an apprentice until 26-6-1994 when I rode Jai Durga to 

victory, the last event I did as an apprentice. 

David Mwikya was a celebrity 

jockey for a period spanning 

two decades. Starting 

as a humble apprentice under 

George Alexander in a 

Naivasha stable, he rose through the ranks 

to become one of the most sought-after jockeys 

at the Nairobi racecourse. His success is 

probably epitomized by his endorsement 

by British American Tobacco to market its 

flagship brand, Sportsman, in the 1980s. 

That was how popular Mwikya was when he 

strode the races like a colossus. 

He has since retired, as per Jockey Club of 

Kenya, rules, which state that one cannot be 

a competitive jockey after attaining age 55. 

The EA Equestrian caught up with Mwikya 

at the M & J Stable in Karen where he is the 

head supervisor. Here is the interview, in his 

own words. 

I was born in Machakos in 1957, where 

I grew up as a young boy with my parents. 

We went to Arusha in Tanzania in 1963 with 

my parents who were working in the whitesowned 

pyrethrum in the mothers part of 

Tanzania. I grew up there, and started my 

primary school at Ol Donyo Sambu Primary, 

until standard six when I dropped out due to 

lack of school fees. 

When I dropped out of school, I left Tanzania 

in 1973 and returned to Kenya. I went 

to Naivasha and met trainer George Alexander 

in 1974. I started training under him. He 

liked me as a young man. He taught me until 

1980 then I left for Nairobi. Once in the city, 

I joined trainer/jockey Ken Coogan, who 

thought I could make a good jockey. He gave 

me my first apprentice letter in 1981. He was 

in the Grammaticas family. 

That year, I raced for the first time aboard 

Mercury. I was not placed. Honestly, I did 

not even know the direction to take the 

horse. We just raced on auto-pilot. 

The best I did in my first year was second 

aboard Telex, owned by Coogan. I left Ken 

Coogan in 1982 to join Patsy Sercombe as 

a syce apprentice. Her jockey called Frank 

Moby taught me a lot about racing and riding. 

He retired in 1984. By then I had mastered 

the tactics of riding, although I had not 

won a race. I continued with Patsy in 1985 


28

Owners of Frou Frou, Muhoho Kenyatta and Kristina Pratt escort David 

Mwikya aboard the horse inside the ring at the Jockey Club of Kenya. 

Krishna Behal escorting his horse Brightly Steel with David Mwikya aboard inside the ring. 

but left her in 1986 to join jockey/trainer 

Gavin Laurence. 

In 1989, I won my first race aboard 

Bond Erin, owned by Charles Farrar. After 

that win, I continued winning in quick succession. 

I continued as an apprentice until 

26-6-1994 when I rode Jai Durga to victory, 

the last event I did as an apprentice. 

That same season, I finished with 17 wins, 

and was fifth overall jockey, behind Le Sercombe, 

Julie McCann, David Ngure, Ken 

Coogan. Sixth was Oliver Gray, followed by 

Ibrahim Wachira, Richard Kimutai, Limb 

Junior and Ken Obrien in that order. 

The winning jockey earned Sh 1,300. I 

would win up to three race on a single day 

as was the case on 24-4-1994 when I won 

the Magadi Handicap aboard Heshima, 

Victoria Maiden aboard First Love and the 

Jipe Handicap aboard Sovreign Star. 

I would still do all races from apprentice 

to the senior races. 

Not many Africans owned horses then. 

I can count Muhoho Kenyatta, Phillip Moi 

and Joe Muya. 

Not even African jockeys were many. In 

1993/4 season, for instance, professional 

jockeys were five out of 12 ( Peter Kiarie, 

Richard Kimutai, David Ngure, Steve 

Njuguna and Ngugi Wainaina). They were 

competing against such star jockeys like 

Julie Andrade, Ken Coogan, J.A, Curant, 

Olive Gray, Limb Junior, Ken Obrien and 

John Limb Snr. 

Permit jockeys, or apprentices, were 11, 

all of them indigenous Africans - Mwikya, 

Jeremiah Cheruiyot, G. Gitahi, Charles Hiuhu, 

Samwel Kariuki, K. Kiama, C Kiboi, 

Phillip Kinui, S Kurui, J. Ngwiri, W. Nzuki. 

By then, today's star rides like Le Sercombe, 

Ibrahim Wachira, Pinky Mhajan, Francis 

Mungai, E Kiptoo and J Waruru were classified 

under 'permission to ride'. 

I rode until recently, in fact 2014. Only 

this year did I retire, going by JCK rules 

David Mwikya winning a race at the Jockey Club of Kenya in 1994. 

David Mwikya (second right), Sharon Garner, trainer 

Gavin Laurence, an official of Lion of Kenya Insurance, 

JCK chairman George Drew, Mary Binns, Waruru, Patsy 

Sercombe, Jeremiah Cheruiyot and Michael Garner. 

which cap riding age at 55. 

Of the races I rode, Chale Point (owned by 

David Ansell and trained by Gavin Laurence) 

remains etched in my memory to-date. I won 

races from 3200m Gold Cup in 1993 and the 

Jockey Club Stakes. He even broke a record in 

the race. I also remember Air Wolf (owned by 

David Ansell and trained by Gavin) which gave 

me a lot of victories, among them Pilsner Tankard 

in 1990. 

Winning The Kenyatta Cup back to back in 

1992 and 1993 aboard Frou Frou has also remained 

memorable. In 1994, Francis Mungai 

also won the cup with Frou Frou. 

I am now working M&J stable in Karen as 

head supervisor, leading a staff of 15. The stable 

is jointly owned by brothers Mark and Justin 

Mburu. 

I am married to Joyce Ndinda and we have 

four children, three of them boys. They were 

born in 1983, 1985, 1988 and 1999. 

SPORTSMAN ADVERT 

That was in 1993-94 when I was featured in 

the Sportsman commercial which was placed in 

billboards across the country. My trainer Gavin 

Laurence is the one who struck the deal. 


DOWNMEMORYLANE 


My Life in the Bush 

The early days at Colcheccio Ranch 

In 1978, my husband, Jimmy, 

was given the job of managing 

Colcheccio Ranch. (now known as 

Loisaba). 

At that time, the ranch 

consisted of 60,000 acres of bush and hills, 

with a few thousand head of cattle grazing 

throughout the farm. The owner, Count 

Anciliotto, had built a lodge there, which 

was unused so this became his house, the 

manager’s house and the office. 

In those days there were no fixed line 

or mobile telephone, simply an ‘over over 

’ wireless, which seldom worked! We duly 

arrived along with our four horses, plus an 

assortment of dogs, cats, chickens, goats 

and Biggles the parrot. 

After the first week there, I wondered if 

I would ever be tough enough to cope with 

this new environment. However, the wilderness, 

beauty and the sheer challenge of life 

in the bush, quickly took hold and we grew 

to love our life there, so much in fact that 

looking back, it was amongst our happiest 

times together. 

About three weeks after we arrived 

there, Jimmy headed off for a few days in 

Nairobi leaving me in charge. He had only 

been gone a few hours when one of our 

guests ran in saying “An illegal grazer was 

firing poisoned arrows at us all and he has 

just been shot and is badly injured. Please 

come quickly and help..” I ran back with 

him to see the man, who was still alive, but 

only just. I considered the prospect of driving 

him 40 kms to Rumurutti, but realized 

that all those bumps would surely finish 

him off. 

The late Jimmy Caldwell 

The wilderness, beauty 

and the sheer challenge 

of life in the bush, quickly 

took hold and we grew 

to love our life there, so 

much in fact that looking 

back, it was amongst our 

happiest times together 

Rose Caldwell 

So, I left someone to look after him and 

keep the hyenas away and set off with a 

couple of farm guests to the nearest police 

station, two hours away, over a terrible road. 

When we finally reached the station it was 

empty. We searched the area until they 

were eventually found.. in a nearby bar. 

We invaded the bar, extracted the two 

who appeared the least inebriated and 

headed back to the ranch. At which point, 

the heavens opened and we got well and 

truly stuck. The two policemen remained 

firmly seated while we struggled to push the 

car out of the mud until I gave up and said: 

“I am really sorry, but you two gentlemen 

will simply have to help push or we will all 

be spending the night here.” With some 

reluctance, they got out of the vehicle 

and we eventually got going. The journey 

took a good five hours and by the time we 

arrived back, the poor fellow had died. The 

police gave him one hefty kick to make 

sure, turned him over and announced. 

“shot in the front, self defence , no case” 

and thus ended my first day alone at the 

ranch. 

We built stables for the horses, but the 

game had destroyed all the fences and so 

the horses were free to roam happily over 

the 60,000 acres. Generally though, they 

were too apprehensive to stray too far. The 

ground was rock hard and stony and I was 

in a dilemma as to how I could ever get a 

surface to school the horses on, let alone 


30

Rose Caldwell at her Timau home. 

jump them. 

Then one day I stepped on something 

soft and spongey! Eureka! I had found the 

answer. Elephant dung! 

This turned out to be the best surface I 

have ever used in a schooling arena. With 

its fibrous spongey matter, it made a perfect 

base and so, whenever the elephants 

came through the ranch, we would go 

dung hunting. 

In later years, when Colcheccio became 

a lodge, we would have groups of British 

Army personnel out on R and R. One of 

my fun exercises was to put several of 

these young, keen men in the back of the 

Land Rover and say “right, today, you are 

going to do something you have probably 

never done before and will never do again!” 

When we got to the spot where the elephants 

had been, each man was issued with a sack 

and told to fill it. They would look at me in 

horror and say “but, what do we use to fill it??” 

“well, there are no spades here, so with your 

hands of course,” I would say! They would 

take a deep breath and then very gingerly 

start picking up the droppings and putting 

them into the sacks and so, after a while, I developed 

the most wonderful schooling arena, 

jumping arena and lunging area, all covered in 

this lovely thick padding. 

I had good show jumpers and did not 

want to stop competing but competing 

from Colcheccio was tough and each journey 

was an adventure. I had an ancient and not 

very roadworthy trailer, constructed 

originally from a Ford Prefect chassis. 

The vehicle I used to tow it with, was a 

very ancient and even less roadworthy 

Toyota Land Cruiser. However, nothing 

ventured, nothing gained and off we 

would set allowing an extra day for those 

inevitable hazards. Wheels would fall 

off the trailer, punctures and the Toyota 

frequently broke down. Somehow, there 

was always a Good Samaritan to be 

found who would do a ‘Jua Kali’ job and 

get us back on the road again. 

To get to Eldoret took at least 13 

hours driving, without any untoward 

>>>> 



DownMemoryLane 

>>>> 

incident, so if I left at 2am I could usually 

hope to get there between 2 and 4pm, 

leaving just enough time to set up camp. 

Coming home was a different story. 

The Eldoret Club threw excellent 

parties and we would dance till the early 

hours. There was therefore very little sleep 

to be had before hitting the long road 

home. Once, after all the usual delays, I 

was still wearily trundling through the 

bush at 9pm when, in my extremely tired 

state, I saw some trees get up and cross 

the road in front of me. I braked hard and 

to my horror realized that it was not just 

trees but a herd of elephants so we came 

to a very abrupt halt and a long wait until 

they had wondered off. 

Another memorable time, Biddy Davis 

and I set off for the Eldoret show, with 

the cook, leaving Father Davis (who had 

come to a peaceful place to practice his 

Trombone) to hold the fort with Jimmy. 

A few hours after we had left, Jimmy had 

a call from the owner, to say that Tanzania 

had just closed its border with Kenya, 

many tourists were stuck and that he was 

to open the lodge and prepare for 12 tourists. 

There was no ways he could get hold 

of us to say ‘come back at once with the 

cook!’ Luckily for Jimmy, Robin Davis was 

an excellent, if somewhat ‘unusual’, cook 

and the two men had to cope with the 12 

tourists and some of our very green staff! 

Robin, though, was himself a great 

tourist attraction. The guests could hardly 

believe their eyes as he marched through 

the dining room during breakfast each 

morning, heading for the kitchen wearing 

a deer stalker hat, Bank Manager shorts, 

(so called because of all the holes in them) 

and sandals, whilst firmly clutching an 

open cookery book. He would be followed 

by an interesting medley of dogs and 

would wish the guests a cheery good 

morning as they looked on in astonishment. 

The visit went off without too many 

hitches, I think mainly thanks to the two 

expert raconteurs. Biddy and I and the 

cook, meanwhile, were oblivious to all the 

dramas and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves 

at the show. 

I loved my years at Colcheccio, mainly 

because there were so many obstacles 

to overcome for us both. Jimmy ran the 

ranch and the office and entertained the 

guests and was a fount of all knowledge 

on the game drives. I was doctor, vet, 

caterer and general factotum. I had to deal 

with some horrendous injuries to people 

and animals, mainly caused by the wild 

TOP: Loisaba House aerial shot, ABOVE: Loisaba Elephants and a view from the verandah. 

animals and with no one else around, 

would stitch, treat and patch them all up 

as best I could. 

I shall end with a story on how not 

to deal with important guests! I was 

teaching at a Pony Club camp in Nanyuki 

one year when Jimmy asked me to meet 

some very important people, who could 

bring us some lucrative trade. They duly 

met up with me at Nanyuki club. I was 

tired, dirty and Hazel’s pony was refusing 

to load into the trailer. I told them the 

road would be fine if it didn’t rain and 

I gave them some basic directions, but 

they kept asking if it would rain. Suddenly, 

the pony changed its mind and 

shot onto the trailer, but as I bent over 

to fix the tail board, she lifted her tail 

and covered me in very fresh, steamy horse 

dung. The VIPs chose that moment to voice 

their concerns yet again about the rain. By 

this time my two filthy children were rolling 

around, fighting each other. I challenge 

anyone to be at the best while festooned in 

fresh horse dung and I had a serious sense 

of humour failure. “Only God can tell you 

if it will rain and we are the happy family 

you are coming to” and off I drove. 

When we got home Jimmy rushed out 

to ask about the VIPs and when we might 

be expecting them. I could only mutter 

“well, they seemed very worried about the 

road and the rain and they may well change 

their minds and cancel.” Which of course.. 

they did. 


32

BIRTHDAYTHINGS 

She thought she was going on a picnic! 

Rose, Harzel and Marcus 

Rose discovered the mascot was was Marcus, INSET: Rose's Birthday Cake 

Clare, Charlie and Frosty 

Yes, Rose thought she would 

have a low key picnic with a few 

friends to celebrate her 80 th 

birthday. 

However, her neighbours 

were having none of it. Instead, Bryn and Tara 

hosted an 80 th ‘Come to a Horse Show Party”, 

which was held in their beautiful home at Ol 

Donyo in Timau. 

Guests were asked to dress for going to a 

horse show, including Rose – and they did just 

that! They came from far and wide, from all over 

the country and they came in their riding gear to 

help Rose celebrate this milestone in her life. 

The biggest surprise was the appearance of 

two figures, dressed in a donkey suit and a rabbit 

suit, who walked rather shyly round the edge of 

the crowd on the verandah at sundown. 

No one was more surprised than Rose to 

find Macus, who had come from Uganda, and 

Hazel who had come from the UK, hiding behind 

the disguises! Both had given Rose extoadinary 

stories about why they could not come to her 

party, and Hazel had even given her a fictitious 

date in October when she would be coming! 

The men who didn’t compete came in attire 

suited to a horse show, and some of the ladies 

appeared in beautiful hats. Anne A-D was sporting 

her very identifiable course builders gear, 

Joe Mills was in his splendid red hunting coat 

and the birthday girl was in a borrowed coat and 

hat (Anne’s) jods and shirt (Frosty’s) and Jimmy’s 

boots with four pairs of socks to keep them on, 

and she looked exactly as we all remembered 

her when she was competing in her hey day! 

Rose took to the floor with Bryn to open the 

dancing and she danced non stop until the disco 

closdd with her favourite Boney M tunes - not 

too bad for 80!! She was the last to leave the 

dance floor! 

It will go down on record as the party of 

all parties. The décor was in keeping with the 

theme, the food was totally delicious, the music 

was what Rose had ordered and a fabulous time 

was had by all. 



MAMA PUNDA NOTES 

Diseases most 

common in 

horses and 

other domestic 

animals 

In this series from Mrs Rose Caldwell’s 

handbook ‘Mama Punda’s Veterinary 

Notes, we continue with diseases most 

common in horses and other domestic 

animals. 

Chronic Opthalmia 

Symptoms 

Eye begins watering, becomes pale blue then 

bright yellow or red. Cow unable to see. 

Treatment 

Rinse eye with dilute pot permanganate and 

apply an antibiotic ointment daily. Give a larger 

dose of cod liver oil as it is caused by lack of 

vitamins. Cows can recover sight if treated in 

time. 

Ring Worm 

Treatment 

Mix 1 oz salicylic acid in 1 pint cod liver oil. Mix 

well and apply every third day or use Coopers 

ring worm ointment as directed. 

Foot Rot 

Symptoms 

Lame and often swollen around coronet. 

Treatment 

Clean thoroughly. Treat with foot rot spray, in 

bad cases give a course of Tetracycline about 

20 cc then 10 cc for two days or Betamox. 

Black Spot in cattle 

Symptoms 

Hard scrabs on teats, very painful and 

resulting infections leads to mastitis. 

Treatment 

Make a salve from: Defungit or Alugan; 

Sulphanilamide powder; Healing oil; Gentian 

violet – can use purple spray. 

Apply after milking until teat healed. Make 

sure milkers wash hands in disinfectant after 

each cow and be prepared for mastitis. 

Diarrhoea in cattle 

Treatment 

Give 20 cc Gentamycin a.m. and repeat in the 

evening. if cows are still scouring next day, 

repeat. The treatment can be done 3 times if 

necessary. Alternatively, give 1 litre strong tea 

– said to be infallible. 

Prolapsed Uterus 

Treatment 

Wash uterus. Wrap in a wet cloth and keep 

off the ground. Make animal stand with 

head lower than tail, sit someone on back 

to hold the tail up. Make the uterus slippery 

with soapy water and gradually push back in 

starting with the edges. Push to the length of 

an arm. Put in a tube of Multiject to reduce 

infection. 

Mastitis 

Symptoms 

Clotted milk sometimes full of blood, quarter 

feels hard and meaty. 

Treatment 

Milk out affected quarter and squirt in mastitis 

remedy. Continue treatment until cured. If 

persistent, inject with 20 cc Gentamycin for 

3 days and put 5 cc Gentamycin in affected 

teat. Don’t use Gentamycin in teat if you have 

already used the ointment. If the Gentamycin 

doesn’t work, use 20 ml Tetracycline LA with 

LA mastitis ointment. 

Milk Fever 

Symptoms 

Shortly after calving cow gets temperature, 

lies down, staggers and cannot get up. Fatal 

if left. 

Treatment 

100 ml Calciject i/v. give i/v through vein at 

bottom of stomach. After the first dose you can 

give more, up to 200 ml, by ordinary routes. 

Cow should recover in half an hour. One dose is 

usually sufficient if given early enough. 

Treatment for suspected breeding diseases 

24 hours before service give an injection of 

LA Terramycin. Serve the cow then wait for 

two days and repeat the injection. If there is 

discharge after a further two days repeat the 

injection again. If this does not work get cow 

washed out when she is on heat. 

Bloat Remedies 

1. Give vegetable oil half pint. This is very 

effective. 

2. 50 ml washing up liquid in one litre water. 

3. 100 ml water, 1 tsp washing up liquid, 1 

tbsp oil, tsp bicarb and put an aspirin up 

the rectum. 

4. 10 ml vinegar in 1 bottle water. 

5. 30 ml liquid paraffin. 

If all these fail use a troche or sharp knife on 

left (near) side, a hands width down between 

hip bone and last rib. In very bad cases enlarge 

the hole and remove the grass manually. Can 

out oil or bloat remedy in the hole. 

Calf Pneumonia 

Symptoms 

High temperature, running nose, cough, can 

have noisy breathing. 

Treatment 

Keep warm and dry and give course of 

antibiotics and Catosol. 

Lack of phosphorous in calves 

Symptoms 

Calf eats normally and no temperature but 

moves very stiffly as if joints and shoulders are 

not working properly. 

Treatment 

Give 2 tsp of bone meal in the milk twice daily 

until better. 

White scour in calves 

Treatment 

Give up to 5 cc Terramycin for 3 days and also 

half cc vitamins A, D and E once. Treat with 

scour tablets. In a severe outbreak give all 

calves 1 tsp neo Terramycin in 3-4 oz water and 

half cc vitamin A, D and E injection. Don’t put 

new calves in infected areas. If the calf is weak, 

then give 5 ml Catosol. 


34

MYVIEW 

Horse racing and golf are related 

Let us just begin this correlation by saying most jockeys relax on the golf course, more so than any 

other activity. Some declare it keeps them away from temptation of eating for a few hours. 

Others are pure putting junkies. 

By Innocent Immaculate 

Jordan Spieth isn’t retiring. 

After he missed the Barclays 

cut, it was one of the few ways 

his schedule differed from 

American Pharoah’s. 

The careers of Spieth and American Pharoah 

have been following parallel trajectories 

since 2014. They progressed, strangely 

together. They transcended their sports 

to grab attention of popular culture. Their 

images adorned covers of magazines, 

flashed across global television screens, 

gaining impact on even the most passive 

viewers. Wherever they went -- even if it 

was, in Spieth’s case, to hit some practice 

balls or, in American Pharoah’s, to take a 

routine gallop - large crowds of fans and 

media assembled. 

But, their paths are about to diverge - emphasizing 

routine tribulations. 

Spieth and American Pharoah were both 

ranked No. 1 in the world . After major 

victories that confirmed the high expectations 

they had engendered, they arrived 

at that exalted position quickly. But, 

didn’t share a story of overnight success, 

or, emerge from shadows of obscurity. 

They had always dished uncommon potential, 

Spieth as a college competitor at 

Texas University, and, American Pharoah 

as a $300,000 buy-back from an August 

sale. 

American Pharoah won the Del Mar 

Futurity by nearly five lengths at Santa 

Anita, and the Front Runner Stakes by 

more than three. Last November, Spieth 

won the Australian Open by six strokes, 

and a week later, in Isleworth, the Hero 

World Challenge by 10. 

American Pharoah traveled to Oaklawn 

Park in Hot Springs, bagging his seasonal 

debut in the Rebel Stakes. A day later, 

Spieth sunk a 30-foot putt on the third 

hole of a sudden-death playoff to catch 

the Valspar Championship. 

Returning to Oaklawn, American Pharoah 

plastered the Arkansas Derby by eight 

lengths. It was so brazenly dominant, it 

proclaimed American Pharoah to be not 

just the Kentucky Derby favorite but a total 

Mega Man. Spieth completed his plastering 

in the Masters, tying Tiger Woods 

for a lowest 72-hole score in history (270), 

setting a record for most birdies (28). 

He became only the second person since 

World War II to win three PGA tournaments 

before his 22nd birthday. 

American Pharoah graced the Belmont Stakes by 

more than five lengths. Two weeks later, Spieth 

birdied at Chambers Bay in University Place - the 

sixth person ever to snatch both Masters and U.S. 

Open within twelve months. 

American Pharoah added a Haskell victory to his 

sparkling resume, extending a streak to eight 

stakes races. Spieth added the John Deere Classic. 

After a tie for fourth in the British Open at 

St. Andrews and a runner-up performance in the 

PGA Championship, Spieth established an alltime 

record for best cumulative score, at 54 under 

par, for golf’s four major tournaments. Among a 

strong group of 3-year-olds, American Pharoah 

shone brightly. Among the greatest golfers in 

the world and the strongest PGA cohort in years, 

Spieth could rally forth. 

CRACKS BEGIN TO DRIP 

After the PGA Championship, Spieth admitted 

he was tired. At one point, he reportedly gave 

24 interviews in 24 hours. Everybody, it seemed, 

was eager to capitalize on his popularity and 

fame. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a 

Texas Rangers ballgame, met a former president 

and appeared on late-night television. Almost as 

popular as the young man being called America’s 

“wonder boy,” American Pharoah has also found 

the relentless spotlight glare glare, taxing, according 

to his trainer, Bob Baffert. The pressing 

crowds and constant attention were nearly as demanding 

as his races. The horse’s handlers must 

have felt it, too. Racetracks everywhere wanted 

their Pharoah. Baffert threw out the ceremonial 

first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers ballgame. 

And the Triple Crown winner’s jockey, Victor Espinoza, 

joined the cast for a Dance Reality Show. 

Were they flying too close to the sun? Our ultimate 

point here is that Ultra Lions are limited 

to brief encounters with ‘sporting shelf-life.’ The 

greatest race-horses burst in to our cerebral zone, 

then a few minutes later, are diverted through 

matrimonial trails forcing us to wait eagerly 

for off-spring to possibly imitate their parents. 

Lightning does strike occasionally twice, but 

not enough for satisfaction. Imagine how few 

Triple Crowners there have been since 1919! Sir 

Barton, Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), 

War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count 

Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), 

Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed 

(1978), and American Pharoah (2015). 



NEWS 

Another Kenyan shimmering 

in broader circles 

South African 

jumper 

banned by 

FEI following 

horse's failed 

doping test 

By Innocent Immaculate - 

This statute took a couple 

of years to complete under the 

skilful hand of Mark Coreth, a 

former Blues and Royals officer. 

‘What a relief,’ he said of the 

Queen’s approval. It is always a 

nervous moment for an artist 

as his creation is shown to the 

world. When a dreadful picture 

of the Queen’s first Prime Minister, 

Sir Winston Churchill, was 

unveiled, he sarcastically hailed 

it as a ‘remarkable example of 

modern art’. 

Frankel in bronze, already 

met with the approval of the 

wonder horse’s late trainer, Sir 

Henry Cecil' widow, Lady Cecil. 

She had been given a sneak 

preview with a tear in her eye. 

Frankel, now at stud in his 

own world, will forever face the 

winner’s enclosure at Ascot, his 

home for five of 14 wins, during 

an illustriously, un-matched 

reality. Frankel has been conservatively 

valued at $120 million. 

His temperament, wisdom, style, 

and charisma, are proportionate 

to paralyzing genius levels. 

AFRICAN HERITAGE 

Get this. Mark Coreth is son 

of a Muthaiga Club Member, the 

late Maurice Coreth. Mark was 

brought up on the family farm in 

Kenyan Highlands, enjoying 

African wildlife to its maximum. 

After attending preparatory 

school, Mark left Kenya 

to join the Blues and Royals, 

spending time with Regimen 

in Europe, and, 1982 Falkland 

hostilities. 

Upon returning to England, 

Mark was commissioned to make 

a silver sculpture of his regiment's 

Drum Horse "Belisarius," 

for the Warrant Officer's Mess. 

Later, a second cast in bronze, 

became Household Cavalry's 

wedding present to the Duke and 

Duchess of York. 

Entirely self-taught, drawing 

heavily on Kenyan 'savoire faire' 

exposure, Mark has since used 

his remarkable powers to build 

up an international reputation 

for mastery of portraying animals 

in motion. Mark was 

selected from eight other 

artists to create Frankel's sculpture. 

After several visits to the 

stables, measuring and studying 

Frankel's poise, Mark drew up a 

range of initial sketches. Back in 

his studio, he was able to create 

an aluminium wire skeleton, 

covered it in clay, then boom! 

Frankel came alive as a bronze in 

tall powerful, magnificence. 

"Having a sculpture of the 

finest racehorse ever, unveiled 

by the Queen at racing's greatest 

venue, was quite daunting, but 

an incredible honor." 

South African 

jumper 

Jonathan 

Clarke has 

been provisionally 

suspended by the 

International Equestrian 

Federation (FEI) after horse 

Felix Van De Mispelaere 

tested positive fo a banned 

substance following their 

victory at a CSI1 W event in 

August. 

Clarke topped the 

standings on home soil in 

Polokwane, the duo's second 

win of the season, but 

has now been hit by a ban 

after a sample taken from 

the horse found traces of 

Minoxidil. 

The substance is on the 

FEI prohibited list as it is a 

vasodilator, which causes 

blood vessels to dilate, 

which brings about an 

increase in blood flow. 

Felix Van De Mispelaere 

has been suspended for 

two months and both the 

athlete and the horse owner 

have the opportunity to 

appeal the decision at an 

FEI tribunal to request the 

lifting of the respective 

bans, which came into effect 

on October 21, the date of 

notification. . 

Liam Morgan for insidethegames.biz 

Sadness of steeplechasing 

Champion Steeplechaser, Divine Fortune, tumbles over the 

10th and final fence at Saratoga's $150,000 Turf Writers Cup. 


The 12-year-old chestnut gelding fell so 

badly after leading throughout for 2 miles. 

As a multiple graded stakes winner, 

owned by William Pape and trainer Jonathan 

Sheppard, Divine Fortune did get up, but, had 

to be euthanized after it was determined he 

fractured a shoulder in the spill, and couldn't 

be saved. Makari also had a fatal accident, 

same place, in 2014. 

Jockey Darren Nagle escaped injury, but 

was totally inconsolable. Divine Fortune is 

the seventh fatality at the current Saratoga 

meeting. 

Four horses died during their respective 

races, and another three while training. 


36

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

FEI to establish working group to 

review dressage training methods 

By Michael Pavitt 

A 

working group is 

to be established 

by the International 

Equestrian 

Federation (FEI) to 

review Annex XIII of the Dressage 

Stewards Manual, which focuses 

on training methods. 

The decision to create the group 

was made following a meeting of 

the FEI Dressage Committee and 

stakeholders in the sport at the 

governing body’s headquarters in 

Lausanne, Switzerland. 

While the exact composition of 

the group is yet to be established, 

the FEI have stated it will include 

representatives from the International 

Dressage Riders Club and 

the International Dressage Trainers 

Club, the FEI steward general, a 

veterinary expert and a representative 

of the Dressage Committee. 

After the full make-up of the 

group is decided they will be tasked 

with examining training methods 

for dressage, with the aim that 

they will present their findings to 

the FEI Bureau for approval after a 

couple of months. 

The meeting of the Dressage 

Committee was led by its chairman 

Frank Kemperman, while FEI 

Starting up early 

President Ingmar De Vos was also 

present to welcome representatives 

from dressage stakeholder clubs 

and the European Equestrian 

Federation. 

In addition to the decision 

to form the working group, 

discussions were also held over 

stewarding, including the monitoring 

of pre-competition training 

techniques and judging. 

“This was a very constructive 

meeting,” said Kemperman. 

“There was a lot of solid debate 

and interesting proposals about 

stewarding and judging. 

“It was very good to reach 

agreement on the formation of a 

working group to review and, if 

necessary, revise Annex XIII of the 

Dressage Stewards Manual.” 

Proposals for new competition 

formats and issues surrounding 

the education, support and respect 

for officials were among the areas 

discussed at length, with the debate 

set to continue with another 

Dressage Committee meeting this 

week. 

Following the second meeting, 

proposals will then be put forward 

at the FEI General Assembly, which 

is due to take place in Puerto Rico 

from November 10 to 13. 

Goodnight and God Bless Veronica Scott-Mason 

A young child improvising a dog for a horse. Certainly thinking 

ahead of her times. 


While remitting comfort to family and 

friends of Veronica Anne Scott-Mason, who 

passed away peacefully in Dorrigo, New 

South Wales, it is true that many of our 

younger readers will not have heard of the 

tall, exquisitely private lady, who left Kenya 

in high esteem. Veronica and her husband 

John, were wealthy enough to set up 

Hazelwood Stud at Southbrook, Towoomba, 

where they trained race-horses successfully. 

The happy couple were avid fanatics of 

Ngong racing, training the very best graded 

thoroughbreds at their ranch in Molo. Julie 

McCann remembers how Veronica supported 

her mission as a jockey, when she 

starting out many years ago. Veronica also 

used to be an air-race competitor, and, major 

farmer, supplying a variety of all sorts of 

equine food to rural establishments. 

Veronica thought nothing of hard 

work. She enjoyed every minute of her 

life in Africa, producing winners of many 

denominations, from Nurseries to Classics. 

Those of maturity will remember certain 

names like Mirror, Glass Slipper, Torvale, 

and, Torland, whom she shared with Kay 

Spiers. Those mentioned were each multiple 

Cup specialists. 

Adjusting to life in Queensland was not 

instant, especially as Veronica did not totally 

agree with their basic methodology of 

training. It seemed fairly rugged and harsh, 

compared to greater areas like Sydney, 

Perth, or, Melbourne. 

A ‘kwaheri’ for Veronica will be held 

14 November, noon-time, at Bruce Nightingale’s 

Njoro Stud. Lunch and sentiments 

are sifting into an auction of original paintings, 

proceeds of which would be strictly 

dedicated to the Donkey Trust, and, KSPCA 

(Society for the prevention of cruelty to 

animals). 



RIO OLYMPICS 2016 

Japan pips South Africa by the 

narrowest of margins 

gone for each team, the leaderboard showed 

Japan out in front on a total of 197.1 but the 

South Africans were less than two points adrift 

on 195.82. 

There was huge pressure on the last competitor 

from each side, and a great 68.420 from the 

final South African partnership of Nicole Smith 

and her 17-year-old mare, Victoria, really put it 

up to Japanese anchorman Masanao Takahashi. 

The 33-year-old has only been partnering 

the experienced Fabriano for a few months now, 

the 16-year-old stallion previously competing 

at two European Championships, the London 

2012 Olympic Games and the Alltech FEI World 

Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy, France 

with Austria’s Renate Voglsang on board. Takahashi, 

who was a team bronze medallist at the 

Asian Games in Doha, Qatar in 2006, produced 

progressively good results with the horse at 

Wiesbaden, Capelin and Verden this summer 

however, and yesterday their 68.600 was good 

enough to fill sixth place in the competition and 

to swing the pendulum of good fortune in his 

country’s direction by the tiniest of margins. 

A sixth-place finish for Masanao Takahashi and Fabriano clinched a qualifying spot at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games 

for the Japanese team at yesterday’s special Olympic Dressage qualifying competition staged in Perl, Germany. (FEI/ 

Karl Heinz Freiler) 


There was joy and heartache in 

equal measure at the special 

Olympic qualifier staged 

in Gestut Peterhof in Perl, 

Germany last month where Japan pipped 

South Africa by the narrowest of margins 

for a coveted team slot at the Rio 2016 

Olympic Games. 

In a competition that swung in favour 

of both sides at various stages, it seemed 

the result could go either way. But in 

the end Team Japan came out on top by 

just 0.06 percentage points to clinch it. 

There was some compensation for the 

disappointed South Africans when Tanya 

Seymour, who produced a lovely test to 

finish fourth in the competition with 

Ramoneur, earned her country one of the 

two individual qualifying spots on offer, 

the other going to Korea when Dongseon 

Kim finished eighth with Bukowski. 

A total of 34 athletes from 17 nations 

lined out in the 2* Grand Prix competition 

staged within the framework of the CDI4* 

Dressage Gala at the charming German venue, 

and 21 were chasing the Olympic qualifying 

slots. There were only two countries in contention 

for the single team berth - Japan and South 

Africa - while competitors from Indonesia, Iran, 

Kazakhstan, Korea, Morocco, Palestine, Philippines, 

Singapore and Chinese Taipei also battled 

it out for the individual qualifying places. This 

special qualification event was open to competitors 

from FEI Olympic Groups F and G and to 

the FEI Olympic Group C countries Kazakhstan, 

Kyrgystan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

Good start 

Kazuki Sado got the Japanese effort off 

to a good start when posting 65.180 with the 

11-year-old gelding Ziroco, and when Akane 

Kuroki scored 66.280 with Don Luka and Shingo 

Hayashi earned 65.640 with Ramses der II they 

already had the edge. 

The South Africans however were chasing 

them hard, a big score of 68.880 from Tanya 

Seymour and Ramoneur seriously boosting her 

side’s chances when added to Denise Hallion’s 

63.220 with Wervelwind, and Katherine Berning’s 

63.180 with Brisbane. With three riders 

Surprised but happy 

Japanese Chef d’Equipe, Shinichi Terui, said 

afterwards, “I was surprised today but very 

happy we are going to Rio! The South Africans 

were very strong, and their last rider was 

particularly good, so in the end I think we are 

lucky!” However he commended his team for 

their great result. “All four riders did a very good 

job today. They were under a lot of pressure, and 

I’m really happy with how they coped with that” 

he pointed out. 

South African Chef d’Equipe, Jenny Neill, 

said, “it was so tight with the marks, but I’m 

very pleased with our performance, our team 

has come so far and I am excited by how well 

they did today and very happy that we have 

qualified one individual for Rio. Hopefully we 

might also get another individual qualified as 

well. But while I’m very excited I’m also very 

disappointed - in the end however, it is what it 

is!” she added. 

She said she wasn’t surprised that Tanya 

Seymour had produced such a strong result to 

finish fourth in the class that was, predictably, 

dominated by German riders - Uta Graf taking 

top spot with Lawrence followed by Stella Roth 

in second with Rubin Action while Hendrik 

Lochthowe finished third with Maggie’s US 

Latin. 

Get 

... Magazine to get the latest stories in 

Polo ● Horseracing ● Dressage ● Showjumping ● Showing 


38

1. 

Our snappers were at the Kenya International Polo 

Tournament at the Nairobi Polo Club 

1. Royal Salute marketing manager Nelson Aseka 

(second left) with the Royal Salute team 

2. Samsung East and Central Africa General Manager 

Robert Ngeru 

3. Samsung Team players from left Davey Evans, 

Mbu Ngugi, Jamie Murray and Richard Stonewig 

4. Amani Nzomo makes his remarks after a remarkable 

performance for his team. 

5. Amani Nzomo of Samsung polo team in action 

during the Kenya International Cup at Jamhuri 

Polo Grounds 

2 3 

4 

5 


1. 2. 

3 

Mt Kenya Pony Club Junior Camp - 

Marania Farm 

1 /2: Action at the Kenya International 

Polo tournament at the Nairobi Polo 

Club at Jamhuri Park in September. 

3. Winners of the Fancy Dress Class at 

the Nanyuki Show. 

4. Youngsters enjoying themselves at 

the Nanyuki Show. 

5/6 Young ones riding at the Nanyuki 

Show. 

7. One of the young winners. 

8. Caspar Millbank on Tango 

9. Elizabeth Warner on Shackleton 

10 Luisa Vittone 

4 


40

5 

10 

6 

9 

7 8 


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44

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