28/08/2024
OLIVER NEILL
HQ: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Oliver: I am nine years old. I started riding when I was three but quit riding when I was five to start MotoX racing and go-karting. In 2022, I was lucky enough to ride my cousin Emily’s pony, Twinkles, which is when the riding bug bit again, and I haven’t looked back! I compete in jumping and equitation, and jumping is definitely my favourite!
HQ: Can you tell us about your ponies?
Oliver: I have two ponies - Cornerstone’s Starlight and My Irish Boy, aka ‘Laddie’.
We bought Starlight from Anthon Hoek as a green five-year-old last August; she is a very talented, sassy, young pony. She hasn’t always been easy, but she is so brave, and she is teaching me a LOT about producing a pony and about how to be patient with a young pony/horse. Starlight is jumping in the 90cm classes, and she has also done some equitation with me this year.
My Irish Boy is owned by Jade Anderson and I am very lucky to lease him from Jade. Laddie is a 20-year-old Connemara X pony from Ireland. I started riding Laddie in May last year; he is a real-life unicorn! Laddie can be cheeky, but I feel like he will do anything for me; I trust him with my everything, and he just LOVES to be in the arena. Laddie loves to win, and sometimes, it feels like he knows the course better than me! We started in the 70cm classes last year in May, and this year, we are competing in the 1m classes, ready to try our first 1.10m, hopefully soon.
I am incredibly lucky to ride Laddie, and every day on him is my favourite day.
HQ: And you had a super SA Youth Champs show! Can you tell us about it?
Oliver: Starlight had some super rounds, but also had lots of lessons to teach me! I lost my course on day one and had a bad stride, and got jumped out of the saddle on another day, but we fought back and had a super double clear in the 90cm Champs to end in eighth place.
Laddie was incredible at Youth Champs; he started with a 4th on the first day, a win on the second day and then the cherry on top, he won the 1m SA Youth Champs Class on the final day. He loved every round of this show; I think the Shongweni arena must be one of his favourites! We also competed in the novice equitation, where we took home individual 4th and Team Gold for Gauteng.
HQ: Well done! And what are your short-term and long-term riding goals?
Oliver: I would love to do 1.10m soon; I dream of jumping the 1.10m Derby on Laddie as he is an incredible Derby pony. My long-term goals are to win the World Cup series one day and to ride overseas. I would love to one day win the FEI Gold Tour and get to ride for South Africa.
HQ: And who is your coach? What do you like about them?
Oliver: I also started my career with Santjie Odgers from Penbritte, and she has taught me how to fight back when things go wrong, as well as to be brave and to love my riding. When I got Laddie, I started lessons with Jo van Achterbergh from Kincardine. Mondays are my lesson day with Jo, and they are my favourite days! Jo is so kind, and she teaches me to ride correctly and to never give up. I have learnt so much from both of these coaches over the past year.
