One of the wonders of Youth Champs each year is the variety of disciplines on display and the number of riders competing at the top of these. We would argue that one of the most coveted titles on offer at the show is that of Junior Open Equitation Champion; this is not only because the winner has competed against riders from around the country for the title or that this title is more rider-based than any other, but also because it qualifies the rider to ride in the most prestigious (in our opinion) equitation event on the calendar, the Philip Smith Memorial Equitation Championships.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Philip Smith invites the top four riders from the SA Youth Champs Junior Open Equitation Championships to compete against each other, riding each others’ horses on the flat and in jumping. It is usually hosted at the SA Easter Festival the following year.
This year
This year, an incredibly strong field of 32 riders representing Gauteng, KZN, the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape and the Free State vied for the title. Amongst these competitors were several riders (and horses) who had previously qualified for the Philip Smith, including Juliana Haden-Smith, Katie Frack, Olivia Roberts, Mikaela Martin, and Hamza Minty.
DID YOU KNOW?
Once you have won the Philip Smith, you are not eligible to compete in the event for a second time.
The test
A ‘Special Test’ is released each year for the Championships at Youth Champs. This year, the Open Individual Championships required riders in Part One to:
1. Enter at canter and show 10-12 strides of lengthened canter.
2. In collected canter, ride a +/- 15m circle, trot and lengthen the trot for 8-10 strides, and then canter another +/- 15m circle in collected canter on the opposite rein.
3. Halt and rein back 3-5 steps.
4. Jump the three jumps set on a straight line on a serpentine track (five efforts), maintaining the canter.
In Part Two, riders jumped the course (at 1.10m) and were judged on rhythm, track, accuracy and position.
Eight riders progressed to Part Three, where they swapped horses, drawing a random horse from a bag. After a very short familiarisation, they had to:
1. Trot +/- 10m circle.
2. Canter +/- 15m circle.
3. Lengthen the canter +/-20m circle, collect the canter and show a flying change or change through the walk to the opposite rein.
4. Jump one jump (no stirrups).
5. Jump two other jumps, including a combination.
Unlike most other equitation competitions, the Individual Championships had a Part Four. Part Four is only used if “the athletes with the top two scores after Part Three have less than four marks separating 1st and 2nd place.” This was the case this year, and two riders progressed to Part Four: Alexandra Ric-Hansen and Hamza Minty. In Part Four, they were both required to ride the ‘mystery horse’, the six-year-old gelding, Capital Chaplin, and perform the following test:
1. Enter at canter and show two changes of leg on a straight line.
2. Perform a figure 8, where the first circle is in trot and the second circle is in canter. Then, the pair must lengthen the canter on the circle.
3. Jump three verticals on a straight line on a serpentine track (three efforts), maintaining the canter.
With three judges able to allocate a maximum of 20 points for each phase, giving a maximum possible point total of 240 points, Alex and Hamza achieved an incredible average of 18.7/20 with only two points separating them. Alex and Callaho Laios came out on top with 224.5 (out of a possible 240), with Hamza and Erreplus Atoki in second with 222.5!
FAST FACT
Capital Chaplin is by Capital Colnardo and is out of a Capital Conlanc mare. Capital Conlanc and Jenna Eager were the SA Junior Open Equitation Champions in 2022!
Catch up with Alexandra Ric-Hansen
Here, we catch up with Alexandra after her SA Junior Open Equitation Championship win.
HQ: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Alex: I recently turned 18 and have spent my whole life in KZN, in an area five minutes away from Shongweni Club. I’m still in traditional school, but I finish this year, and I hope to continue studying next year.
HQ: How and when did you start riding?
Alex: I have loved riding my whole life. I started when I was two years old and haven’t stopped since. I started because my brother did it, and I wanted to join. My mother had always ridden but more recreationally and decided to take my brother to lessons, and then eventually, I went. My brother stopped, but I continued.
HQ: Can you tell us a bit about your Pony Rider career?
Alex: My pony career officially started in 2015 in the 50 cm classes. I slowly progressed through the heights until 2018, when I started in the Open Pony Riders with Laddie (My Irish Boy) and Why Not. I had my first significant pony win that year with Laddie when we won the FEI Children’s Gold Tour, but then we had to regroup because of a confidence knock. In 2019, the year started with winning the Open Pony Rider President’s Cup on Laddie and later on in the year, we won the Open Pony Rider SA Champs, Derby and the 1.20m Youth Extravaganza. Why Not also played an important role and helped me win the 1.10m Youth Extravaganza and Pony Rider Open Equitation. I am incredibly grateful for the wonderful ponies my parents gifted me and how they allowed me to grow in the sport. I wouldn’t be here without them and all the lessons they taught me.
HQ: You are also one of a handful of riders that have won both PR SA Showjumping Champs and Junior SA Showjumping Champs. Could you tell us about those wins?
Alex: Both are wins I hold very close to my heart. It has always been a dream of mine to win the Pony Rider SA Champs, and in 2019, Laddie made it come true. That year, Champs was held in the Bob Charter, but we had yet to be able to jump in it due to the excessive rain we had in the week. Luckily, on the last day, the arena dried, and we could jump in it. Laddie was the only pony to jump the full two rounds and the jump-off clear, and we ended up with the win. That was my last official show on Laddie, and Laddie jumped about nine clear rounds that show. Laddie rose to the occasion, and I’m always grateful to have been a part of his career. Then, in the SA Champs in 2022, my special Laios fought to help me win the Junior Open SA Champs. Laios and I had already won the Junior Outdoor Grand Prix and Derby that year, but I didn’t feel confident starting the SA Champs. We had quite a few poles before the Championship, and I was not convinced I was a competitor for the title, but Laios showed me I was wrong. Only two of us were clear after the first two rounds, and luckily, we could claim the win. I will forever be grateful for how Laios fought for me that day and how he always continues to fight for me in the ring. Both wins are some of my favourite wins, and I couldn’t be more grateful for my parents and the opportunities they have given me with my horses.
HQ: Could you tell us a bit about your special Laios and how your partnership began?
Alex: My golden child and I began our journey in 2020 with the help of Ronnie Healy, who found Laios for us. We bought Laios from Craig Rankin. Rainer Korber had produced Laios up to the 1.30m. My little man is my heart horse and has a heart of gold. We bought Laios to be my Junior horse, but he has exceeded all expectations. Sadly, we got stuck in lockdown due to COVID-19, so Laios and I could not compete. Straight after the lockdown was lifted, Laios and I did our first 1.30. together, which was my first ever 1.30m. We continued to grow together, and later that year, we did our first 1.35m. It wasn’t until 2022 that Laois and I had an incredible year, but that year, we won the Junior Outdoor Grand Prix, Derby and SA Champs. Then, in 2023, Laios and I turned to the Adult classes and did our first 1.50. Little Laios is a very special horse in my life and has given me so much confidence in the ring. He truly has given me everything, and recently, Laios made another dream come true and jumped around our first World Cup. Laios is nothing but perfection in my eyes.
FAST FACT
Alex is the only rider to have won the ‘Junior Triple Crown’; she did this in 2022 when she won the Junior Outdoor GP, Junior SA Champs and the Junior Derby!
HQ: You say ‘Little Laios’; how big is he?
Alex: He is just a little over 16 hands.
HQ: That is amazing! What are your plans with Laios, and can you tell us about the other horses in your string and your plans with them?
Alex: With Laios, I hope to continue in the 1.50m classes and World Cups and maybe try the ‘Big’ Derby, but at the end of the day, Laios will tell me what he wants to do, and I will always listen. Laios has found his forever home, and I owe him for everything he has done for me. I’m fortunate to have a special mare, Lemalia, coming up the grades. We bought her in 2022 but could only import her at the end of last year. She is a very spicy mare with a whole lot of attitude but loves jumping. She is quite tricky to get on and sound-sensitive, but she has slowly improved with some work and time to relax. I hope for her to be a World Cup horse, but for the rest of the year, I want to get her a lot stronger and back to her old self like when we bought her; I’m in no rush with her.
HQ: How long have you been competing in equitation?
Alex: I’ve done it since I was maybe ten, starting in the Pony Rider Novice. So, for about eight years now.
HQ: What does it mean to you to have won the SA Junior Open Equitation Championship title and qualified for the Philip Smith?
Alex: I honestly didn’t believe that I would win it. I usually have bad luck with my Part Three horses, and I was worried it would happen at SA Champs, but I was very lucky to draw a lovely horse, TI Wavedancer. It was a very tough mix of riders, and I’m extremely grateful that I could win and thankful to my coach, Jenna Odell, for helping me along the way.
It has always been a dream of mine to ride the Philip Smith, and this was my last chance. I am very excited to ride this event but also a little scared because of all the no-stirrup work I will face over the next few months. I feel very honoured to have this opportunity.
HQ: What is the best equitation and showjumping advice that you have received?
Alex: The best equitation advice, I would say, is to always sit on the horse and ride it to your own feeling, even if you have been told how to ride them.
The best showjumping advice would be to let the jump come to me and not always take the first stride you see.
HQ: And lastly, we have to ask… You’ve won the SA Equitation Championships and just jumped your first World Cup Qualifier; how did you handle all that pressure?
Alex: I’m very lucky in the sense that I can tunnel my nerves into concentration. I usually sit in a secluded spot and try to convince myself that the jumps aren’t that big. I try not to dwell on my nerves; sometimes, I will play games on my phone or talk to my dad as a distraction. Once the course is open, my nerves tend to disappear, and I become focused on the task of jumping the round I walked. Once I get on to warm up, my nerves are gone because I am more focused on the task at hand, and I always remind myself that ‘If it is meant to be, it will be’. Jenna is also constantly reminding me that Laios is capable, and so am I, and this provides me with a lot of comfort before shows like the WCQ.
Well, a big congratulations to you for adding another ‘big’ Junior title to your CV; we look forward to seeing you in the Philip Smith and we’re confident you’ll be claiming adult titles in no time!
DID YOU KNOW?
If Alex wins the SA Adult Champs, she will be the first rider ever to be crowned Pony, Junior and Adult SA Champion!