The famous Barry Taylor needs no introduction. A showjumper of over 40 years, himself a four time Derby winner (1997, 2000, 2003,2004), recipient of National colours in 1985 and then Protea colours again in 2006, Barry has won over 50 Grand Prix titles and has been a stalwart of the South African riding community for decades. 

His list of accolades are as impressive as they are long!  

• South African Showjumping Championship Winner 2000, 2003
• Ranked No 1 SA Showjumper 1999 – 2002, 2004, 2005
• Winner of the South African Outdoor Grand Prix a whopping 9 times, the most recent being in 2011
• Winner South African League FEI World Cup Series numerous times
• Show Jumper of the Year (5 times)
• World Equestrian Games in Aachen 2006
• Riders Tour Grand Prix Series Winner 2004
• Grand Prix Rider of the Year 2005
• Presidents Cup Winner 4 times including years 2001, 2003
• Winner of 12 World Cup Qualifiers over the years, the most recent being in Polokwane in 2012 & 2014
• Winner of 12 World Cup Qualifiers over the years, the most recent being in Polokwane in 2012 & 2014
• British Gentlemen’s Championship Winner, Royal Windsor Horse Show, UK 1998
• Placed 11th – All England Jumping Derby, Hickstead, UK, 2005
• Runner-up at the Presidents Cup 2011
• Winner of the Adult SA Outdoor Grand Prix at the Nissan Easter Festival 2011
• Winner of Mini Derby 4 times most recently in 2011
• Consistently ranked in the Top 10 Riders in South Africa.
• Runner up SA Showjumping Champs 2013
• Runner up Presidents Cup 2013
• Runner up World Cup – South African League runner 2014
• Winner of the Grand Prix of Zimbabwe at Harare show 2014
• Winner of the Victor Ludorum in the 1.50m’s at the SA Derby 2014

Barry runs a professional show-jumping yard, Farnham Stables, in Johannesburg with his wife Lorette, and he continues to train and compete. 

Although Barry will not be competing in this year’s event, he kindly agreed to answer some questions around the much-loved South African Derby! 

Q3: You’ve seen Derby evolve over the years. If you were to compare the horses and riders that you competed against 20 years ago with those who are in the ring now, what do you think is the biggest change in terms of the competition?  

The Derby at Inanda Club was amazing and very testing in its own way. I competed at both venues and I think I was the only person to have won the Derby at both venues. The greats of those years (Gonda, Micky, Peter Gotz) and their horses would be great today.
I think the poles are lighter now, so you would need a more careful horse, but at Inanda, the jumps overall were bigger and the ground very undulating.

Q4: Of all the horses you’ve ever ridden, which have you must enjoyed jumping the Derby track on and why? 

Avalanche was the best Derby horse I had, winning it twice and being placed in the Hickstead Derby as well. He had unlimited scope and loved the big bold Derby jumps. The second year he won was my perfect Derby round.

Q5: You’ve been a great coach to some talented competitors at Derby, How do you prepare them for Derby – both the mental and physical aspect of the show? 

Training to win the Derby and training just to compete in the Derby are two different things. 

To win the Derby I believe it begins at Easter time at the Easter Festival in the same arena.
You need to get a couple of good World Cup classes under your belt  to get used to bigger jumps and then the month before, training all the tricky jumps like the banks, dyke, etc.
A lot of people think some miracle is going to happen on the day, but it doesn’t. It takes a good Derby horse and rider with meticulous planning.

Q6: What’s the one piece of advice you would share with someone competing for the first time this year?  

If you make a mistake or knock an early jump, put it behind you and keep concentrating. It’s a long way around the course and the sooner you forget, the better round you will have.

If this is the answer, what’s the question?

• The wall: Big jump, but not one of my worry jumps.
• Dancing at 2am: In my youth, definitely.
• Something I would never do! Skydiving. I am petrified of heights
• The dyke: Trick jump. You just need to be accurate.
• The thing dreams are made of!  A fantastic young horse.