Nicola Sime-Riley Wins Record 4th Erreplus President’s Cup Title

After the late hosting of the 2020 President’s Cup due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 4 months between the 2 competitions enabled the team from Maple Ridge Equestrian Farm to make some changes to their competition surface and the riders enough time to rebuild their excitement and anticipation of this highly revered event.

Nicola Sime-Riley, The JumpOff
Nicola Sime-Riley and Sunny Park Stables Insaghi DB | Photo credit: Denford Studios

The week started off with a great display of top-level showjumping across the various age categories but the adult class is where everyone was focusing primarily. The group of esteemed riders including Lisa Williams, Lorette Knowles-Taylor, and Ronnie Healy, were all ready to get the week of showjumping underway and spectators were just as excited to watch on. With all the tracks of the weekend designed by Brett Webber (FEI 2*), the technicalities and time pressures awaiting them created an atmosphere of excitement. 

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The first competition of the President’s Cup title series was the traditional A2 competition, one round on time. With a single round of showjumping required, it was a great opportunity for several combinations to really get a feel for what Brett would be asking of them and how they would be able to navigate the tracks. With some superb performances provided by the riders, the victor of the first competition was the almighty Campbell, A.K.A Dennis the Mennis, with South Africa’s golden girl, Lisa Williams. Second place was claimed by RH Equestrian’s main man, Ronnie Healy with Blue Turtle Catweazle, while third place was claimed by Nicole Horwood and Mark White Nissan Capital Chantilly. 

Nicola Sime-Riley, The JumpOff
Nicola Sime-Riley and Sunny Park Stables Insaghi DB | Photo credit: SW Photography

Rounding out the top 6 places in the A2 competition and giving themselves a great chance for the final day was Jonathan Clarke with Data Sciences Hummer van het Bevrijdthof in 4th, Grant Langley with Foresyte Bengston in 5th, and, in 6th place, Jeanne Korber and Style Fragrances Callaho Lexington. The second competition would see a new crop of riders claim the top 3 positions. A jump-off competition that would not require the athletes to compete in the jump-off in order to receive their points had some great riders who secured a clear round which would be enough to see them into the final class in a great position. 

Nicola Sime-Riley, The Jumpoff
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Claiming top honours in the second competition as the only rider to partake in the jump-off was Lorette Knowles-Taylor and her ‘Chubs’, Amore Warande Z. A fairly new combination at the top heights that has simply improved from event to event, the 2021 President’s Cup finally saw them in the top spot. However, Lorette and Amor decided to call it a day after their fantastic win and elected to withdraw from the final competition. Tied for 2nd place were the 4 combinations who provided clear rounds but elected to withdraw from the jump-off; Rainer Korber, Jeanne Korber, Ronnie Healy, and Nicole Horwood.

Sunday rolled around and with perfect weather and an even more perfect surface, 18 competitors lined up for the final event. Just one newcomer to the 1.50m ranks was present, Arnold Botha and KP Laudanum, but with 54 penalties across all competitions, the pair took in the experience as much-needed ring time at this height. Other rides putting in a great effort in the first round, including Ronnie Healy on Catweazle and Dominey Alexander on Jelle S with a single time fault, while clears were provided by Lisa Williams, Nicole Horwood on Hitoshi, Jonathan Clarke, and Rainer Korber. Nicole Horwood was unable to provide a clear on Chantilly, but Ronnie Healy and Hausberger’s Eldo, who had a faultless show until this point, managed to jump clear to put them in the pound seat. In an interesting turn of events, Nicola Sime-Riley and Insaghi DB managed to jump clear, but a single time fault earlier in the week put them on one fault overall – a remarkably similar position to that which she found herself in when she won the title last year.

Nicola Sime-Riley, The JumpOff
Nicola Sime-Riley and Sunny Park Stables Insaghi DB | Photo credit: SW Photography

In round 2, a number of riders withdrew, but with class honours still to fight for, several remained including Kayla Gertenbach and Like Mike van Pela Graca who finished on 4 for the class, but 25 penalties for the President’s Cup standings. Lisa Williams and Campbell put in a phenomenal second-round effort to jump clear in a rapid time of 46.45 seconds, but having had 5 faults earlier in the week, the pair were out of contention for the President’s Cup and had to settle for the class win instead. Dominey and Jelle suffered a similar 5-fault fate overall, but with only 1 fault in the final event, the pair finished 4th. Jonathan Clarke and Hummer delivered a double clear, but in a steady time of 48.47 seconds, he finished 2nd in the final class, and with 4 faults earlier in the week, he would have to settle for a lesser placing in the overall competition.

Nicola Sime-Riley, The JumpOff
From left to Right: Nicole Horwood, Nicola Sime-Riley, Jonathan Clarke | Photo credit: Denford Studios

All eyes were on Nicola Sime-Riley. Second-to-last in the 2nd round and with just a single time fault across all competitions, Nicola once again held her nerve and delivered a clear. Once again, she’d finished on a single time fault. That left just Ronnie Healy and Hausberger’s Eldo to come – the only combination on a clear until this point. Ronnie rode for the clear, and with Eldo looking on magnificent form, things looked to be finally going Ronnie’s way. But at the penultimate fence, it all went awry. The back rail of a large oxer came down, with Ronnie coming home in a steady time of 52.26 seconds. It was an effort that was too slow to see him into a class placing, and in the overall standings, Ronnie and Eldo would have to settle for 4th place. In a remarkable repeat of 2020’s event, Nicola Sime-Riley and Sunny Park Stables Insaghi DB have once again claimed the Erreplus President’s Cup title. The win means that Insaghi is one of only a handful of horses to have won the event twice, while Nicola has extended her total title tally to a remarkable 4 President’s Cup titles.

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ChampionNicola Sime-Riley and Sunny Park Stables Insaghi DB1 fault
Reserve ChampionJonathan Clarke and Data Sciences Hummer van het Bevridjthof4 faults
3rdNicole Horwood and Mark White Nissan Capital Chantilly4 faults
2021 President’s Cup Classification
Nicola Sime-Riley, The JumpOff
2021 President’s Cup Champions – Nicola Sime-Riley and Sunny Park Stables Insaghi DB | Photo credit: Denford Studios

The final result comes as a devastating blow to Ronnie Healy who continues his search for a major South African title. However, for Nicola Sime-Riley and the Sunny Park Stables crew from Benoni, the win is yet another accolade in the ever-growing list of titles she has to her name. Congratulations to all the riders, and in particular, the indomitable Nicola Sime-Riley who managed the feat after injuring her back the morning of the event.

-The JumpOff-

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