"I want to be the best advocate for my horses, and all horses out there that help us so willingly in our sport. I believe tack, accessories and apparel are a big part of this – maintaining proper rider comfort and balance helps the horse to maintain comfort and balance in return."
Name: Judy Allen
Age: 29
Current Location: Gauteng/Pretoria
"Riding is my happiest place, everything else fades away and it's just me and my best friend, striving to be better and achieve our dreams."
A Bit About Me:
I am a very creative person, hardworking and dedicated. My current specialization is in cyber security. To further my equine knowledge and management skills, I am doing an Equine Science Diploma through the University of Guelph in Canada – I have completed my Functional Anatomy Module, and am currently busy with Equine Behavior as well as Equine Health and Disease prevention. My dream is to become an Open Grade show jumper and to hopefully start properly representing at the big shows on a national level such as the Nissan Easter Festival, SA Championships, the Derby and the World Cup Qualifier series. My goal at this level would be to do well enough in these shows to go overseas and represent South Africa on the international circuit at the World Equestrian Games and even the Olympics.
All About My Steeds:
Harry Da Wheels
Harry is a sweet and sensitive, rising 7 year old horse. He tries his best for me always and has shown continual improvement and potential in his jumping. Harry and I currently are trained by 3 coaches, 2 at my riding school and by Carl Boonzaaier when I can get off work. We are both determined to make it to the top.
Great Expectations (Speck)
Speck is a giant, cuddly teddy bear of a horse that has a cheeky side to him. He is only 5 at the moment and therefore he is being brought on slower than Harry. He is a powerhouse of a horse and also shows great potential for jumping.
Some Of My Achievements:
I got my first showjumping prospect early in 2017 (Harry), an OTTB that I immediately fell in love with just from his advertising pics. We had our ups and downs during the transition period; Harry was still full of energy and there were plenty of bolting moments which left me a little the worse for wear. But we did not give up. In September 2017 I did my first graded show with Harry, 70cm, and was eliminated on the first jump. The humiliation and nerves were overwhelming. But I was not deterred and only became more determined to work hard to achieve my dream. This was not an easy journey and there were many times where I felt like I would never be good enough to be able to progress in jumping.
In Feb 2018 I started competing in the 90's and it got better with every show - still chasing the elusive clear though. Until the Brits World Cup Qualifier show in May (probably the biggest and most prestigious show I have ever been to), and on the first day we got our first clear. It was the most amazing feeling to know that all of our hard work had come together in those seconds on the track when we're a team. There is no other feeling like it; complete trust in each other as we sailed over every jump to a clear. I got my second clear for the competition on the last day and went clear again at the show after that.