The Cayman Islands had a fantastic showing at an equestrian competition in Trinidad.
The Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation sent Polly Serpell and Thea Millward to Trinidad for the Caribbean Equestrian Association Junior Jumping Competition held last weekend.
Due to the exceptional training of Mary McTaggart from the Equestrian Center of the Cayman Islands and the coaching of Pan Am Games rider Jessica McTaggart, the Cayman riders came away with first place.
Federation vice president Jane van der Bol states their performances were exceptional.
“Polly Serpell stepped up to the 16 and under division for this show,” van der Bol said. “She did a fabulous job jumping higher jumps on bigger horses. Thea Millward was the only rider from all four countries that had four clear rounds with no penalties. Both riders did an excellent job and won the trophy for this leg of the competition.”
The combined results of both riders from each country saw Cayman on top with only eight faults. Barbados placed second with 19 faults, Trinidad third sporting 64 faults and Jamaica last having 66 faults.
Cayman’s 14U rider Thea Millward was the only competitor to have four clear rounds in the entire event. The competition had two age groups – 16 years and under jumping the maximum height of one metre and 14U jumping the maximum of height of .80m. The competition was held over two days with each rider riding twice a day.
Cayman was among the visiting countries that used “borrowed” horses to compete. That tweak requires riders to be supremely confident as they only have five timed minutes on each horse before they enter the arena to tackle a course of eight jumps in their division.
The last leg of the association competition, which had meets in Barbados and Cayman earlier this year, will be held in Jamaica on 5-6 November.
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