Local Show Jumpers Compete Internationally and National Jump Series #2

From CIEF

On
Saturday, November 16th
and Sunday, November 17th
Cayman’s equestrians rode for the chance to represent the Cayman
Islands in the Caribbean Equestrian Association’s (CEA) Annual
Regional Jumping Challenge and also competed in the 2nd
National Jump Series of the season. Milly Serpell, who is certified
as an FEI Level 1 Show Jumping Judge, took on the judging duties for
both shows.

Organized
by the Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation (CIEF) under the rules of
the CEA, the Regional Jumping Challenge is a competition between the
Cayman Islands and its English-speaking neighbors of Bermuda,
Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad. What is unique about this event is
that the horses and athletes do not travel in order to compete.
Instead, each participating country builds the show jumping course to
the exact specifications proscribed by the CEA.

The
competition is held at three heights: 0.7 meters, 0.85 meters and 1.0
meter. Athletes ride the course twice and their final placing is
determined by the total faults received in the two rounds, with those
receiving the least number of faults being ranking higher. Ties in
faults received are broken using the time taken in the second jumping
round, with the fastest rider being placed higher.

The
CEA Regional Jumping Challenge is both a team and individual
competition. While all riders in the Caribbean participating in the
event are ranked against one another, each country’s top athlete at
each height form a team, and their total faults and times are added
together to form a country’s team score. As a result, the final
results and ranking of all participating individuals and countries
won’t be released until each country has held its leg of the
competition, which will happen in December.

Winners
of each height of the Regional Jumping Challenge (who also make up
the Cayman Islands team) were:

Highlights
of the National Jumping Series #2 which was held on Sunday, included
double wins by Olivia Ziemniak riding Teddy in both the .60 meter and
.70 meter classes. Also participating in her first ever show was
Hallie Guizio, riding Misty in the Cross Rail division.

The
Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation (CIEF) is the national governing
body for equestrian sport in the Cayman Islands and is a member of
the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI). The CIEF holds four
show jumping events and three dressage shows each year that are open
to all equestrians in the Cayman Islands.

By
Tanya Zeimniak

END

Photo
credits: Tanya Ziemniak