- Title: ETHIOPIA: TRIUMPH FOR ETHIOPIAN IN INTERNATIONAL SHOWJUMPING.
- Date: 19th March 1969
- Summary: FLAGS OF COMPETING NATIONS; EMPEROR ARRIVES AT STADIUM; PARADE OF COMPETITORS; COMPETITORS JUMPING; EMPEROR PRESENTING PRIZES. Initials GL/VS/JF/GJB SPORT: HORSE JUMPING Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 3rd April 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: JANHOY MEDA, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
- Country: Ethiopia
- Reuters ID: LVAEVD457F6TTBXTOSN9TBNOMN4V
- Story Text: SERGEANT MARU MELKA OF THE ETHIOPIAN IMPERIAL BODYGUARD WON THE INDIVIDUAL CUP FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN SUCCESSION AT THE INTERNATIONAL SHOWJUMPING COMPETITIONS HELD IN ADDIS ABABA RECENTLY. THE EVENT WAS PART OF THE TENTH INTERNATIONAL HORSE RACE, A COMPETITION HELD ALTERNATELY AT ADDIS ABABA AND DJIBOUTI.
TEAMS OF FIVE NATIONALITIES -- FRENCH, GERMAN, AMERICAN, ITALIAN AND ETHIOPIAN -- COMPETED IN THE TEAM EVENTS, AND THERE WERE INDIVIDUAL ENTRIES FROM MANY MORE COUNTRIES. IT WAS THE BIGGEST EVER FOREIGN ENTRY IN THE COMPETITIONS.
SERGEANT MARU MELKA, A POPULAR COMPETITOR IN HIS COUNTRY, TRIUMPHED ON HIS HORSE SILA IN THE HUNTING AND SHOWJUMPING EVENTS, AND BY WINNING THE INDIVIDUAL CUP FOR THE THIRD TIME, GAINED THE RIGHT TO KEEP THE TROPHY.
ANOTHER STRONG LOCAL COMPETITOR WAS CORPORAL ASEFA MINDA OF THE IMPERIAL STABLES, IN 1966 THE FIRST ETHIOPIAN TO WIN THE COMPETITION AND RUNNER-UP IN 1967 AND 1968. HE WAS RIDING JEGNAW.
BUT THIS YEAR HE WAS LESS SUCCESSFUL, AND THE SECOND PLACE WENT TO THE ITALIAN, DE SANTIS, RIDING SANDWICH. DE SANTIS TOOK THIRD PLACE IN THE HUNTING COMPETITION ON SANDWICH AND TOOK JOINT SECOND IN THE SAME EVENT ON ANOTHER HORSE.
THE COMPETITION IS ORGANISED BY THE IMPERIAL ETHIOPIAN RACING CLUB, AND NEW JUMPS AND STANDS WERE ERECTED THIS YEAR AT JANHOY MEDA, WHERE IT WAS HELD.
THE ETHIOPIAN EMPEROR, HAILZ SELASSIE, ATTENDED THE SHOW JUMPING AND AFTERWARDS PRESENTED TROPHIES AND OTHER PRIZES.
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