Riding star gets colours
2005-08-04
HER pony gets no fancy food, but little Sonic and his petite rider from Paarl still managed to kick dust in the eyes of the competitors at an illustrious international jumping competition.
Elizabeth Bryant (13) and her grey pony Font Super Sonic, went to Johannesburg with her mother recently.
She remembers how they travelled for two days to jump in the Federation Equestre Internationale competition.
“That means riders from 15 countries from all over the world sent riders under 14 years to jump four courses over two days.
“The courses were high and the jumps very technical.”
There were 45 of South Africa’s best riders competing. And Elizabeth won the competition.
Her prize is a trip to Hollywood, California, in November, where Elizabeth will compete against the winners of the other countries.
She also received her South African colours, and is very proud of the blazer and tracksuit she was handed at the prizegiving ceremony.
“My pony is only five years old. He does not wear shoes or a martingale. He is not clipped like the fancy R500 000 horses and he gets only carrots where they get fed very special mixtures.
“But he lives happily and without stress on our wonderful farm Lukenburg, where he has a 5 ha paddock and rolls in the mud,” Elizabeth smiles.
The day after she won the international competition Elizabeth was asked to ride for the SA children’s team and she once again received SA colours.
The riders all competed on ponies strange to them. The New Zealand team rode Sonic while Elizabeth was given a very small riding school pony.
“But I feel I did well on him, and I had a clear round.”
And now Elizabeth can’t wait to see the television broadcast of the competition later this month.
And then it is Hollywood, here comes the riding star from Agter Paarl.
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