Clients Feedback

“Kimberley Equestrian Centre is by far my favourite show venue.  Everyone is always friendly, supportive and willing to lend a helping hand.  While I am not a member, as I live in Bloemfontein, I have been attending shows there for the past 10 years, and I do not have plans to stop any time soon.”

“KEC is the perfect escape from a stressful week.  Whether you are taking a peaceful walk, spending time with your dogs, or simply enjoying the company of the horses, it offers a tranquil and safe environment where you can appreciate the beauty of nature.  I thoroughly enjoy my time there.  The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and everyone is incredibly friendly.  Without a doubt, it is one of the best places in Kimberley.”

“As a parent of a horse-loving daughter who is always watching YouTube videos of girls her age achieving in show jumping, and dreaming to actually be those riders, KEC has made that dream come true.

For a parent not being able to buy a horse/pony, or have enough knowledge about horse care, with the pony hire/leasing options, we could “own” our horse, learn to ride and compete, and make a lot of new friends from all over different schools and other towns in the Northern Cape. 

Not only the trainers, but also the club members, are there to assist with all our questions and advice.

The facilities cater for private parties, fun holiday activities on horseback, family outrides or just relaxation away from the city.  Noice.”

“My name is Leah Janse van Rensburg, and I’ve been riding ever since I can remember!

I moved to KEC to pursue showjumping in 2021, and unfortunately my horse and I parted ways after 7 years together, and so my horse-riding career ended in April 2026.

I am so thankful for KEC hosting shows, going the extra mile to take care of my horse, and for all the incredible memories that I made, that I will carry with me forever.

My fondest memories include my show victories, my falls, my lessons with Uncle Ricky and all of the fun I had with my friends in the process.  We had so many laughs, silly moments, and of course serious moments where we had to focus on what we were doing.  I learned so much over the years that I spent at KEC which I am really grateful for.

Kimberley Equestrian Centre feels like a second home to me and I hope that I can return in the future when I am ready to climb back into the saddle.”

“Many moons ago, I had the privilege of becoming a member of the Kimberley Equestrian Centre during July 1980.

From the start, as a member, I was very fond of the club environment, with all the different horse riding disciplines one could engage in.  The team spirit was fantastic and helped me to develop as a person, and benefit from the range of horse riding knowledge that was available.  The friendships I have formed over the years fostered my strength to take on any riding challenge.

The trainers at the club always had a word of encouragement when I struggled with a specific skill, eg. saddling my horse correctly.  The camaraderie that developed over the years is irreplaceable and I am so thankful for all the blessings of being able to be in nature with a horse on a daily basis.

My favourite memory or achievement was to be one of the founding members of KEC’s Equestrian Vaulting team, which competed at the South African Equestrian Vaulting championships for several years. Despite competing against athletes with extensive National and even International experience, our individual vaulters obtained  commendable places, and our Mixed Team came third, competing against specialist imported horses.

The fact that I was also awarded Lifetime Honorary Membership of the club in 2011 is also something that I shall treasure for the rest of my life.”

“As ‘n jong meisie, wou ek baie graag perdry en het altyd die sport bewonder.  In 2020 het Ilse de Villiers, ‘n Tannie wat Vaulting afrig, my bekend gestel aan KEC.  Vaulting is ‘n sport waar jy gimnastiek op ‘n bewegende perd doen.  Nadat ek vir ‘n jaar vaulting gedoen het, het tannie Ilse my leer perdry.  Ek het my ouers oorreed om my inteskryf vir perdrylesse by KEC en met elke les net verbeter in die sport.

 In 2021, het tannie Ilse voorgestel dat ek Firefly probeer ry.  Firefly is ‘n ponie wat deur KEC gered is van mishandeling en sy het baie trauma in haar lewe beleef.  Ek was redelik skrikkerig vir die voorstel, want sy het nie baie mense vertrou nie en jy wil glad nie aan haar verkeerde kant kom nie.

 Na mate ek my vrees oorkom het en haar begin ry het, het ek besef dat dit een van die beste besluite van my lewe was.  Nou en dan het ek moed verloor, maar al die mense by KEC het my aangemoedig om nie op te gee nie.

 Ek en Firefly is al vir die afgelope 5 jaar saam, en die band wat daar tussen ons bestaan sal nooit gebreek kan word nie.  Sy is my beste vriend.  Ons twee het al in baie van KEC se skoue, “Cross Country events”, “Dress-up” funksies en vele meer deelgeneem.

 KEC is soos ‘n familie vir my, waar almal mekaar ondersteun, aanmoedig en help.  Onder leiding van Pam Munro, die beste afrigter ooit, het ek baie verbeter in die sport en het ek ‘n baie goeie perderuiter geword.

 So as die lewe in die stad jou dalk druk, kies gerus die hasepad na KEC.  Daar sal jou vriende maak, jou probleme sal verdwyn en die son sal altyd skyn.  KEC en Firefly is my hemel hier op aarde.”

“What do I remember about Kimberley Equestrian Centre or, as I first knew it, Kimberley Pony Club? From about 1976 to 1984, KEC was the centre of my life. The memories just keep coming: the ponies and horses I rode: Beaufort, Flash, Zapata, Cut the Pack, each with their own characters. Every Saturday morning was spent cleaning tack because every Saturday and Sunday afternoon lesson started with tack inspection and woe betide anyone whose tack was not spotless. No matter what the lesson involved, ‘heels down’ was a ongoing refrain directed at me. When I started riding more seriously – dressage, show-jumping and working hunter on my fabulous horse Rage of Honour, lessons were before school most mornings, and I’m still in awe of Fiona for standing in the winter sunrise helping me school my horse. 

We had three different camps that we could ride in, so outrides were a regular occurrence. I remember one endless summer when the grass was so high it brushed against our knees while we rode and the sky seemed to go on forever. One day we were trotting along in the Dronfield camp, only to come face to face to two rhinos, who definitely should not have been there. It was in this camp that I faced the humiliation of falling off in a pile of barbed wire as Zapata galloped home without me. Another time, riding in the camp across the road, all the ditches had filled with water and we learnt about the need to keep your pony or horse moving (those of us who were slower learners got soaked and had to squeeze in an extra tack-cleaning session before the next day’s lessons). And then there were the extra outrides – though town for the Kimberley Agricultural Show – very exciting for us and no doubt nerve-wracking for our ever-patient instructors, Ricky, Fiona, Marge, Gordon, Mike and Hennie. On one very memorable occasion, we cantered up to the top of a now-removed mine dump, only to have one rider paralyzed with fear. She had to be carried down on foot as she was too terrified to remain on her horse. I was thrilled to be up there, it genuinely felt like we were expert horse riders, riding on top of the world.  

School holidays were even more exciting than shows. Our parents would drop us off in the morning and collect us in the evening. Sometimes we had pony club camps, when we slept over at Pony Club, with riding lessons once or twice a day and theory lessons in the old clubhouse. Other holidays, we ran amuck with no camp and no structure, frustrating the grooms and everyone else crazy, eating crisps and peanut butter sandwiches and loving the freedom to do what we liked.

Pony Club gave me far more of an education than school did. For a misfit at school, who was terrible at sport, it gave me an identity and source of pride. It taught me that the rewards of hard work and effort could be simple things, like suddenly feeling what an extended trot should be or jumping a well-paced, unhurried round, rather than always being rosettes and prizes. I learnt to ask questions – what does it mean to ‘use one’s legs’, how should you use your legs? I came to respect the immense skill, knowledge and goodwill displayed by our amazing grooms. Of course, my riding instructors were my Gods and Goddesses, Heroes and Heroines, amazing, generous, kind and dedicated to helping us learn about horses and improve our riding. And Pony Club gave me a sense of community and wellbeing, a place where I felt at home. The smell of the soil after rain, the hot sun on my back, the sky that goes on for ever, a horse’s hot breath on my face, watching an early morning sunrise or evening sunset – these are the things I remember and love and my memories of those sun-filled days at KEC will always be treasured.”