If you ride in SANESA, you’ve probably heard people talk about ‘Finals’ and ‘Nationals’, but what’s the difference? Let’s break it down!
What is SANESA?
SANESA stands for the South African National Equestrian Schools Association. It’s where school riders from all over the country compete in different disciplines — like showjumping, dressage, working riding, equitation, and more — while proudly representing their school.
SANESA Qualifiers
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Each province or district (e.g., Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Western Cape) hosts around three to four SANESA qualifier shows per year, usually between March and July.
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These shows cover multiple disciplines like showjumping, dressage, Western Mounted Games, equitation, and more—all part of SANESA’s Core League.
How riders qualify
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At each qualifier, riders earn league points in their discipline and level.
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After all qualifiers, the top-scoring riders in each level and discipline—typically the top 8–12—are invited to the Regional Finals.
SANESA Regional Finals (Regionals)
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What are they?
These are provincial-level finals, held after the year’s qualifying shows within each province or district. -
Who competes?
The top 8–12 riders per discipline from each region qualify to compete in their provincial final. -
Why they matter:
Riders represent their school and province, and scores determine who qualifies for Nationals.
SANESA National Championships (Nationals)
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What are they?
The top riders from all provincial finals come together to form their provincial teams and compete at Nationals, typically held in September or October. -
Who competes?
Each province selects teams (usually 8–12 riders) to represent at Nationals. Some provinces, like Gauteng, may send extra teams. -
Why they matter:
It’s the biggest SANESA competition of the year, featuring top riders from across South Africa. You compete with your province.
So, what’s the difference?
| SANESA Finals (Regionals) | SANESA Nationals |
|---|---|
| Held within your province/district | Top riders from all provinces compete |
| Serves as a qualifier for Nationals | The culmination of SANESA competition |
| Riders represent their school and province | Represent your province team |
| Top 8–12 riders per class qualify | Provincial teams compete |
A summary of the sequence
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Qualifiers
Earn points in your discipline across three to four events. -
Results added up
The top 8–12 riders per discipline/level are announced. -
Regional Finals
These provincial finals determine who goes to Nationals. -
National Teams
The best from each region form Provincial Teams at Nationals.
Whether you ride in Qualifiers, Finals, or Nationals…
You’re doing something amazing — riding your pony, learning, and growing. Keep having fun, doing your best, and remembering that every round teaches you something!
