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Ellina Mhlanga

Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE’S showjumping junior team put up a good show to claim a bronze medal at the Youth and Children’s African Championship in Algeria.

The competition ended on Saturday with hosts Algeria getting gold.

Tunisia won silver and Zimbabwe were third to claim bronze.

The Zimbabwean team was made up of Amy Hay, Emma Wale Smith and sisters Zoe and Olivia Roberts.

The juniors section is for athletes from the age of 15 to 18 years and for children it’s 12 to 14 years.

In the children’s section, Zambia claimed the top spot while Libya and Algeria were second and third respectively.

Zimbabwe were represented by Chloe Loubser, Rayne Nichole and Isabella Gifford in this section.

Posting on their Facebook page, Zimbabwe Equestrian Federation — Matabeleland Branch, saluted the teams from the Southern Africa region for their achievements.

“Hats off to the riders from Southern Africa — the Tunisians and Algerians were riding on their own horses while riders from other nations were on borrowed horses — no easy feat at a speed of 375 over 120cm!”

The competition is organised by the African Confederation of Equestrian Sport (ACES).

Falling under the International Federation for Equestrian (FEI), the ACES’ aim is to promote and develop equestrian culture and sport on the continent in a sustainable and structured manner. The continental federation have 21 member countries.

The event is part of development efforts to grow the sport on the continent and it also serves as a stepping stone to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

The continent has shown some potential, winning bronze in the team event at the inaugural YOG in Singapore in 2010 and in 2018 in Argentina.

Zimbabwe, South Africa and Tunisia have qualified for the Youth Equestrian Games (YEG) to be staged in Aachen, Germany, between June and July, and the continental event was also key for their preparations.

Other countries that have qualified for YEG are Egypt and Morocco.