Ronnie and Andre instruct in showjumping and dressage respectively, and both have successful showing and equitation pupils too. They are personally present in the stableyard working horses and teaching at least 6 days a week, except when travelling for their sought-after clinics, or away at shows.
The grooms are ably assisted with all aspects of stable management, feeding, veterinary follow up, and exercise by a live-in stable manager. They all have "head groom" skills and care for horses with dedication and excellence. The ratio is 5 horses to each groom. Two gardeners, who ensure the grounds are beautifully kept, have training as backup grooms and handlers.
RONNIE LAWRENCE
ANDRE' LE CONTE
Ronnie Lawrence is one of South Africa's most successful showjumpers of all times. Although born in Rhodesia, (now Zimbabwe) Ronnie moved to South Africa early in the 1980's and began competing full time here.
He has been very successful on a number of different horses, and is the only South African rider to have competed successfully on the World Circuit where he qualified not one, but two horses for the prestigious World Cup final.
He is the holder of the high jump record at 1.75m at 14 years of age.
Ronnie was awarded National Colours for show jumping and eventing in juniors and adults. He won numerous style classes in show jumping and 3 day eventing.
At 17 Ronnie trained in the United Kingdom with Lars Sederhorn at WaterStock House Training Centre, doing three day eventing and show jumping. He trained with Lorna Clark, Tessa Martin Bird, Jane Holderness Roddam and HRH Princess Ann.
In South Africa Ronnie was awarded Springbok colours for show jumping. He has won numerous Derbys, Rhodesian, Natal and SA, as also numerous world cups and 5 SA show jumping championships.
When Ronnie won the SA league of the Volvo World Cup he flew horses to Nelson Pessoa to compete on the sunshine tour in Spain. From there he went on to World Cups in Europe and then to represent South Africa in Gothenburg in the World Cup Final, being placed, and winning, consistently throughout.
Ronnie has received the State Presidents Award for achievement for his country, and has been awarded the SAA Cirrus Award for achievement in sport.
Ronnie enjoyed sponsorship by Avis Rent a Car from 1995 to 2006, and is now privileged to be sponsored by Milmac feeds. Also, from 2008, Ronnie receives sponsorship from the Mark Todd Saddlery Range, as well as products from Boeringer-Ingelheim namely Myoplast, Pronotrin and Gonex.
Ronnie continues with a successful show jumping career and is also a sought after instructor not only in Gauteng where the Highborn Equestrian Academy is situate but all around the country where he travels to gives clinics in Natal.
Ronnie and Andre are actively involved in the running of their five star yard, involving breeding, teaching, riding and providing top notch tuition. Both are campaigning for the 2012 Olympics in London, Ronnie as a show jumper and Andre in his chosen field of dressage.
Andre' passion has always been to bring on young horses and therefore went to live in Holland to learn under the watchful eye of one of Hollands most prolific event riders Alice Naber-Lozerman (the Anky of eventing). Here Andre discovered his passion for dressage. Andre continued to produce young horses for Alice.
Andre' left Holland to go pursue his dressage career in UK as rider pupil under David Hunt, then president of British dressage and chairman of international trainers committee. On return to SA Andre met his partner Ronnie Lawrence and started a joint running of Highborn Equestrian Academy. Here he took the task of producing all young horses bred by Highborn Stud, jumping and dressage. Some of these horses went on to win major young horse titles in SA including the SANEF national young horse championships & numerous provincial championships.
With a seriously booming dressage career Andre and Ronnie decided to acquire two top dressage stallions with 2012 London Olympics in mind. They acquired a top young approved Oldenburg stallion from Danish Olympic rider Anne Van Olst and a young KWPN stallion.
With Anky Van Grunsven as Andres role model he was intrigued by her way of riding and performance. With these two young stallions Andre was accepted as pupil of Tineke Bartels and Imke Schellekens-Bartels at Academy Bartels in Holland. Here it was possible for Andre to have firsthand experience with Ankys way of riding. He spent long hours in and out of the saddle learning from these world leaders of dressage.
Now at HB North of JHB Andre spends his time teaching aspirant dressage riders and training his successful string of competition horses. Andre also plays an important role in developing and promoting the sport of dressage.
Andre's Two Stallions Sanletto and Why Sinclair are now back in Holland after spending 3 years in SA. Andre's ambition is to start preparing for Olympic 2012 as well as touring Europe.
