The Toyota Easter Festival, South Africa’s premier equestrian event over 10 days, has attracted over 5000 entries and takes place at the Kyalami Park Club in Johannesburg.
Scheduled to start on Saturday through to Monday, 21 April, the festival has placed South Africa on the international equestrian map. The event features a variety of competitions, including show jumping, dressage, and eventing, catering to riders of all ages and skill levels. This diversity ensures that spectators can enjoy thrilling displays of skill and grace.
The stakes have been upped for the 2025 showpiece because the Olympic discipline of dressage is being added to the showjumping portfolio. Riders will target their training regimes to encompass the technical demands of dressage and the thrilling agility required for showjumping.
For those talented riders from disadvantaged backgrounds, Kyalami Park Club and SA Showjumping will again ensure that all their entry fees are covered.
“It’s imperative to support those who deserve to further their careers in our sport. These development riders work equally as hard as the rest of the field and should be allowed to showcase their talents at this event.
"The Toyota Easter Festival offers us a valued platform on which to give back to those who need it most – and that’s the real win here,” said Heather Mpofu, Kyalami Park Club Event Director.
Over the past four years, Toyota South Africa Motors's passionate partnership with the Kyalami Park Club has advanced the sport to new heights and made great strides in attracting audiences and participants in increasing numbers.
"For the past four years, the Toyota Easter Festival has brought multitudes of enthusiasts together to spectate incredible equestrian performances," said Glenn Crompton, vice-president of Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors.
"This year, we look forward to outstanding, legendary performances and bustling camaraderie from spectators supporting the equestrian sporting community."
South African showjumping legend Dominey Alexander has done it all in the equestrian world and is still going strong. He will be competing in this year’s big classes at the festival.
"I will be competing in the 150m classes at the festival, on three horses: Capital Kollier, Jelle S, and S Oakley Z. I feel confident when I say that any of these rides could win," said Alexander, who will as rider and coach.
"I love being a competitor, as well as a coach, each has its ups and downs.
"I am very fortunate in that I get an equal thrill from winning myself or coaching the winner. This then means that I have no real preference, although I find riding or competing myself is significantly less stressful. I have a lot of clients competing at this year’s festival because it’s a show that caters for all ages and multiple disciplines."
Barry Taylor, one of SA's most respected riders and instructors, will not be competing in this year’s big classes but he has many clients he feels could make it to the podium.
"I’ll be juggling close to 100 horses at the festival. We have a strong team of riders this year and I am excited to see how it unfolds. I much prefer competing (as a rider), but unfortunately, that does not pay the bills," said Taylor.
"Right now, the sport is growing stronger and South Africans are competing with the best in Europe.
"We have about 8 - 10 world-class riders like Bronwyn de Santos and Oliver Lazarus and the numbers from the bottom up to the top are the most we have ever had – the sport keeps bringing in new blood."