Jade wins hearts and horses

FOR outstanding equestrienne Jade Hooke, 20, the recent Liberty FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) World Cup Qualifier held at the Port Elizabeth Riding Club in Lorraine was an emotional event.

Raised in Nelson Mandela Bay, Hooke's excellent performance won her a World Cup qualifier in front of a home crowd, cheering her on to win one of seven qualifying rounds held in South Africa.

“We don’t get events like this in Port Elizabeth so it was a privilege to have one. It was very nerve wracking and difficult but I held it together for the win,” said Hooke. “The jumps were high and the track was very technical. My horse and I were on top form and, yes, I’m thrilled with our performance.”

The Port Elizabeth leg of the Show Jumping Competition was the fourth in the World Cup Qualifier series for 2011 and featured some of the best riders in South Africa including South African 2010 number one, Lorette Knowles Taylor and Govett Triggol, who has been competing at an international level for the past three years.

Also from the Eastern Cape is Grahamstown-born Carey Pohl who rides a home-bred 11-year-old South African Warmblood mare.

Inspired by her love for animals and with her parents’ support, Hooke started competing and riding up the ranks in South Africa. She won the Stal Van Decaren in 2008 and went overseas to ride in Belgium as a prize. At the age of 19 she went on to win the Avis Derby in 2009, beating South Africa’s top Show Jumpers and becoming the youngest ever winner of that event. She also was placed second in the first leg of the World Cup Series in Gauteng before winning the World Cup Qualifier in Port Elizabeth, a competition dedicated to the memory of her mom Jennifer Hooke.

Jade Hook describes her horse A New Era as “a great horse and partner in my life.” A 13-year-old Namibian Warmblood Gelding, A New Era has jumped up the grades from a 1.20m horse when she bought him five years ago to a phenomenal 1.50m jumper.

“Many people told me not to buy him as he wouldn’t make it – and that he would be very hard work. Luckily I went with my gut feeling and I have ended up with a champion. I have no other horse like A New Era. I cherish him every day and look after him because he needs to jump for about another four years,” she said.

With the encouragement of her parents, her long-time coach Diane Snodgrass and Johannesburg-based instructor Dominey Alexander, Hooke has remained focused on her Show Jumping career.

“I have never considered giving it up. We all have our moments when it gets tough but I always knew I would stick it out. Jumping is very difficult because you are working with a live animal that has moods and off days as well,” Hooke says.

 “My dreams of competing with the best in SA have come true. It’s such an honour and I look up to every one of them. Even though I’m also winning at the top level now, I don’t have all the experience yet so I still have a lot to learn,” she say adding that she plans to go overseas next year and will take A New Era with her.