I was born in Johannesburg and grew up living, riding and breathing horses. My mum, Mandy Prince, was an open eventer and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. I started ‘properly’ riding when I was 6 and knew I had a lot of work to do to become anything like my mum and so the journey began.
We Moved to Durban in 2007, with my first pony Brackenwood Dark Secret. I outgrew her very quickly and soon found that the hotter the pony was, the bigger my smile got. We then purchased my top pony, Mysterious Dark Alley, who won me many titles in the show jumping and eventing rings. She was the pure cause of my addiction to show jumping. I had a few ponies in my childrens career that truly made me the rider that I am today.
My junior horse, Cassian Way, took over Alleys place and won me more titles and rosettes than I can mention in the Junior Open Show Jumping classes. It was during my junior career when we purchased Prism, as a 2 year old colt, from Grant Langley. Backing him was rather entertaining as he would spend more time in the air than on the ground. Once he was backed, my mum took him over as I was struggling to juggle school, school sports and 3 competing horses. When I had extra time on my hands I would jump him for my mum, he was explosive and let’s just say he loved to be airborne. We managed to keep him entire until he was 5 but unfortunately 3 metal fences and 1 hour of trying to catch him, we had no choice but to geld him.
I then took him on as my own and produced him up to the opens. The journey was a little rocky, as some shows he refused to enter the arena just because there was a pot plant at the gate that he did not like but then would return for the next class, a few hours later, and take the win. He was off for a year due to an injury but came back better than ever.
We competed in the 1.30m Easter Festival in 2022 and brought home 2 wins as well as the championship title. We then went on to compete in the 1.40m by the end of 2022. We came into 2023 with huge ambitions to compete in the 1.50m and achieved this by competing in my first 1.50m at Presidents Cup 2023. I was over the moon with how he jumped and how he handled everything. I decided I would enter the 2023 Easter Festival as my first FULL 1.50m show. Upon jumping in the first class, going clear and ending up 4th, I believed I could conquer the world. I was so chuffed with him, that no matter what happened the rest of the show I would go home feeling on top of the world. We then jumped the second class clear, came 6th, which then qualified us as the third highest qualifier.
I knew whatever happened on the day, I would be the happiest girl leaving the show because to me just being entered in the class was enough. We had the most stunning first round with an unfortunate pole but all I could do was weep tears of joy for going through the start and finish safely. We then jumped the most picture perfect clear in the second round, leaving me on 4 penalties. Nicole Horwood went in next and jumped a stunning clear, leaving us both on the same score, with only 2 riders remaining, who both had scores lower than us. Jan was next to go, also going clear in the jumping but incurring 2 unfortunate time penalties, leaving him on 4 penalties as well.
I had decided then that Ronnie Healy was going to win it and we would all be tied second but unfortunately he got 4 time penalties leaving him on a score of 5 penalties in total. Meaning the worst I could do was third…. I went into the jump off feeling rather nervous but the moment we went over fence number 1, my brain kicked into its mojo. I unfortunately took a fence in the jump off, but tears were still running freely as my poor pony had jumped 3 amazing rounds, ones I will never forget!! I walked out the arena with the biggest smile on my face, believing I had just come third in my first ever Grand Prix…. Well did everything change.
Nicole went and had one down as well, the board by the judge’s box, was the only thing that made me believe I was still in the lead. Jan was last to go and boy was it nerve racking…. Two poles went down for him and I, Jessica Jane Prince, was crowned the 2023 Open Outdoor Grand Prix Winner…….. Honestly the last thing I had in mind when competing against all the open riders who have been competing in this level for many years was that I could win!
To be honest it still doesn’t feel real. I still have to look at the photos and videos to remind myself that I actually did it. My mum, Mandy Prince, has been my coach from start until now having a few coaches in-between like Graham Swanson and Barry Taylor but I realized that my mum and I make the dream team.
I have two other open Horses, Callaho Concudo who is competing in the 1.35/1.40m classes and Voigtskrich Acapulco who is competing in the 1.35m classes. I also have a stunning young Stallion in the 1m classes who will hopefully follow in Prisms footsteps.
I currently work a full time job, in my dads company, Beyond Braking, where we supply the trucking industry with all genuine and aftermarket air components. I work from 8am until 5pm, Monday to Friday and make time to ride all 4 horses either before or after work. Mostly I ride from 4:30am until 7:30am and then again from 5:30pm until it gets dark. My goals for this year is to potentially carry on being competitive in the 1.50m classes with Prism, although funding for these shows it proves to be quite costly for one horse, let alone more, with regards to entries, travel and accommodation, especially because I am having to travel out of province to compete at these qualifying shows on a regular basis. The dream is to have all 4 competing consistently at this grade.
Written by Jessica Jane Prince
