TEN-year-old Madison Miller became the youngest equestrian to compete for The Bahamas on the Caribbean equestrian circuit thus far, riding in the inaugural Inter-Caribbean Show Jumping Challenge held at St. Ann’s Polo Club in Drax Hall, Jamaica. 

The competition featured 27 riders from French Guyana, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Poland and Suriname, as well as Miller who was the lone rider from The Bahamas. Riders competed on borrowed horses in three divisions according to their respective level: Beginner (0.50m); Espoir (0.85m), and Elite (1.00m). 

Miller competed as an individual in the Espoir (0.85m) category, as The Bahamas did not send a team to the event. 

She rode ‘Patron’, owned by Julian Hyde, and finished 14th overall in her division.

The Inter-Caribbean Show Jumping Challenge was conceived as an initiative to expand the Grand Caraïbe League and provide more competition opportunities for aspiring Caribbean equestrian athletes. The event was organized by Julian Hyde, owner of Hyde Riding Academy of Jamaica, and supported by other equestrian officials of the English-speaking Caribbean, including Equestrian Bahamas President Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre, who served as President of the Ground Jury, becoming the first Bahamian to officiate at an international equestrian competition. 

Final results of the team competition were as follows: Guadeloupe – 1st place; Martinique – 2nd place; Jamaica – 3rd place; Suriname – 4th place; French Guiana – 5th. In the individual classes, the overall winner of the Beginner class was Lauren Shaw of Jamaica; the winner of the Espoir class was Franci Russel of Jamaica; and the winner of the Elite class was Josepha Berthier of Guadeloupe. The Inter-Caribbean Show Jumping Challenge is expected to become an annual event.