daniel chigunweEllina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
SHOWJUMPER Amy Hay and her Zimbabwean bred warmblood horse Rivens Whirlwind have qualified Zimbabwe for a spot at the 2022 Youth Equestrian Games to be held in Germany.
The Games are due to take place from June 23 to July 3, in Aachen, Germany.
The qualification was achieved last year but only five African nations are selected, so they were waiting for the outcome from the other countries to get confirmation.
Hay and Whirlwind accomplished this by attaining double clears in the second and third competitions of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Category A World Jumping Challenge.
They competed in Johannesburg, South Africa, in July and August last year, and came first in the second leg, and were the only Zimbabweans to have a double clear in the third leg of the competition.
The pair finished a credible 12th in the overall World Rankings for Category A.
The 2022 Youth Equestrian Games are an FEI sanctioned event that is taking place as the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) could not go ahead after they were postponed to 2026.
Following the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decision to postpone the 2022 YOG, the FEI sought IOC agreement for a replacement competition.
And the FEI Youth Equestrian Games will give young athletes aged 14 to 18 the opportunity to participate in a global competition on the unique YOG format.
Hay is excited to have met her goal of qualifying the country for the Games and said it was worth all the sacrifices she has made.
“It has been a goal of mine since I can remember, and for me to accomplish this goal after all the effort I put in is really special to me. It was definitely worth it.
“I worked really hard last year after making the decision to move to Johannesburg, South Africa, so I could challenge myself and ride at greater levels against some of the top athletes in the country.
“I couldn’t be happier to have been the one to qualify my country for the 2022 Aachen Youth Championships. Zimbabwe is such a small country, and often goes unrecognised, so it is so exciting for Zimbabwe to be included,” said Hay.
Her father, Stuart Hay, attributed the achievement to her daughter’s commitment and hard work she puts in to meet her goals.
“Amy (now 17 years of age) and Whirlwind trained hard in 2021, as Amy’s main goal was to qualify her country for this prestigious tournament. She has made some big sacrifices, choosing to spend time away from home, and do all of her AS level studying online with limited resources.
“Amy and Whirlwind are a competitive pair, and have an amazing relationship. She is a small mare but has speed on her side and will always try her hardest. She really has a big heart.
“Only the top five qualifying countries from Africa make it into the Youth Equestrian Games. The sport is competitive, and there are a lot of riders competing, so for Zimbabwe to have qualified is really something special,” said Stuart.
The other African countries that have made it are Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia.
Amy trains in South Africa under coach Charley Crockart, who is a Zimbabwean showjumper competing at the highest level in South Africa.
“She is a great coach and mentor and often pushes Amy and Whirlwind out of their comfort zone, as they seem to thrive under pressure,” Stuart said.
Amy wrapped up the previous year on a high after claiming a gold medal in the South African Youth Grand Prix Championships in Cape Town.
She became the first Zimbabwe showjumper to win a gold medal in the South African Youth Grand Prix Championships.
Online Reporter