Equestrian shines in Free State contest

Video

MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - A Mossel Bay woman has come first in her category in an American saddlers competition held in Parys in the Free State.

The Parys Christmas Show and Saddle Horse Regional Championships took place from 9 to 11 December.

Dinette Wessels (39), a Mossel Bay business woman, entered with her horse Properly Supreme in the three-gaited (walk, trot, canter) stallion, mare or gelding open category.

Properly Supreme is trained and stabled in Bloemfontein, because there is no stable in the Mossel Bay area which caters for this. The closest stables are in Cape Town or Bloemfontien.

Dinette says: "I've been riding for a long time. I was part of the Springbok team in 2000; then I gave it up. Four years ago I started competing again."

Dinette owns a busy beauty and hair salon in town.

"I do two shows a year - the one in Parys and then in May there are the SA championships, which take place in Bloemfontein."

VIDEO: Dinette Wessels and Properly Supreme in action. Video Supplied

Dinette admits that it is a challenge, logistically, having her horse in Bloemfontein. She flies there as often as she can to keep her hand in.

"Horses are like athletes. I have a trainer who works the horse on a daily basis, keeping him fit, using different techniques. It is quite an intense training programme."

Dinette falls under the Western Cape. Speaking of her and Properly Supreme's successes, she says: "Last year at the SA championships, we were reserve champions and we're hoping to be overall SA grand champions next year.

"I got the horse as a three year old and we won the three-, four- and five-year-old categories each year. He is now seven years old, so we compete in the larger, open classes against all age groups. He has had a flawless career."

Photos: Dinette Wessels and Properly Supreme