Unlike dressage, the equestrian sport of show jumping does not have its origins in the military battlefields of Europe. Instead, it was, somewhat surprisingly, born in 18th century England following the passing of the Enclosure Acts. Prior to the Acts, fox hunters would gallop across open fields in their pursuit of foxes, but after the Acts became law, fields became surrounded by fences causing the fox hunters to learn to leap if they were to keep up with the fox.

As the Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation launched its National Jumping Series for 2015 last week, the riders were just as enthusiastic to jump fences as the fox hunters of yesteryear, but thankfully not in pursuit of any foxes!

The fences started at 0.6m and over the course of the day doubled in height to 1.2m, a new class added for 2015. The lower classes were encouragingly competitive with new riders Abbey Swartz and Laney Bodden joining the Series for the first time.

In the 0.6m junior class, Chloe Fowler, rode Eva Muspratt’s pony, Oscar, to a clear round and took first place with Basil Humphries on Storm in second, with a cleanly executed clear round. Abbey Swartz had a fantastic first round in the Series going clear on Zeus and taking third place. Ashley van den Bol on Pony Up and Lea Rado on Never Ending Story both collected an unlucky four faults with a knock down placing them fourth and fifth, with Laney Bodden and Star in sixth with 5 faults.

At the lower levels, the adults and juniors compete separately and in the 0.6m adult class Amara Thompson was the sole competitor and introduced newcomer Cayman horse, Teddy, to the Series, with a great clear round to take first place.

The 0.7m junior class, there was as much competition for riders as in the 0.6m class. Jenna Boucher was last to go and had everyone holding their breath. She and Katrina did not disappoint, going clear and taking first place with the fastest time of the day. There were three other riders to go clear, taking places second through fourth. In second was Rado on Never Ending Story, third was Fowler, this time on her own horse Shirley, and fourth was Humphries on Storm. Bodden on Star and van den Bol on Amarilla took fourth and fifth, respectively, with four faults each.

In the adult 0.7m class, all four riders went clear, leaving it down to the clock to separate the placings. In first place was Juliette Forrester on Apollo, second was Amara Thompson on Teddy, third was Tanja Braendle on Harry and fourth was Michelle Boucher with newcomer to the Series, Filipio H.

The next class was an open class for adults and juniors at 0.85m. Jenna Boucher struck gold again on Katrina to take first place with zero faults. Also clear was Phoebe Serpell on Sunday’s Edition in second place. Thompson took third, with four faults, on her own horse, Rumour Has It, and Fowler followed suit with four faults to come fourth on Shirley. Rounding it out was Michelle Boucher on Filipio H with eight faults.

As the heights went up to a metre and above, the competitors thinned out but the talent was in no way lacking. Serpell executed a great clear round on Sunday’s Edition to take first place in the 1m open class with Thompson on Rumour Has It in second place with 12 faults.

Isabelle Smith on Edson Arantes MB was the sole competitor in the 1.1m and 1.2m classes going clear with a great round for first place in the 1.1m class and finishing on twelve faults in the 1.2m class.

CIEF also hosted cross rails classes for beginners to get their first taste of competition and ‘optimum time’ (“OT”) classes for riders to perfect their technique. In the cross rail classes, a number of new riders or riders with new horses tested out their skills and were delighted to go clear. This group included Leah Alberga on Twinkle, Lara Humphries on Storm, Megan Swartz on Princess, Kyla Manisto on Durango, Eva Muspratt on Oscar, Abbey Swartz on Zeus and Jenna Boucher on Sarah.

In the 0.6m OT class, newcomer Abbey Swartz on Zeus was first and van den Bol was second on Ricky and third on Amarilla. In the 0.7m OT class, van den Bol on Amarilla was first with Humphries on Storm in second. In the third of the OT classes, 0.85m – 1.2m, Serpell on Sunday’s Edition was first with Smith on Ed in second.

The second round of the National Jumping Series is on 1st February, 2015 and will follow a week of intense jump coaching for members of CIEF, when talented UK show jumping coach, Corinne Bracken, visits Cayman to help riders develop their jumping skills further.

For further information regarding all of CIEF’s upcoming events, log on to the CIEF’s website at www.ciefcay.com

Photo credits due to Slattery Photography,