Winter Classic hosts elite showjumpers at Shongweni

THIS year’s Nissan Winter Classic has once again attracted a stellar line-up of equestrian competitors to the event that kicked off at Durban Shongweni Club showgrounds yesterday and runs until Sunday.

Competing in the showjumping spectacle – which forms the second of five elite events that make up the South African leg of the World Cup Jumping qualifiers – is an incredible 300 leading local and international riders, among them the record-breaking Lorette Knowles-Taylor.

No stranger to this illustrious competition, Knowles-Taylor and her now-retired horse, Nissan Nabab Forever, broke the South African 6 Bar record in 2014 with a height of 2m. The pair went on to break their own record the following year with a height of 2.05m.

Soweto-born Musa Maluleke is excited to be participating in this year’s contest, saying: “It’s a big step for me, competing in such a big event, and it’s one step forward in my showjumping career.”

After being introduced to the sport by renowned South African showjumper, Enos Mafokate, Maluleke started riding, initially for fun, keeping himself busy after school.

“Where other kids were into soccer mostly, I decided to take a different route and tried horse riding, not realising there were different disciplines,” he said. “I was enjoying it and was getting to know the sport better when I decided to go for showjumping.”

Also competing this year will be last year’s winner of the main class, the Nissan 1.5m FEI World Cup Qualifier, Cinzia Pasteris, as well as previous winners, Jonathan Clark and Nicole Horwood.