Show Jumping · Dressage · Nairobi

Anusha
Masrani

Riding Aerobatic (SAF) out of Forward EC, Kitisuru. Follow the season.

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Current · since June 2025

Aerobatic

Bay Mare · Thoroughbred · b. 2013, South Africa · HAK No. 056

Racing career
26 starts · 1 win
Show jumping
7 wins · to 1.15m
Arrived Kenya
26 June 2025
First ride
10 July 2025
First 1.10m
Mid-July 2025
Base
Forward EC, Kitisuru

A former racehorse off South Africa's Gauteng circuit — 26 flat starts at Turffontein and Vaal, then five seasons of show jumping including a World Cup qualifier weeks before the move. Deana described her as "kind, big-hearted and so very willing." Anusha got on once, in Pretoria. That was the answer.

She flew out of Johannesburg on 25 June 2025, one of three horses on the flight, and walked into Forward EC at half past one the next morning. Two weeks later Anusha rode her for the first time. A month after that they jumped 1.10m. At HOTYS 2025 they won the 90cm outright — the only clear in a 1m jump-off.

Secretariat
b. 1970 · Triple Crown 1973 · the Belmont record that still stands
Weekend Surprise
Secretariat's daughter · blue-hen mare · carrier of the "large heart" line
A.P. Indy
1992 American Horse of the Year · Belmont winner
A.P. Arrow
Aerobatic's sire · stood at Summerhill Stud, South Africa
Aerobatic
out of Flying Magic (USA, by Hansel) · five generations from Secretariat

Through Weekend Surprise she carries the large-heart genetic thread of the most celebrated racehorse of the 20th century. It shows.

Full history — racing & show jumping
Racing career · South Africa 2016–2018

Trained throughout by Gary Alexander, Aerobatic ran 26 times between July 2016 and November 2018, on turf at Turffontein and Vaal — her best races over 1000–1200m. She earned R151,575 across a career of occasional brilliance and recurring veterinary notes for coughing. Her finest moment: 19 November 2017, Turffontein Inside — a 1000m Maiden Plate won by 0.2 lengths under Samuel Mosia, delivered after a season of near-misses.

DateTrackDistFinishJockeySPPrize
At 2 years old
09 Jul 2016Turffontein Standside1160m5 of 16A Fortune17R2,250
At 3 years old
20 Aug 2016Turffontein Inside1450m10 of 11A Fortune7.50—
08 Sep 2016Vaal1450m4 of 9L Hewitson6R4,500
22 Sep 2016Vaal1600m4 of 9L Hewitson9R4,500
05 Nov 2016Turffontein Standside1600m12 of 16C Zackey36—
22 Dec 2016Vaal1400m3 of 14A Fortune12R9,000
17 Jan 2017Turffontein Inside1200m2 of 12A Fortune1.75R19,000
31 Jan 2017Vaal1200m4 of 9T Matsoele3.50R4,750
23 Feb 2017Turffontein Inside1600m7 of 10T Matsoele4.50—
18 Mar 2017Turffontein Inside1450m7 of 13M Van Rensburg16—
17 Apr 2017Turffontein Inside1450m6 of 10M Van Rensburg26—
— Spell: 3 months 17 days —
At 4 years old
02 Aug 2017Turffontein Inside1200m5 of 10C Zackey13R1,750
02 Sep 2017Turffontein Inside1000m2 of 10L Hewitson4.70R19,000
28 Sep 2017Turffontein Inside1000m5 of 13L Hewitson31R1,900
14 Oct 2017Turffontein Inside1000m11 of 14L Hewitson4.50—
04 Nov 2017Turffontein Standside1400m4 of 11K De Melo16R4,750
19 Nov 2017Turffontein Inside1000m1st of 8 ✦ WINS Mosia6.50R59,375
28 Dec 2017Vaal1000m5 of 15D Schwarz45R2,200
16 Jan 2018Vaal1400m7 of 14D Schwarz14—
01 Mar 2018Vaal1200m9 of 14D Schwarz19—
17 Mar 2018Turffontein Standside1160m5 of 13D Schwarz45R2,200
17 Apr 2018Turffontein Standside1000m6 of 9L Hewitson5—
17 May 2018Vaal1200m2 of 12D Schwarz19R16,400
16 Jun 2018Turffontein Inside1000m6 of 9D Schwarz7—
21 Jul 2018Turffontein Inside1450m7 of 11D Schwarz19—
— Spell: 3 months 25 days —
At 5 years old
13 Nov 2018Vaal1000m12 of 14J Penny29—
Show jumping career · 2020–2025

Her last race was November 2018. What followed was a complete reinvention: under South African rider Timothy Jonathan Wubbeling she began show jumping in October 2020 — starting at 0.90m and building through five seasons to consistent 1.10m and FEI-level competition. 7 wins, the Gauteng Province Championships, the FEI World Jumping Challenge, and two World Cup qualifiers — including the Toyota CSIW Midrand in May 2025, weeks before coming to Anusha. She did not arrive as a blank slate. She arrived as a horse who had already proved herself in two careers.

DateVenueEventHeightPlaceQRPts
2020 — Debut season (0.90m)
03 Oct 2020Kyalami ParkGauteng Championships0.90m3rd✓30
03 Oct 2020Kyalami ParkGauteng Championships0.90m1st ✦✓40
18 Oct 2020Burlington StablesJunior & Adult Show0.90m32nd——
18 Oct 2020Burlington StablesJunior & Adult Show0.90m1st ✦✓40
01 Nov 2020Kyalami ParkKPC Graded Show0.90m28th——
01 Nov 2020Kyalami ParkKPC Graded Show0.90m16th——
21 Nov 2020Kyalami ParkKPC November Graded Show0.90m1st ✦✓40
21 Nov 2020Kyalami ParkKPC November Graded Show0.90m8th✓18
2021 — Stepping up (1.00m–1.10m)
26 Feb 2021StokkiesdraaiStokkiesdraai Cup / Puresan GP1.00m5th✓24
27 Feb 2021StokkiesdraaiStokkiesdraai Cup / Puresan GP1.00m3rd✓30
28 Feb 2021StokkiesdraaiStokkiesdraai Cup / Puresan GP1.00m13th—8
15 Oct 2021Kyalami ParkScotsman Post Derby1.10m18th——
15 Oct 2021Kyalami ParkScotsman Post Derby1.10m11th——
16 Oct 2021Kyalami ParkScotsman Post Derby1.10m12th——
23 Oct 2021Penbritte ECPenbritte Graded / Midfeeds YR1.10m14th——
23 Oct 2021Penbritte ECPenbritte Graded / Midfeeds YR1.00m20th——
2022 — Consolidating 1.10m
15 May 2022United EquestrianJunior & Adult Show1.10m21st——
15 May 2022United EquestrianJunior & Adult Show1.10m10th✓14
24 Jul 2022Kyalami ParkMidfeeds FEI Jumping Challenge L31.00m19th——
20 Aug 2022Steyn City ECJunior & Adult Show1.10m29th——
20 Aug 2022Steyn City ECJunior & Adult Show1.10m21st——
22 Oct 2022Maple RidgePre-WCQ Show1.10m32nd——
22 Oct 2022Maple RidgePre-WCQ Show1.10m16th——
2023
09 Aug 2023Fourways RCWomen's Day Graded Show1.00m1st ✦✓34
09 Aug 2023Fourways RCWomen's Day Graded Show1.00m5th—10
2024 — Peak season (4 wins, World Cup qualifiers)
13 Apr 2024Burlington StablesBurlington Show1.00m1st ✦✓40
13 Apr 2024Burlington StablesBurlington Show1.00m15th—4
20 Apr 2024Kyalami ParkClub League – Leg 11.10m5th✓24
20 Apr 2024Kyalami ParkClub League – Leg 11.10m18th——
01 May 2024Kyalami Park334 Sporthorse WC Qualifier1.10m2nd✓34
02 May 2024Kyalami Park334 Sporthorse WC Qualifier1.10m38th——
03 May 2024Kyalami Park334 Sporthorse WC Qualifier1.10m29th✓—
19 May 2024Kyalami ParkAfrizan Graded Show1.10m26th——
19 May 2024Kyalami ParkAfrizan Graded Show1.10m7th✓20
08 Jun 2024Kyalami ParkGauteng Province Championships1.10m87th——
08 Jun 2024Kyalami ParkGauteng Province Championships1.10m78th——
20 Jul 2024Kyalami ParkFEI World Jumping Challenge1.15m36th——
09 Aug 2024Fourways RCFourways Graded Show1.00m3rd—8
09 Aug 2024Fourways RCFourways Graded Show1.00m6th—2
16 Aug 2024The Ranch ECThe Ranch Show1.00m4th✓26
17 Aug 2024The Ranch ECThe Ranch Show1.00m20th——
18 Aug 2024The Ranch ECThe Ranch Show1.00m1st ✦✓40
20 Oct 2024Kyalami ParkScotsman Post Derby1.00m1st ✦✓40
02 Nov 2024Kyalami ParkKyalami League – Leg 21.00m1st ✦✓40
02 Nov 2024Kyalami ParkKyalami League – Leg 21.10m24th——
2025 — Final SA season (before Anusha)
23 Feb 2025Kumusha ECKumusha Graded Show1.10m4th✓26
23 Feb 2025Kumusha ECKumusha Graded Show1.10m4th——
09 Mar 2025Kyalami ParkKPC Horse of the Year1.10m38th——
09 Mar 2025Kyalami ParkKPC Horse of the Year1.10m13th✓8
13 Apr 2025Burlington StablesBurlington Show1.10m18th——
13 Apr 2025Burlington StablesBurlington Show1.10m2nd✓34
15 May 2025Kyalami ParkToyota CSIW Midrand WCQ1.10m48th——
17 May 2025Kyalami ParkToyota CSIW Midrand WCQ1.10m5th✓24
18 May 2025Kyalami ParkToyota CSIW Midrand WCQ1.10m37th——
Arriving with Anusha

Arrived at Forward EC on 26 June 2025, weeks after her last World Cup qualifier. Registered HAK No. 056 on 28 June. First ride two weeks after arrival; first 1.10m mid-July. At HOTYS 2025 she won the 90cm via the only clear in the 1m jump-off.

In Memoriam · Feb 2022 – 3 Nov 2025

Excalibur

Cob Gelding · unknown breeding · b. ~2012 · HAK No. 56

Anusha's first horse. He arrived in February 2022 with no jumping experience and no competition history — and she hadn't competed on her own horse either. They started from zero together.

Their first competition together was Forward EC's dressage day, 11 February 2024 — a wait made longer by HAK pony rules and the 2023 African Horse Sickness shutdown. Three weeks later they jumped at Dagoretti.

In January 2025 he came up lame. Dr. Duncan Prinsloo flew in from Pretoria for the second opinion; the diagnosis was progressive arthritis. He was rehomed to RDC Karen as a therapy horse, and on 3 November 2025 he was put to rest, peacefully, at about thirteen years old. His number — 056 — rides on with Aerobatic.

Before the stables

Anusha started riding in 2019 at Forward EC on the stable horses — Pringle, Crackle, whatever was available.

The search · Feb – Jun 2025

Three months, dozens of horses ridden across Gauteng, five vettings. Tapenzee failed. Stella failed twice. Sapphire passed and was rejected on a hoof. Then a mare at PTA East that Deana couldn't stop talking about. Anusha flew down, got on — and the search was over.

Full history — Excalibur
Sex
Gelding
Born
~2012 (estimated)
Breed
Cob · unknown breeding
Acquired
February 2022 · age ~10
Registration
HAK No. 56
Years together
3 years 9 months
Prior jumping
None — started from zero
Diagnosis
Progressive arthritis
Passed
3 Nov 2025 · age ~13 · RDC Karen
His final chapter

The cause of the lameness was never confirmed — a fall is assumed, but no one saw it happen. The family put him on hot-towel therapy and massage twice daily while Dr. Desmond examined him repeatedly at Forward EC. On 12 February 2025 Dr. Duncan Prinsloo flew in from Pretoria for the second opinion; six weeks later, sent video of him trotting, he replied: "he is showing on the left front."

Excalibur left Forward EC after 2 June 2025 and never returned. At RDC Karen he was rehomed as a therapy horse for handicapped children — and could not manage even that. On 3 November 2025 at 8:30am, Dr. Desmond Tutu of Yaya Vet Clinic came to RDC Karen. He was sedated and passed peacefully, at approximately thirteen.

About

Rider.
Competitor.

Anusha Masrani is sixteen. She trains five days a week across show jumping and dressage, balancing the season with IB coursework — and considering a professional path after it.

Age
16
Base
Forward EC, Kitisuru, Nairobi
Trainer
Isaac Macharia Mwangi
Disciplines
Show Jumping · Dressage
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