Felicity Theunissen

Some riders find their way to horses gradually. Felicity Theunissen was never given the chance — she was drawn in almost as soon as she could walk, and she has never really looked back.

She sat on her first pony at four years old. What began as a childhood curiosity quickly became the thing her whole life organised itself around: early mornings at the yard, weekends at shows, and the kind of quiet, stubborn commitment that most adults would struggle to sustain.

Felicity’s story isn’t a straight line of ribbons and rosettes. At seven, a serious fall from her first pony left her needing two facial reconstructions. It was the sort of accident that ends many riding careers before they begin — and no one would have blamed a young child for walking away from it.

She went back. Not long after, another fall broke her collarbone. She went back again.

What could have become a story about fear became a story about resilience instead. Recognising a determination they couldn’t talk her out of, her parents found her a new Welsh pony — and, as anyone who has ridden a green pony will tell you, it was not an easy ride. There were bucks. There were rears. There were plenty of frustrating afternoons that ended in tears and dust.

Those days made her. Difficult ponies are honest teachers: they don’t reward force or shortcuts, only patience, feel, and the willingness to come back tomorrow and try again. Felicity learned all three, and the rider she is today was shaped far more by those challenging afternoons than by any easy round.

Now 14 years old, Felicity has established herself as one of South Africa’s most exciting young showjumping riders. She competes successfully from pony ranks through to the junior horse divisions and has already achieved multiple provincial and national podium finishes. Her performances include success in FEI Children’s competition, top placings at Gauteng Championships, a podium finish at the South African Championships, and consistently competing at heights up to 1.35 metres against some of the country’s best young riders.

She trains under renowned international rider and coach Ronnie Healy, where the emphasis extends far beyond jumping bigger fences. Her development centres on producing confident, balanced horses, building strong partnerships, and creating the kind of foundation that will support a long-term career in the sport.

Her horses are at the centre of everything she does. Whether it’s Qui Cassa, Simply Will, Atlanta, Kamron, or the next young prospect, Felicity is deeply involved in every aspect of their care and development. She understands that success is built through countless unseen hours spent caring for, learning from, and listening to each horse.

Anyone who watches her ride notices the same qualities: a calm mind under pressure, soft and sympathetic hands, an exceptional feel for a horse, and a work ethic that comes entirely from within. She approaches every competition wanting to improve, always believing there is something new to learn.

Felicity’s ambitions are clear. She dreams of representing South Africa at the highest levels of international showjumping, competing in Nations Cups and major championships, and one day producing top horses through a yard of her own. Just as importantly, she hopes to inspire other young riders to believe that hard work, resilience, and kindness to horses can take them further than talent alone.

Those are ambitious goals for anyone. But ambition is only meaningful when it is matched by perseverance. Felicity has already shown that she possesses both. Every setback has strengthened her determination, every difficult horse has made her a better rider, and every challenge has reinforced her love for the sport.

She is still only at the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey, and there is every reason to believe that her biggest achievements are still ahead of her.