Revil Stables – the Polokwane success story
The South African showjumping circuit sees top riders and horses travel to various parts of our diverse and beautiful country to compete for the most coveted national showjumping titles. Top show venues put on spectacular events, hosting international course designers, developing top class facilities and offer hospitality packages to entice competitors to travel to their shows.
Among the well-known and supported venues, Revil Stables situated in Polokwane – Limpopo, has grown to become one of the most sought after show venues in South Africa. Regular graded shows are well supported by local and Gauteng riders while their annual FEI World Cup Qualifier showjumping event is fully booked within hours of the entry form being posted on the internet. In 2013 a record was set with a maximum number of entries being received within the first 3 hours of entries being open, again bearing testament to the popularity of this venue.
What then sets Revil Stables apart from the rest? A few things immediately come to mind. Arguably the most important facility at a show venue is its arenas. Not only does it represent the heart of any competitive event, but footing is of particular concern to riders as it goes a long way to safeguarding the soundness of their top horses and allows horses to spring off the ground without fear of slipping or a hard landing. Revil’s competition arena boasts the modern Cloph fibre surface developed in Europe specifically for equestrian events. The surface is light and well maintained, with watering and raking continuing throughout competition days, ensuring only the best possible footing is provided for competitors. An equally well kept warm-up arena provides ample space for pre-competition exercise, allowing competitors to enter the competition arena calm and confident.
Set a small distance apart from the hustle and bustle of the arenas is the large brick stabling block allocated to visiting horses. The stables are clean and well ventilated with paved pathways separating the rows of boxes. The safety and comfort of each horse is guaranteed while the simple yet effective design offer the ideal space to rest tired legs after long road journeys and competition.
Rider, spectator and grooms amenities are in no short supply either. Affordable hospitality and meal packages are available during the show. These give ticket holders access to delicious sit down meals prepared by professional caterers and a chance to catch up with follow riders and owners in the tastefully decorated rider’s hall. All in perfect view of the competition arena. Shaded seating areas and catering facilities are also provided to spectators with access to neat and tidy bathroom facilities.
But, like any event, it is the small or in this case not so small personal touches which always leave a lasting impression on visitors and keeps them returning year after year for the pure enjoyment of the show. Owners of Revil Stables, Rene and Conrad Fourie, never fail to entertain their visitors with a good dose of the famous bushveld hospitality the lowveld is so renowned for. A cocktail party, prize giving evening and social braais all give this show a festive and social atmosphere enjoyed by all. Beautifully presented rosettes, trophies, daysheets and generous sponsorship give prize winners well deserved recognition for their efforts and make classes highly competitive and exciting to watch.
With seemingly effortless ease Rene and Conrad are able to showcase top South African showjumping talent while injecting a generous amount of fun and festivity into their show. With a well proven track record, this might just point as to why Revil Stables has become such an enormous success story as a show holding venue.
The 2013 Revil Stables FEI World Cup Qualifier is just around the corner. Don’t miss out on this spectacular event proudly sponsored by Discovery. Watch all the action between the 28th of August and the 1st of September. Visit www.revilstables.co.za for directions and www.sashowjumping.co.za for event timetables and information.
Show time at Revil Stables:
