Jaco Fourie is a South African equestrian athlete and SA National Champion in dressage.[1] He moved from Kimberley, South Africa and now resides in Cape Town, South Africa.[2][3] He appeared on the cover of the May 2007 edition of the SA Horseman Magazine.[4] He married Magda Fourie in 2009 and together they have 2 daughters, Hanneke and Adelinde and a son Andrè Fourie. The couple own and manage Areion Warmblood Horses & Dressage Academy.[5] His wife, Magda, died on 26 July 2019 and he has been a single father ever since.[6]

Jaco Fourie
Jaco Fourie riding CALLAHO's Granulit
Personal information
Full nameJakobus Fourie
Nationality South Africa
Born (1975-07-30) 30 July 1975 (age 49)
Pretoria, Gauteng
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Sport
CountrySouth Africa
SportEquestrian
Medal record
Gold medal – first place 2005 FEI World Dressage Challenge CALLAHO's For Joy
Bronze medal – third place 2006 FEI World Dressage Challenge CALLAHO's Granulit
Silver medal – second place 2009 FEI World Dressage Challenge CALLAHO's Rosengirl
Gold medal – first place 2012 FEI World Dressage Challenge AREION's Deja Vu
Gold medal – first place 2006 SA Individual Freestyle Championship CALLAHO's For Joy
Gold medal – first place 2007 SA Individual Freestyle Championship CALLAHO's Granulit
Silver medal – second place 2007 SA Individual Freestyle Championship CALLAHO's For Joy
Gold medal – first place 2008 SA Intermediate I Freestyle Championship CALLAHO's Rosengirl
Bronze medal – third place 2009 SA Individual Freestyle Championship CALLAHO's Rosengirl
Silver medal – second place 2010 SA Individual Freestyle Championship CALLAHO's Rosengirl
Silver medal – second place 2006 SA Individual Technical Championship CALLAHO's For Joy
Silver medal – second place 2007 SA Individual Technical Championship CALLAHO's For Joy
Gold medal – first place 2008 SA Prix St Georges Championship CALLAHO's Rosengirl
Silver medal – second place 2010 SA Individual Technical Championship CALLAHO's Rosengirl
Bronze medal – third place 2013 SA Advanced Freestyle Championship AREION's Deja Vu
Gold medal – first place 2013 FEI Young Horse Championship CDI3* Midrand Dawn Neman's Callaho Rinaldo
Bronze medal – third place 2023 SA Individual Technical Championship Callaho Bugatti
Silver medal – second place 2023 SA Individual Freestyle Championship Callaho Bugatti

Riding career

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Jaco Fourie started his riding career in the family business of his father and 2 brothers at the age of 4, and was tutored and mentored by many riding professionals to young adulthood.[1] He had training from bereiters and instructors from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, the SA Lipizzaner Centre, Natalie Hobday and Jonny Hilberath (GER).

His first Free State Provincial Colours were awarded in 2003, and received his National Protea Colours for dressage in 2007.[7] Fourie has represented his home-country, South Africa in the Equestrian Tri-Nations Competition on two occasions in 2007 and 2008[8] in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.[9] He won the SA Championships in 2006, 2007 and 2008.[10] He also won the FEI World Dressage Challenge in 2005.[11] He is the leading South African rider in the South African National Equestrian Federation's dressage rankings.[12]

He worked full-time as stud manager for CALLAHO Warmblood Sport Horses,[13] a South African based horse breeding stud farm, who is also a major sponsor of international riders,[14] but has since moved onto his own property where he owns & manages Areion Warmblood Horses & Dressage Academy.[5] He has subsequently followed a parallel career as equestrian dressage coach, and coach developer for the South African Equestrian Federation, designated as National Coach Education Advisor (NCEA) by SASCA in 2020.[15]

Horses

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His first pony was a crossbred Welsh pony named Prins.[1] In dressage, Fourie rode CALLAHO's For Joy, CALLAHO's Granulit, CALLAHO's Rosengirl, CALLAHO's Benicio and AREION's Deja Vu[16] to National honours. However, he had various other successes with horses FD Ref's Asterix, Etherow Impasse, Brandenburg Super C, Alzu Catapault, Kehilan Shaheer, Orly and Kingsdale Kildaire amongst others.[1] His current rising star is a Hanoverian stallion "FHM" whom he is training in dressage.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d [1] Archived 17 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Exclusive: An Interview with Jaco Fourie, Referenced 15 October 2008
  2. ^ [2], Jaco Fourie – Professional Rider, Referenced 15 October 2008
  3. ^ [3], Die skaap is perd van ander kleur, Referenced 15 October 2008
  4. ^ [4], SA Horseman Magazine May 2007, Referenced 15 October 2008
  5. ^ a b [5] Archived 4 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Areion Warmblood Horses & Dressage Academy, Referenced 15 October 2013
  6. ^ a b "Loved ones mourn death of Kimberley doctor". News24. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  7. ^ [6] Archived 1 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine, National Colours Recipients, Referenced 15 October 2008
  8. ^ [7] Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine, South Africa leading the Tri-Nations at HOY, Referenced 15 October 2008
  9. ^ [8], HAWKE'S BAY TODAY: Youngster gives it full throttle on Britten, Referenced 15 October 2008
  10. ^ [9][permanent dead link], FSNC Newsletter, Referenced 15 October 2008
  11. ^ [10], FEI World Dressage Challenge Results 2005, Referenced 15 October 2013
  12. ^ [11], SANEF Dressage Rankings, Referenced 15 October 2008
  13. ^ [12][permanent dead link], CALLAHO Training & Sales, Referenced 15 October 2008
  14. ^ [13], Eurodressage: 2006 World Equestrian Games, Referenced 15 October 2008
  15. ^ "SPORTS COACHES – South African Sports Coaching Association". Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  16. ^ [14] Archived 4 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Championship Results, Referenced 15 October 2013
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