Winners of the Toyota Midrand World Cup Qualifier
HQ Magazine were fortunate enough to catch up with Tamar Gliksman on her fabulous win at the Toyota Midrand World Cup Qualifier aboard her special stallion Farnham Stable’s Capital Kronos. Here’s what she had to say:
The win
HQ:First and foremost, huge congratulations on your incredible win! What was going through your mind as you jumped the course?
Tamar: Thank you. I just felt really calm, which is actually not like me, and when he jumped the wall so well, I felt like it was his day to jump a clear!
HQ: And what went through your mind as you heard you had won?
Tamar: I could not believe it (laughs). I thought I was dreaming!
HQ: The World Cup Qualifiers are among the toughest events on the SA calendar, and with an international course builder, this certainly looked to be a challenging and super technical class/track. What did you think of the track and the class?
Tamar: I really liked the track, and I think it suited my horse, to be honest. The Grand Prix track on the Friday was big, so I was expecting the World Cup Qualifier to be even bigger, but when I walked it, I was confident we could do it.
Kronos
HQ:Your relationship with Capital Kronos looks to be so special. It really seems like he loves to jump with you. How did your partnership with him begin, and what has it taken to build the bond you now share?
Tamar: Thanks to my friendship with Nicole Horwood, I found out that it was an option for me to purchase a horse of this calibre in Kronos, so I grabbed the opportunity. I basically eat, sleep and breathe Kronos! He gets the best of everything and is my greatest partner.
I also ride with Barry Taylor, who has won more World Cup Qualifiers than I have ridden in, so I am grateful to have an experienced team around me to help us achieve these goals.
HQ: What have been the biggest challenges — and the biggest breakthroughs — in your journey with Kronos?
Tamar: I think all of my biggest challenges came before Kronos, to be honest. He has just been the biggest light in my life after my daughter and husband. Before Kronos, my major challenges were producing horses to the top level, only for them to get injured or, worse, die. It’s hard to come back from those situations, but it’s about having the determination to get up and go again when things go wrong.
HQ:What’s next for you and Kronos? Are there more WCQ in your sights?
Tamar: I am so grateful to sit on a horse like Kronos every day. These opportunities don’t come around easily and all the time, so I’m just enjoying the moment right now and letting what will be, be. He owes me nothing, but he has given me so much already. I’m just incredibly grateful.
Preparation
HQ:How do you prepare for an event like this? What do the weeks before a big show look like for you and Kronos?
Tamar: As Barry has taught me, we always work backwards from the last show. There is always a plan, and we always ease up closer to the big day.
HQ: And, we have to ask, how do you fit it all in? From being a mom, to running a riding school, to competing at the top of the sport…How do you make it work? Do you ever sleep??
Tamar: I have surrounded myself with the right people, whom I am eternally grateful for.
I have a very supportive husband, Nicholas, and my daughter Layah is horse mad, so spending all day with me at the stables is a treat for her.
My Farnham Riding School Team is my biggest support. Lara runs my team, Sam is my head coach, and Lauren helps me work ride when I am injured (which happens often) or when my husband forces me to go on holiday! Gibson and Ken run my grooms’ team, and, of course, Trust, my loyal groom, adores Kronos and treats him like his own son.
So, to give you the short answer, I do sleep, thanks to my amazing team! I just really plan my days and maximise my hours as best I can, so I can be as productive as possible.
In fact, I’m not quite busy enough as I’m actually looking for more rides at the moment. My special Outeniqua has retired, and it’s always hard, not having a younger string coming up, but I am working on it. I have a very talented youngster, Allesandro Rossi S, who I am super excited about. He is an Eldo baby out of my mare, Suprina, who is also retired. Then, I am lucky enough to ride a lovely horse called Gondor Warsaw, owned by Gina and Georgia Welthagen, with whom I am currently competing in the 1.30m classes.
Background
HQ: Can you share a bit more about your background in riding — when and how did you start, and who or what have been your biggest influences?
Tamar:I rode at Byerley Park Stables and was taught by David Wilkin and Rogan Asken, who used to come to us once a month and give the coaches lessons. Then, I went to Roger Hessen and rode with him for a year or two, before finding Gonda and riding with her for a couple of years before moving to Barry [Taylor].
I feel like every single person and horse in my life has taught me something. No coaching experience has been a waste, but finding a system and a trainer and sticking with it has brought me my greatest success. I think it’s a good lesson for youngsters that swapping and changing from coach to coach when things go wrong is not always the answer. It’s best to find a system that you like and you trust and then stick with it through the good and the bad, the ups and the downs, the wins and the losses. That’s where I think the key to success is.
Ultimately, there are many great trainers out there, but what works for me is the consistency and sticking to a system.
HQ: You’ve owned and run Farnham Riding School for some time. Please tell us about the yard, the goals you have for it and your teaching philosophy?
Tamar: When I was younger, I rode at a riding school, and it was the best part of my life. I loved going to the stables, I loved being with my friends, I loved learning horsemanship and being with the horses.
When I started my own business, I wanted to replicate that feeling and environment for kids. I wanted to take all the positive aspects that I’d learnt and change all the negatives, and put together a haven for kids to come and learn and love horses.
I wanted kids to learn in a professional and safe environment that was conducive to learning as much as possible.
I think I’ve done that. I think I’ve built the most beautiful haven for adults and for children to come and learn to ride and love horses.
This sport is not just about winning, and it’s also not just about having fun. You can choose your path, and that’s what we want at Farnham. This sport is for everyone, and I wanted a place where people could come and experience that horses are for everyone, and you can choose the avenue you wish to pursue. You don’t have to be a showjumper, you don’t have to be a dressage rider, you can be a hacker or be whatever you want to be. That’s what Farnham is – it’s a place to come to try everything and choose what you want to do – and love horses!
Thank you
I want to thank the Bernstein and Gliksman families, Nicholas (aka the best husband and dad), Layah (my daughter) and of course my sponsors – Western Shoppe, Equifeeds, MaxGut Health, WINX Brokers, Homeation, Farnham Riding School and EquiCool Hydrotherapy.