Reitclub Okahandja headed by a small, but efficient team of organisers drew equestrians from all parts of the country for their annual Dressage & Jumping Show recently for three days of nail-biting competition in the showjumping and dressage arenas.
Teenager Leia-Mae van der Merwe and seasoned show jumper Michelle Künzle garnered the special trophies for the most successful riders of the Annual Reitclub Okahandja dressage and showjumping event 2026.
Teenager Van der Merwe and her steed F.H.M. presented themselves in excellent form over the whole weekend, scoring high marks in floodlight freestyle, third level and FEI dressage tests, to secure the title against well-known dressage queens like Carolin Hoffmeister, Svenja Späth and Kate Alison.
She was also the junior category winner of the Grace McGregor Dressage Challenge 2026 and looks set for great competition at the Namibian Dressage Championships and the FEI Dressage World Challenge to be held at the same venue from 9 – 11 October 2026.
The winner of the adult category of the Grace McGregor Dressage Challenge was Carolin Hoffmeister on Heidi’s Mohinho. Morgan Priilaid and Seeis Chakalaka secured the children’s category of this prestigious competition.
The overall winner of the Metallum Installation junior and adult musical freestyle under floodlight with a record 21 entries was Svenja Späth on Seeis Anicia.
Seeis Elton was back with a bang after months of rehab and slow re-introduction to competition to jump his rider Michelle Künzle to success in the open classes over 1.20m. Focussed and steady, the pair clocked one clear round after another on all three days of competition of showjumping including the Ingwe Wildlife Art Derby over 110m, in which Elton’s eventing fitness and experience had spectators on their feet at the end of the challenging 1 000m course.
Louis Kotze and his paint Apollo posted the only clear round among the eight riders starting in the 1.00m Ingwe Wildlife Art Derby, a competition that saw several riders struggling with obstacles such as devil’s dyke, bank, water and triple combinations.
Altidore Z with Silvia Kleyenstueber and Amily le Roux on Capital Uzzi dominated the 1.10m showjumping competitions, while the 1.00m was a mixed bag of up-and-coming talents vying for honours.
In the 90cm classes the trusted “golden oldie” Baron von Sphinxblick carried young Aria Kleyenstüber to win after win, while Gwynneth Bronwin Potgieter on Bon Jovi and Emma Jordaan on Sphinxblick Kalila featured most prominently in the 80cm competitions.
As always, the introductory height of 70cm saw combinations of experience and youthfulness entering the arena – and eye-catching rounds were presented by the grey ponies Django (Milanka Bean) and Noble (Rebecca van Niekerk).
While the grooms of the winners of each competition received prizes from Winni’s, they were also able to showcase their daily work with the steeds entrusted to them in the Agra grooming competition. From a record number of entries in this annual event Ricardo Swarts (Callaho Condetto) pipped Martin Kambinda (Legacy’s Legato) to the post by a mere point. In third, only 0.5 behind was Darius Hochobeb (Zonjati Gunfire) followed by Brendan Jagger (Heidi’s Mohinho) and Maxwell Swartbooi (Sphinxblick Kalila).
