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In January 2006 Agata Pekala, the former Polish Vaulting Team Coach coaching at Riba Stables, and Lukas Klouda of the Czech Republic took a small group of vaulters to the Swazi-Lizkhar Stud (between Mbabane and Manzini) to assist her in running a clinic for potential vaulters.
Many years ago Kevin Wood (former chairperson of Gauteng vaulting) had visited Swaziland and introduced the concept of vaulting, without, however, any continued support: without one enthusiastic and knowledgeable person to keep driving the discipline, it soon lost any momentum it might have had. Because the discipline has mushroomed in South Africa, and particularly Gauteng, over the last four years, it was felt that it was worth the effort to try a second time: not only do Swaziland (or others) now have an example to follow, but South Africa is now better equipped to assist with continued support.
Swazi and SA teams
African Cup - Swaziland 2006
This was the brainchild of Kate Taman (the owner of the Swazil-Lizkhar Stud) and Muriel Hofer (Gymnastic Coach on the Committee for Olympic Development). Other attendees included Yvonne Scheibner (SNEF Secretary General), Anne Davies (a show-jumping and dressage coach from UK and Italy), Charles Mbingo (Director of School Sports, Swaziland), Wandy Williams (riding instructor) and 11 potential vaulters (9 black and 2 white).
Vaulting seminar in Swaziland
January 2006
First Swazi vaulting horse :)
warm up...
streching
swings
frog on ;)
During the two days Agata and her team covered all the requirements for E-grade thoroughly: all the compulsory moves, the freestyle moves and techniques for choreographing a free-style test. They also covered the gymnastic side of the training – the warming-up, stretching and strength exercises. Most of the work was done on the barrel, which is the correct way to begin, being kinder to vaulters and horse, but vaulters and coaches were also shown how to prepare a rather small and inexperienced horse for vaulting, and everyone got a chance to practise their E-grade compulsories on the horse.
When Agata and her team left, Muriel was left to keep the vaulters working on suppleness and to start work on horses.
Easter show - Johannesburg - March 2006
Tito on Boet
Swazi team arrived in Johannesburg
Swazi - Lizkhar Team II
William - free style
Swazi - Lizkhar Team I
During the week of Easter Show, Muriel brought eight vaulters to Riba for further coaching in preparation for the E-grade vaulting offered at the Show. Agata worked intensively with the vaulters, and their progress was remarkable. They had all improved dramatically in suppleness and technique since January: now all that remained was to get comfortable on a reliable horse and to devise freestyles. The vaulters were fearless, and willing to try anything suggested, and their E-grade freestyles were really very exciting for first-time attempts, although (as all vaulters will know from their early experience) their transitions between movements were rather slow. As one observer remarked, it was good to see vaulters who, though inexperienced, were not fighting to eradicate bad habits. The National Chairman, who judged at the show, commented that she was pleasantly surprised to see the standard of the Swazi vaulters.
African Cup - Swaziland - April 2006
free styles of Swazi individuals
judge - Barbie Gertenbach
The following weekend was the Africa Cup, hosted by the Swazi-Lizkhar Stud. Riba took a South African E-grade team (selected on the basis of the Easter Show results) and some individual vaulters and show-jumpers. The South African and Swazi vaulting teams competed against each other sharing a horse (Riba’s Boet) and a coach (Agata) in a very pleasant competition with a lovely atmosphere: it is a rare treat for an E-grade competition to attract admiring spectators! South Africa won by a small margin.
Inter Africa Cup - Johannesburg 2007
Back at Riba Stables
Bandile, Tito, Rosanne, Fikiswe, Buhle, William & Yolande
Practise:
Tito practising his free style
Stretching
Swazi and Mauritian team during the warm up
Spice Girl is getting ready to the show
Show
Two SwaziLizkhar teams were representing Swaziland at IAC
Rosanne Carmicheal
Tito Maseko on Spice Girl
William Patrick
Fikiswe Mkhwanazi
Prize giving
Swazi Lizkhar I - 6th place
Bandile, Tito and Rosanne
Swazi Lizkhar II came 3rd
William, Fikiswe, Buhle
Bettina in Swaziland:
Everybody loves Bettina!
Rosanne - handstand
Stables at Swazi Lizkhar Riding Club
Fiki, William & Bettina
Vaulting arena
They really didn't want to let her go back to Switzerland
Ilke Kempes coaches in Swaziland !!!!
TEXT TO FOLLOW SHORTLY !!
Text - Michele duPlessis-Hay
Photos - Jacques Roos
Lukas Klouda
Agata Pekala
Bettina Daeppen
