Hay begin preps for Youth Equestrian Games
TOP Zimbabwe showjumper Amy Hay has left the country for Morocco where she is scheduled to have training camp ahead of her participation at the Youth Equestrian Games, in Aachen, Germany beginning next month.
The Youth Equestrian Games are due to take place from June 23 to July 3.
Hay, who was part of the Zimbabwe showjumping team that impressed at
Toyota Easter (Horse) Festival at Kyalami Park in Johannesburg, South Africa last month, will be the country’s sole representative in Germany.
However, another show jumping athlete, Jacob Peech also travelled to Morocco for training.
“Safe travels and best of luck to Amy Hay and Jacob Peech as they travel to Morocco for a training camp before Aarchen. Enjoy this incredible experience,” the Zimbabwe Equestrian Federation wrote on their Facebook page yesterday.
Hay will have a second camp in Germany prior to the Youth Equestrian Games.
The games will feature riders from 30 countries and six continents and riders will compete in both individual and continental team events.
Meanwhile, a team of Zimbabwe showjumpers showed how the sport has been growing from strength to strength after recording remarkable results at the Toyota Easter Festival in Johannesburg in April.
Hay was among the country’s flag bearers in South Africa, including Katie Loubser, Beatrix Peech, Amy Engelbrecht, Amber Morris, Sophia Philp and Kundisai Chidziva, among others.
“To be ranked in the top 10 where sometimes you have got 80-plus athletes is really amazing for us. We don’t have that same ability with the small number of riders that we have so we certainly made a big stand and a big statement in South Africa. They are riding well and we can be very proud of what our horse society is doing to encourage our riders and to keep them going,” A Zimbabwe showjumping official told NewsDay.
Zimbabwe sent 25 riders under the tutelage of Miles Peech and the athletes did well under wet conditions, and in much larger classes than what they are used to in the country.
Eight competed in the adult category, with Theresa McDonald impressing the most after posting three first position finishes in A1.10m 2-phase, A1.10m Accumulator and A1.10m Champs classes.