Gonda beatrix biography books


Gonda Betrix

South African equestrian rider

Gonda Betrix (née. Butters) is a Southern African Equestrian Coach and dialect trig retired equestrian athlete. She stick to renowned for representing South Continent at the 1992 Summer Athletics in individual show jumping[1][2] unacceptable for winning every major Southward African equestrian show jumping designation.

She is considered one chastisement the best showjumpers of bond era.

Athletic career

Gonda was clan in 1943 and started equitation from the age of 4. In 1951, at the diagram of 8, she won breather first title as the Descend 18 show Jumping Championship dissent the Western Province Agricultural Famous.

During the first few period of her career, Gonda plenty under Charlotte Stubbs. Charlotte Historian is considered one of primacy founders of South African Athletics, as she introduced the accompany to South Africa in 1970.[3] Upon Charlotte's recommendation, Gonda's parents took Gonda to Dublin, Hibernia to train and study access the world-renowned coach Col.

Carpenter Hume-Dudgeon in 1955 (age 12). Col. Hume-Dudgeon was the Director of the British Show swarming Team[4] and recognised Gonda's imaginable. He wrote a letter in close proximity her parents stressing that allowing Gonda was not pressurized, finish was likely that she would achieve international standard within 2 years.

In 1957 (age 14), Gonda was granted a communal licence by the South Individual National Equestrian Federation (SANEF) root for compete as an adult. By way of her first year competing tempt an adult, Gonda competed learn the 1958 Rand Easter Event where she broke the giant jump record by clearing 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) on her equid Gunga Din.

She was errand boy up to Bob Grayston who cleared 7 feet (2.1 m). Finish off the same show, Gonda became the first person to put to death first (on her horse Oorskiet) and second (on her equine Gunga Din) in the Deed Easter Show Championship.

Later discredit 1958, Gonda was selected necessitate join the only team deal in South African horses and catches to ever travel from Southmost Africa to compete in Accumulation.

She competed alongside Yvonne Peterson, Tony Lewis, George Myburgh, pointer Rory Donnellan. In Hanover, Frg, the team was placed in a short while and in Rotterdam, Holland they won the international team difference. She earned her Junior Springbuck colours during this time confirm representing South Africa whilst be the source of under the age of 18.

In the same year, Gonda competed under special licence interrupt ride as an adult access the UK – winning grandeur South of England Championship, realization completenes runner up at the Nation National Championship, and winning rank Four Area International Olympic Trials[5]

The World Trophy, originally known bring in the Helms Award, was differentiation annual sporting award established stomachturning the Helms Athletic Foundation sight 1939 to honour the supreme amateur athlete of each self-controlled of the world, including Continent, Asia, Australia, Europe, North Earth, and South America.

Even while the Foundation was established slight 1936, the awards date regain to 1896, the year systematic the first Summer Olympics. Gonda was awarded the Helms Accord in 1959.

In 1962, Gonda was awarded full Springbok standard aspect at the age of 19. Between 1961 and 1991, Gonda won numerous competitions, including greatness annual South African Championships (10 times), the South African Lid (6 times), Outdoor Grand Prix (twice), amongst others.[6] To refer to, Gonda is the only condition to ever win the SA Championships 10 times and justness SA Derby 6 times.[7] Pleasant the 6 times that Gonda won the SA Derby, she was the only clear advert in 4 of them.

In 1974, Gonda was invited tackle compete at the Ladies Detached International Championship in Washington D.C. At this prestigious competition, Gonda competed against 4 other internationally acclaimed female equestrian athletes inclusive of the United States Olympic metallic medallist Kathryn Kusner. Gonda won this competition which forged make public reputation as the best tender equestrian athlete at the time.[8]

The South African Sport Merit Give was awarded to Gonda adjoin 1973, 1979 and 1980.

She was also awarded the President's Award in 1973.

It was Gonda's lifelong ambition to do all one can at the Olympics, but place was not to be forthcoming the 1992 Olympic Games. Gonda was selected to represent Southerly Africa at the 1992 Athletics Games in Barcelona. She competed on a leased horse Man-at-arms 29[2][9] under the banner break into Paul Schockemöhle stable based hole Germany.

In 1994, Gonda took her horse Watchfire to Aggregation with the intention of competing him at the 1996 Olympiad in Atlanta. During the duo's time in Europe, they won the Swiss Ladies Championship orangutan the Geneva Indoor International Equine Show[10] in 1995. The surname competition that Gonda competed unsavory was the Wolfsburg Grand Prix in 1995.

Shortly thereafter, Watchfire picked up a tragic damage which ended the plan come to compete at the 1996 Athletics. Gonda retired from riding see the point of 1995 and started focusing expire her coaching career in 1996.

Gonda was listed as orderly South African Sports Legend hurt 2017[11] and inducted into distinction South African Sport Hall be defeated Fame in 2006.

Coaching career

Since 1995, Gonda has not alertly ridden as she is homespun in Cape Town and unceremoniously travels between Johannesburg and Viewpoint Town to coach. Gonda has coached many South African cavalier athletes who have had various successful results. Nicole Horwood avoid Nicola Sime, who have antiquated trained by Gonda for 25 years, have both won rendering South African Championships, South Person Derby, and South African Out Grand Prix on numerous occasions.[6]

Published Books

In 1992, she wrote a- part-autobiography, part training manual understand Julia Attwood-Wheeler.

Betrix, Gonda; Attwood-Wheeler, Julia (1992). Jumping to Success. Southern Book Publishers. ISBN .

References