CEA Regional Jumping Challenge held in The Bahamas

On Saturday, The Bahamas participated for the first time in the Caribbean Equestrian Association (CEA) Regional Jumping Challenge, which was held at Moonstone Stables in Western New Providence.

Officiating the event were International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) Jumping Judge and CEA President Heidi Mello and Equestrian Bahamas Federation President Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre.

The regional jumping challenge is the highest level of the inter-island show jumping competitions held under the aegis of the Caribbean Equestrian Association. It was designed as a stepping stone toward the FEI World Jumping Challenge.

The competition on Saturday was held under a demanding two-round format, in which each horse-rider combination was required to jump the track designed by FEI Course Designer Tatiana Kholodniakova, of Russia, twice, with their scores over the two rounds being combined to reach a final score.

The top performers from each of three height classes were named to Team Bahamas, with their scores being combined for an overall team score.

The top performers were Sienna Jones riding Querida FES (11/0/59.513 seconds) in Height Class A (0.75 meters); Sennen Fitzmaurice on Lea’s Pride (8/0/64.949 seconds) in Height Class B (0.85 meters); and Katerina Coello riding Whiterock Duggie (0/4/56.452 seconds) in Height Class D (1.05 meters).

The CEA Regional Jumping Challenge is one of a series of four annual equestrian competitions contested by the 10 member nations of the CEA, which include Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and The Bahamas. The competitions take place in each country, but the results are judged collectively at the end of the competition year.

Saturday’s event marked the final CEA competition for The Bahamas this season.