Victoria is based at David Green's yard in the UK which is also the Olympic base for the 2008 USA eventing team.

David has competed in three Olympic Games achieving two gold medals. Under his expert tuition Vicky will endeavour to be the first ever South-African women to event at the Olympics!

Victoria has had great successes in South Africa as a children and junior eventer, having been the only rider to have ever held the titles of South African Children's Eventing Champion and South African Junior Eventing Champion. Further titles to her name have been winning provincials championships in eventing and dressage as well as being in Provincial teams for eventing and dressage. She also represented South Africa as a young event rider.

South Africa is unable to send a full team to the Olympics as the qualifying procedure is incredibly difficult. We are grouped together with, amongst others, Australia and New Zealand which are two of the world's strongest eventing nations and the rules state that only one country from the combined groups can participate at the Olympics. However, if Victoria can obtain her qualifying results in the UK, she will be able to represent South Africa as an individual eventer.

The sport of eventing originated as a test for military horses, which had to show obedience, courage, stamina and athleticism. In its modern day format, eventing has three phases: a dressage test; cross country jumping and the showjumping phase.

Dressage
The dressage test was designed to show that military horses were supple and obedient, suitable for use at parades and other events where the rider might be expected to perform certain duties in front of important people such as royalty or military commanders. This aim remains today – the dressage phase should show a willing horse able to perform a set test with submission and control paramount. A good test will look effortless on the part of the rider, and will be disciplined and accurate.

Cross Country
This phase was used by the military as a way of proving the courage and stamina of their horse over rough terrain, jumping any obstacles in its path unhesitatingly – for a horse that can perform on parade but not in battle is no use for a military rider. It is still a test of endurance even now, although you are as likely to be asked to jump something set up as a boat or a picnic table as you are a large imposing hedge! This year's Olympic track is 3700m long and has 45 jumps at 1200mm high and must be completed at a pace of 570m/min.

Showjumping
The showjumping phase is traditionally the final phase in eventing, and is a test of athleticism since a good military horse needed to be able to perform even the day after a grueling gallop across country. It is for this reason that the jumps may be higher than the cross country phase, and require accuracy and discipline to complete the course. In the lower levels of the sport, you will complete your showjumping round before your cross country round, but as you progress up the ranks and begin to tackle two and three day events, this order is changed and the showjumping becomes the final phase.

For this dream to become a reality Vicky will require sponsorship to pay for transport for her and her horse to events in Europe and the UK. Vicky has found the ideal yard in the UK where they work for their keep.

We appeal to you to help Vicky reach her dream by helping or sponsoring her costs for the lead up to the Olympics. Please contact Vicky or Colin Scott on +27 (0)82 894 7712 if you want to discuss the details of a sponsorship opportunity.