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JOHANNESBURG. — Zimbabwe’s Charley Crockart claimed gold at the FEI World Jumping Challenge Final 2014 at Kyalami Equestrian Park in South Africa at the weekend.
This event is always guaranteed to come to an exciting conclusion with its four-rider change-horse final deciding the medals in exactly the same way as at the senior world championships.
And once again this time around the closing stages certainly didn’t disappoint, with all four finalists going into a jump-off against the clock on the last afternoon when Maria Gabriela Brugal from the Dominican Republic filled silver medal position and the host nation’s Rainer Korber took the bronze.
The purpose of this competition is to provide international competitive opportunities for less experienced riders living in comparatively remote countries, and the qualifying series takes place over 10 geographical zones.
This year 18 riders representing 11 nations — Dominican Republic, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand, Paraguay, Qatar, South Africa, Venezuela and Zimbabwe — came together for the week-long tournament that began with a draw for horses followed by training sessions and a warm-up competition.
The Ground Jury for the event included President and FEI Foreign Judge, Germany’s Joachim Geilfus, Technical Delegate Rakhshan Radpour from Iran and Switzerland’s Pierre-Alain Glatt who was FEI Veterinary Delegate.
The real business got under way when Crockart, partnering Franlaren Stud’s Etoile du Soir, topped last Tuesday’s first qualifier in which the 28-year-old Zimbabwean pipped the host nation’s Rainer Korber riding Schwaike Bogena by almost a half-second while Dominican Republic’s Brugal lined up third.
A total of 11 riders went through to the semi-final on Thursday, including three from the host nation, two from Dominican Republic and one each from Qatar, Morocco, Paraguay, New Zealand and Venezuela.
In a four-way jump-off against the clock, Maria Gabriela Brugal reigned supreme when bringing Trubador home in the quickest time of 39.57 followed by Alexa Stais in second, Charley Crockart in third and Rainer Korber in fourth place.
These four would then battle it out for the FEI World Jumping Challenge Final medals on Saturday afternoon.
“It was an amazing final!”, Crockart said afterwards. “At the beginning I thought my horse would never make it, but he became better and better and gave me everything! I am so thankful and so happy!” she added, grateful to everyone including her Zimbabwean supporters “and my Mom!”
This event is as much about participation as success, and Venezuela’s Juan Andres Sauce admitted he had some reservations about abandoning his business commitments in order to take part this year.
FEI World Jumping Challenge Final 2014:
GOLD — Charley Crockart (ZIM);
SILVER — Maria Gabriela Brugal (DOM);
BRONZE — Rainer Korber (RSA).— horsetalk.co.nz
Online Reporter