With Hamza Minty and Chad Cunningham

At 17, Hamza Minty has dominated South African showjumping with a remarkable string of victories. Behind the success lies a systematic approach developed by coach Chad Cunningham – a method built on decades of study, classical principles, and an unwavering commitment to both horse and rider development.

Seventeen-year-old Hamza Minty is having the kind of year most riders only dream about. From winning the Philip Smith Memorial Trophy at the start of 2024 to closing out the season with a Gold Tour Grand Prix victory at Steyn City, Minty has proven he’s not just another talented junior; he’s a force reshaping the landscape of South African showjumping.

His trophy cabinet from this year alone tells an extraordinary story: first and second in the Under 25 South African Championship (for the second consecutive year), second in the President’s Cup, number one on the SASJ Junior High Performance Rankings, and winner of the Under 25 Rising Stars Series. He missed qualifying for the Youth Olympic Games by mere months due to a change in the age requirement.

What makes this success even more remarkable is that it’s not built on one exceptional horse, but rather on a systematic approach developed with his coach, Chad Cunningham, that brings the best out of each horse in his string.

The six C’s: Five horses, one system

Ask Cunningham and Hamza about the secret to Hamza’s success, and he’ll tell you about the six C’s: Conray, Conti, Calito, Corida, Classy, and Chad. It’s a lighthearted reference to the five horses in Minty’s string and his coach, but it underscores something crucial; this is a systematic operation where every element works together, yet each horse is treated as an individual.

Callaho Conray

At 14 years old, Conray was Minty’s first open horse, purchased when the horse was 11. “He came as a schoolmaster already,” Minty explains. “He’s really easy, and he pretty much does it all. He’s Mr Consistency.” It’s this reliability that has made Conray a cornerstone of Minty’s success and a trusted partner in the ring.

Callaho Corida de Rebelle

At seven years old, Corida tells a different story. Originally difficult and intended for Hamza’s brother, she found her person when Minty took over the ride. “She came for a bit of boot camp, but as soon as I started riding her, she was different,” he says. This year, she won both the President’s Cup and the Under 25 South African Championship with Minty.

“She’s probably one of my best horses,” he admits. “She’s a fiery chestnut; she knows when the pressure’s on and just rises to the occasion.” But Corida is also a testament to Cunningham’s individualised approach. “Even though she’s settled down and she’s naturally loose in her body, you can’t ask her to do any lateral work, or she’ll just stand there,” Minty explains. “She will not let you teach her anything.”

So they’ve adapted, trusting that at competitions she knows what she’s doing; “When she knows the pressure’s on, she’s different. She’s got it.”

Continental Drift

At eight years old, Conti has been Minty’s most challenging ride since she was three. “She’s been crazy ever since she was young,” he says honestly. “I do go through phases where I think, do I really want to keep her? Sometimes I don’t enjoy riding her. But I know at the end of the day, she’s going to be really good. She’s got huge ability.”At just eight years old, Conti is already jumping at 1.45m.

Callaho Con Calito

Purchased at last year’s auction specifically because he’s Conray’s full brother, Con Calito has exceeded all expectations. “I only bought him because he was Conray’s brother,” Minty admits. “I just really wanted him.” The gamble paid off. Minty took him from his first show straight up into the 1.20ms and placed second in the championships at Steyn City.

“He goes in a similar way to Conray but different,” Minty explains. “Conray feels amazing when he goes, but Con Calito just has this presence to him. He knows he’s good.” Cunningham believes Con Calito might even surpass his famous brother: “I do love what I’m seeing in these early days; I think Con Calito is even going to be a better horse than Conray.”

Classy Boy

The newest addition, Classy, has proven to be a match made in heaven. Minty had only been on the horse for a week or 10 days before their first class at the KPC League show. He went on to place sixth in the Silver Grand Prix at Steyn City despite an unfortunate rail, posting the fastest four-fault round in the first round and the fastest clear in the jump-off – two and a half seconds faster than the winner. “If he didn’t have the rail, he would have won the silver Grand Prix as well,” Cunningham notes. “He’s so lovely to ride and very sweet in the stable,” Minty shares.

 

Under pressure

While Minty admits to getting “very nervous” before competing, you’d never know it from watching him. “Cutthroat, ice cold, focused,” is how Cunningham describes his student’s competition demeanour. “He has an unbelievable way of staying zoned.”

For his part, Minty keeps his pre-competition routine simple. “I don’t like overthinking,” he says. “I find it easier just to watch people ride and kind of go over the course as they ride it.” Rather than running the course repeatedly in his mind, he stays in the zone by observing other riders and maintaining his focus.

His father has learned to respect this process. “I know his dad worries because Hamza seems so chilled at shows,” Cunningham shares. “But I know that by the time Hamza is on his horse, he is zoned. He knows what the assignment is.”

Discipline

When asked about the source of his discipline, Minty is modest. “I actually don’t know where it comes from,” he admits. “It comes from my mum, I think.” Now homeschooled to accommodate his riding schedule, he manages academics, riding five horses and gym sessions with methodical precision. He’s now included padel and golf for some fun!

His daily routine is regimented: wake at 5-6am, check horses, play with puppies, shower, schoolwork in the morning, riding in the afternoon, time with horses, gym, then home for dinner. “I spend a lot of time on the ground with my horses,” he says. “I know my horses really well.”

This discipline extends to every aspect of his riding. He knows each horse’s quirks intimately – which bits work when, how each horse responds to pressure, when to push and when to back off. It’s a level of attention to detail that sets him apart from many riders twice his age.

The road ahead

With matric on the horizon and competition plans for Europe and America in development, Minty is at an exciting crossroads. When asked about his preference, he’s clear: “I’d like to go to America.” He’s drawn to the American system’s culture of young riders competing at the highest levels.

“The difference between America and Europe that I’ve seen is that there are a lot of young riders jumping the top classes there,” Minty explains. “In Europe, there’s more like the well-known greats jumping the top classes.” He cites riders like Darragh Kenny and Richard Vogel as examples of European riders who’ve succeeded through the American system.

The international interest is already building. Hamza received a message from one of the recent Steyn City Nations’ Cup riders after a recent performance: “He said, ‘You ride beautifully, the invite’s open, you can come train with me, come ride with me.'” David Simpson extended a similar offer.

But before any international moves, there are still domestic goals to achieve. Three titles remain on their wish list: the Junior Derby, the South African Grand Prix, and the Nations Cup Championship. They’ve already won the Under 25 title; now they want the others. Hamza is clear, if a little frustrated, about the restriction on jumping 1.50m classes – if I jump a 1.50m I can’t go back to the Junior level so I have to wait if I want to win any more Junior titles.

“Our next six months, until Junior SA Champs, we want to explore those options,” Cunningham says. “I do believe that the writing’s on the wall there for Hamza. I really do.”

The system

To understand Hamza’s success, you need to understand the system that produced it – a method years in the making, built on classical foundations and refined through Chad Cunningham’s decades of study with some of the world’s best coaches.

The foundation

With FEI accreditation, qualification through the British Horse Society, and extensive experience across multiple systems, Cunningham has spent his career studying how the best in the world develop horses and riders.

“I’ve always been fascinated by education,” Cunningham explains. His résumé reads like a who’s who of show jumping: trained with George Morris, worked extensively with Gonda Betrix, ridden with Tim Stockdale, and continues to study through training videos and podcasts actively. Recently, he was approached by a major academy to conduct a masterclass – a testament to the system he’s developed.

But perhaps the most influential lesson came early in his career from George Morris: “George said to me something very early on ‘Chad, whatever you and your horse take out of yourselves, because you have to give as much as you can to win a Grand Prix, whatever you take out, you’ve got to put back in’.”

This philosophy of preservation – understanding that horses need time to recover physically and mentally after big efforts – became a cornerstone of Cunningham’s approach. Combined with the extreme discipline he learned from Gonda, who was “meticulous about those things,” Cunningham developed a system that balances high performance with longevity.

Finding the approach

For years, Cunningham searched for what he calls a more ‘universal system.’ When he started taking students on international tours, he faced a challenge: each riding system had its strengths, but they were often incompatible.

“It was difficult to take my students to one place as they’d be stuck in one nation’s training,” he explains. “There was the French, British, English, German, Dutch, and American systems. But with all this travelling we have now, there’s been a merge. The Germans have taken from the Americans how to go fast, and the Americans have taken from the Germans how to school their horses. It’s been great”

This universal system became Cunningham’s foundation. But he had two other requirements for his tours: finding horses that students could actually learn on (not just dealing yards with tough horses), and creating an environment where students could experience the holistic side of the sport – the stable management, the preparation, the culture.

Today, Cunningham’s reach is extensive. He teaches clinics in Port Elizabeth, KZN, Kenya (a first this year), and Mauritius. Tours are planned for the UAE, Wellington, and possibly the Global Champions Tour.

The mental edge

Long before sports psychology became mainstream in equestrian sport, Cunningham was exploring its potential. His journey into the mental side of riding began with Anneta Patarakis, who was just starting her work with riders when Cunningham discovered her.

“She hadn’t written her first book yet,” Cunningham recalls. “She hadn’t worked with a lot of riders. She was just venturing out with this idea.” Patarakis, herself a rider who had walked away from the sport due to the old “you’re not tough enough mentally” philosophy, saw an opportunity to give back and help riders develop mental resilience.

“We were lucky enough to be early adopters of her approach,” Cunningham says. “She worked individually with all my athletes on tour, gave us group talks.” The investment paid off – Patarakis has since written her second book, and many of Cunningham’s students have completed her online courses before moving to personal one-on-one sessions.

The mental training progressed through work with Yannick Patzai before arriving at the current collaboration with Natalie Fourie and her neurofeedback training. Fourie’s assessment of Hamza revealed something remarkable: “She did say to me he gets into the high beta range and can stay in it much more than an average person,” Cunningham explains. This ability to reach and maintain intense focus is a rare gift, but one that’s being honed and developed through systematic training.

“There’s a lot out there that we are still discovering,” Cunningham reflects on the mental game. Both he and Hamza work with Fourie, and while Cunningham admits he doesn’t always feel the immediate effects, “the people that know you well enough around you, they start to see the change.”

The cake and the icing

Cunningham has a philosophy he shares with all his students: “The shows are just the icing. The cake is your management, your lessons, looking after your horses, loving them, spending time, forming a rapport with them, knowing when to jump them or not to jump them, when to back off them, when to push them. That’s the cake. That’s the big stuff, that’s the boring stuff that people don’t want to do.”

This philosophy manifests in meticulous preparation. “My philosophy with my students is you’re not going to try and turn tight to that big oxer or turn inside to that fence or go to that angle if we haven’t practised it,” Cunningham explains. “If your horse is not good at angles, we’re not doing it in the ring until we know that horse is 100 percent at home. If they’re not 100 percent at the thing, we don’t do it.”

This preparation extends to every detail. Cunningham has what he calls “a memory like an elephant” for each horse’s quirks and history. “I will be able to say, that horse did this on the right-hand turn,” he explains. It’s this level of detailed preparation that allows him to send students into the ring with confidence.

“I feel so confident in my students when they go to a show,” he says. “Most of the time, I feel confident when I say, ‘Let’s go and do this, we’ve got this’, because it feels like we’ve prepared well enough, and it wasn’t like we prepared on Wednesday for the show on Saturday. It’s been a long time coming.”

The detail extends to course planning. “We are very detailed in the way we make a plan,” Cunningham explains. He knows each horse’s strengths intimately. For example, Conray and several others have “huge scope, but they’re modern sporthorses – little horses with big power. The more momentum they have, the more scope, the more careful they get. We build this into our plans for how to jump the course”

Poles not jumps

Perhaps the most counterintuitive aspect of Cunningham’s system is how little many of his students actually jump. “Most of the time, we barely jump,” he reveals. “A lot of other people jump every lesson. My horses don’t jump often.”

Instead, the work focuses on poles and flatwork. “A lot of the work we do with poles; you can simulate everything except the jump,” Cunningham explains. “You’re simulating the track, the accuracy of seeing the distance, the adjustability of the stride, the regularity of the stride. You can fix quite a few things without the jump.”

This doesn’t mean no jumping at all. “At the same time, someone who is nervous about jumping, does need to jump. They need to simulate that feeling of getting comfortable with the jump,” he acknowledges. “But they don’t have to overjump the horse.”

The gymnastics work is equally strategic. “We do gymnastics, but we don’t do gymnastics every week either. We do gymnastics every now and again when it’s needed.”

The system is built on classical foundations. Hamza has done extensive no-stirrup work – something Cunningham is passionate about. “If you do a little bit all the time, not every day, but if twice a week, you do five minutes, you will become a better rider,” he insists. “If you want to have better feel, better connection with your horse, better independence you need to do it; you’re not going to have an independent seat with your stirrups and your legs stuck forward.”

Equitation

One aspect of Hamza’s development that Cunningham is particularly proud of is the foundation built through equitation competition. “I’m really proud that he did go through the whole equitation thing,” Cunningham says. “I still feel like that is such a great discipline for people learning and developing. I feel like it should be almost mandatory for young riders.”

It wasn’t always easy. “It’s not always the easiest, and it’s actually subjective at points,” Cunningham acknowledges. But the benefits are undeniable. “You can tell the people that do equitation and you can tell the people that did it properly.”

Hamza’s extensive no-stirrup work and classical flatwork training give him tools that many riders lack. “He can definitely school the horses, and he’s had all this grounding working without stirrups, doing all those flatwork movements,” Cunningham explains. This foundation means that when things go wrong in the ring, Hamza has the physical tools to recover.

“If their basics and foundations are not good and they get into trouble or the horse gets into trouble, they can’t get out of it as quickly as possible,” Cunningham explains. “But if the seat is strong, the leg is strong, they’ve got things – they’ll just go to it naturally. They’ve got a good solid leg position because all their balance is there. If things go wrong, they can find their leg, put the leg on, and get themselves organised.”

A teacher first

Beyond his work with Hamza, Cunningham maintains a demanding teaching schedule. “I teach nine hours a day,” he says simply. He wakes early, does his own horses first, then teaches throughout the day. “I come home at lunch so Skyla (his French Bulldog) can have a bit of a break as well. I know she has a bit of the same stamina as me. I go to the gym, then have something to eat, and then I’m back in the afternoons teaching.”

His commitment extends beyond regular lessons. “I travel to go teach in Port Elizabeth and still fit in quite a few clinics.” This year marked his first teaching trip to Kenya, and he continues regular work in Mauritius.

He’s also involved with the SAEF Coach the Coaches programme and has another programme launching in 2026 that he’s not yet at liberty to discuss.

“I love teaching,” he says. “I’m not in the same office all the time with the same people. So it’s different people, different places, and if I can help people ride better, then I’m doing my job well.”

But there’s a deeper obligation he feels. “It is my obligation when I go and teach or do a clinic – it feels like I owe it to the horse to help the person be more educated. Are they sitting on the horse correctly? Are they riding through the shoulder correctly?”

Unlike some coaches who specialise in one age group, Cunningham works successfully across all levels. “I’ve had a lot of success over the years with ponies, juniors, young riders, adults,” he says. “To me, it’s the same; if it’s someone who is very keen to jump in the metres or 1.10ms but wants to learn to do it correctly, I’m all in.”

Discipline

Cunningham is known for his exacting standards – clean boots and short reins are non-negotiable. “I always say if they don’t remember me one day, they’ll remember clean boots and short reins,” he jokes. But there’s a serious philosophy behind it.

“If you’re on time, you’re late,” Cunningham tells his students. “My students know if I say seven o’clock, they’ve got to be at the bus at 6:45, or they’re going to get left behind.” This isn’t arbitrary strictness – it’s about creating habits of excellence.

“I’ve always been very, very structured and disciplined,” Cunningham says. “The second I climb out of bed, I make my bed. Even if I come home from a trip at two in the morning, I will unpack my entire suitcase, put all my toiletries away, and then I’ll get to bed.”

This discipline extends to his teaching. “I often see people taking shortcuts,” he explains. “I won’t take shortcuts. I won’t go past something until it’s done correctly. I’d rather spend a month or two months teaching it correctly. You can’t just overlook something because that’s what will come back to bite you one day.”

For Cunningham, discipline isn’t about harsh rules – it’s about standards. “Listen, we don’t feel motivated every morning,” he acknowledges. “We do not wake up every morning going, ‘I feel motivated.’ But waking up at the time you said, doing it, getting through it, getting it done – that’s discipline.”

The partnership

When asked about the secret to their success, Cunningham is quick to point out that while talent matters, it only takes you so far. “First of all, Hamza is a very talented guy. But talent is only good to a point,” he explains. “At the same time, he is extremely disciplined, extremely focused.”

“If I correct Hamza, I very seldom say the same thing again. I can explain something to him, correct it, and it’s not like it goes on for three months. That’s the difference – the level of your listening determines your level of success.”

This ability to absorb instruction and implement it immediately is rare, even among top riders. But more remarkably, Minty often makes intuitive decisions that prove to be exactly right. “Sometimes he’ll just change a bit, and it’s the right time and the right place,” Cunningham notes. “A month before, the horse wouldn’t have been ready for something like that.”

Beyond coaching

For Cunningham, Hamza represents what he calls “the model student.” Their relationship has evolved beyond traditional coaching. “It feels like I’m very much in a training mode with Hamza; we’re in a mentoring stage,” Cunningham explains. “Usually with juniors and young riders, you’re coaching because you’re instructing them to do something. With Hamza, it’s different. We’re on a training and mentoring path.”

At shows, this partnership becomes even more apparent. “I can be busy with many students, but if I just look over, Hamza’s going to his horse, and I literally, most of the time, just use hand signals,” Cunningham says. “It’s an amazing experience. There’s this synergy, or whatever you want to call it.”

Interestingly, Cunningham’s anxiety is higher when his students compete than when he rides himself. “I would rather go and jump around myself,” he admits. “The calmer I am, the calmer they are, so I stay cool on the outside but of course I really want them to do well.”

Changing the game

What makes Minty’s success particularly significant is its potential to elevate South African showjumping as a whole. His speed and efficiency are forcing other riders to adapt and improve. The traditional pace of South African showjumping is being challenged by a teenager who rides with European-level intensity.

“We’ve always had a lot of talent over the generations in South Africa,” Cunningham reflects. “There’s been great riders. Our biggest disadvantage is always where we are in terms of both geography and African Horse Sickness.” But he believes Minty represents something different, something that hasn’t been seen in South African showjumping for a long time.

“I do believe that there is going to be a path that Hamza is going to open,” Cunningham says. “We’ve seen it a bit, but we haven’t seen this level for a long time. And across multiple horses – not one exceptional horse that’s made him. He is consistent, which is actually a remarkable thing.”

This consistency across multiple horses is perhaps the strongest validation of Cunningham’s systematic approach. It’s not about finding one special horse; it’s about developing a method that brings out the best in every horse and rider combination.

The recognition is growing beyond South Africa. A top coach recently remarked to Cunningham, “It’s unbelievable how much Hamza wins. He wins huge amounts.” But for Cunningham, this success is simply the result of proper preparation meeting opportunity.

As Minty continues to rack up victories and push the boundaries of what’s possible for a teenage rider, one thing is clear: this isn’t just about natural talent meeting opportunity. It’s about a comprehensive system built on classical foundations, refined through decades of study, and executed with extraordinary discipline by both coach and student.

From the mental game – pioneered through work with sports psychologists when it was still uncommon in the sport – to the no-stirrup work and pole exercises that build unshakeable foundations, to the careful preservation of horses between big efforts, every element of the system is intentional. Nothing is left to chance.

“I’ve always been fascinated by education,” Cunningham reflects. His fascination has created something remarkable: a reproducible system that develops horses and riders to their full potential while preserving their long-term soundness and joy in the work.

For Hamza Minty, seventeen years old with a year of unprecedented success behind him, this is just the beginning. With a systematic approach, unwavering discipline, and a coach who understands how to bring out the best in both horse and rider, he isn’t just having an extraordinary year; he’s building a foundation for a career that could redefine South African showjumping for generations to come.

And perhaps most importantly, he’s showing that success at the highest levels isn’t just about talent; it’s about discipline, preparation, and a systematic approach that treats every horse as an individual while building on classical foundations. It’s about making your bed every morning, arriving fifteen minutes early, and understanding that the shows are just the icing. The cake is everything that comes before.