Our DEE
Ambassadors
Chantal Chelin
Chantal Chelin embodies the essence of equestrian dedication and passion. Introduced to horses at age 9 by her grandfather, Mr. Reginald Knight, a respected figure in Cape Town's racing scene, Chantal's love for these majestic creatures blossomed. Now based in Johannesburg South, she aspires to make it into the Open classes with her new horse, Rosefield Verso Larghretto. In addition to her competitive ambitions, she produces young horses and owns Rosefield Horse Sales. Her ultimate goal is to excel as a competitive 1m50 rider.
Chantal's journey is marked by notable achievements, including representing the KZN Junior Show Jumping and Showing team in 2004 and winning the Junior Victor Ludorum at Pietermaritzburg's Royal Show Grounds in 2005. Her dedication to improvement took her to Ireland, where she trained with Richard and Andrew Bourns of Bourns Sport Horses.
Among her promising proteges are the up-and-coming youngsters Rosefield Cornata PDL, Rosefield Atlantica, and Rosefield Concord. At the core of Chantal's ethos is a belief in the transformative power of hard work and dedication, best encapsulated by her favourite quote: "You can have all the talent in the world, but hard work and dedication are unbeatable."
With an unwavering commitment to excellence, Chantal Chelin continues to inspire as she nurtures young talent and pursues her passion for show jumping.
Shannay Marais
Shannay is a 19-year-old competitive open showjumper from South Africa. She has been riding since the early age of 6. She currently competes at the 1m35/1m40 graded level with her Warmblood mare, Assegai Quickstep (Quicks), and with Walker Bay, her very promising OTTB, in the 1m10 classes. Recently Shannay has also bought a mare, Capital Cinnabon (Bonny) by Colnardo, who she is hoping to produce to Open level for herself in the near future. Having just finished Matric, Shannay is also doing a lot of work riding and schooling/producing young horses, which is her passion.
One of the highlights of her young horse production is her own horse Walker Bay (now 6 years old). She bought him off the track at age 4 and has produced him to the 1m10 level. Her goal is to reach the Open level, with guidance from her coach, Chad Cunningham.
Shannay’s biggest achievement at the professional level was winning the Junior 1m35 SA Derby title with Quicks in 2023 at KEP in the Bob Charter (her favorite surface and arena). The year before, in 2022, she won the Junior 130 Youth Series Grand Prix with Quicks, an event held across multiple venues, tracks, and courses.
During her junior and pony rider career, Shannay was selected to represent Gauteng in Provincial and National team events across multiple showjumping levels, from 90cm to 1m20.
Shannay’s passion and love for her own horses—and all horses—are beautiful to witness. She is kind, understanding, and genuinely embraces the idea of “putting the horse first and the sport second.” She believes that each horse has something unique to give, with the potential to achieve great things given time, patience, and care.
Her aspirations as a rider are to compete locally at the 1m50 level and to eventually venture to Europe to compete in the Longines events, alongside the riders she aspires to be.
Shannay acknowledges that her journey in the sport would not have been possible without the support of her horses, their willingness to be her partners both in and outside the ring, as well as her parents, coaches, grooms, farriers, sponsors, and many others.
Hanno Niemand
At just 16 years old, Hanno Niemand is making his mark in the equestrian world. Introduced to horses at a young age through his grandfather, Arno van der Merwe—who bred Arabians and Friesians—Hanno’s true riding journey began in 2021 after his grandfather’s passing.
Starting in Rustenburg, NW, competing in SANESA, he quickly progressed to graded shows under the guidance of Oscar Ncube. Now, as a dedicated rider and young horse producer, Hanno is focused on developing his strong string of two talented horses, Capital Hayward and Callaho Lissandro, while working towards competing at higher levels in 2025. His long-term ambition is to ride professionally in Europe.
Beyond competition, Hanno is passionate about shaping the equestrian industry and raising awareness about the deep history and significance of horses. He believes in fostering greater respect for these incredible animals and is determined to make a difference—both in and out of the arena.
Jessica Hindley
Jessica Hindley, a 18-year-old competitive junior rider from South Africa, has been making waves in the equestrian world since the age of 13. Competing at the height of 1m20 with her horses Hausberger McArthur Park (now retired) and SM Callista Luna Z (Lou), she also excels at the 90cm level with her promising youngster, Weltmeyer Sebastian (Seb). Adding to her repertoire, Jessica has recently ventured into the graded dressage circuit with her mount Grande Roux Great Times (Greaties).
Under the guidance of trainers Anya Muller, Janet Dewar-Pitts, and Ronnie Healy, Jessica's journey took her to Germany and the Netherlands, where she had the privilege of training and competing with esteemed professionals like Kai Terhoeven-Urselmans and Michel Van Eck. Among her notable achievements are jumping in Germany against her idols, delivering a clear round in the 1m20 at the SA Youth Championships 2023, and clinching the Equitation Novice Champion title at the Toyota Easter Festival in 2023.
Jessica's dedication to her horses is evident, particularly in her hands-on approach to their development. She takes pride in producing her current horses herself, with special mention to Weltmeyer Sebastian, whom she has nurtured from a young age. With aspirations to compete internationally in Europe, Jessica acknowledges the invaluable support of her coaches, grooms, physios, saddle fitters, farriers, and her parents.
Above all, Jessica's passion for her craft shines through. She cherishes every moment spent with her beloved horses, embracing the journey with enthusiasm and gratitude, and remains steadfast in her belief that her dreams of international competition will one day become a reality.
Erin Furman
Erin (Erela) Furman, 18, competitive show jumper from Johannesburg, began riding at age 6. She competes proudly with her 10-year-old Boerperd, Chaje Fletcher. Erela has been with her coach, Vincent Moemise, for the last 3 years and she rides out of Tamboti Riders Stables in Midrand. The bond between horse, rider and coach has never been stronger.
Originally Erela was leasing Fletcher and when his owners decided to sell him, Erela was devastated to possibly lose her best friend. Not having come from a horse-riding background, and possibly having no idea what they were getting into, Erela’s parents ensured this beautiful partnership would not be broken and Chaje Fletcher joined the family of humans, dogs, cockatiel and now horse(s).
From earlier estimates of Fletcher not being a “true” competitive horse, a combination of hard work, love and lots of fun, the dynamic duo went on to several notable achievementsincluding winning the Hollard Pre-Easter 90cm class in 2024. Now comfortable at 1m10 and sometimes 1m20 at the yard, Erela and Fletcher are moving up to the 1m graded class in competitions.
Currently studying Horsemanship at Beaulieu Equestrian Academy, Erela aspires to make the equestrian world her home. Passionate about all animals and passionate and competitive with horses, Erela is living her dream. As a brand ambassador for Dani Equestrian Essentials, Erin is sitting pretty in this new role.
Nicole Laranjeira
Nicole Laranjeira is a 21-year-old South African show jumper as well as a CCN1* eventer. She lives in Johannesburg South and was raised on a plot in Kibler Park. Here, she discovered her love for horses and began her journey at the age of three. By the time she was six, Pegasus Riding Club had become her second home, marking the true beginning of her riding career.
Now, Nicole dedicates herself to training young horses fresh off the race track, giving them a second chance to discover new talents. Her first horse,
J Edgar (affectionately known as her boy in red), is eight years old and serves as her CCN1* eventing horse. Chartered (her boy in blue), who is seven, currently competes in the 1.10m show jumping classes.
Nicole is also working and competing with Arrow Sky, who is five, African Twilight, who is four, and Sasha, who is three. She cherishes each of her horses and eagerly anticipates seeing how far they can go in their respective careers.
In addition to her equestrian pursuits, Nicole is an air hostess for Fly CemAir and is currently studying towards a BA in Child Psychology. She aspires to one day participate in the Olympics with one of her own horses. Nicole believes that it takes more than a “name brand” horse to be a champion; these thoroughbreds have shown her that anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and a whole lot of prayer.
Nicole is immensely proud to be a part of the DEE team.
Megan De Lange
Megan De Lange's equestrian journey began at the age of 9, and from the very first ride, she was hooked. Like many young riders, she started by leasing school ponies before fulfilling every little girl’s dream—getting her first horse straight off the track. That horse marked the beginning of a challenging yet rewarding path, shaping Megan into the determined and skilled rider she is today.
Her dedication and hard work have been the backbone of her success, as she’s always taken on the responsibility of producing her horses from the ground up. This hands-on approach has not only honed her abilities but has also deepened her connection to each horse, making every achievement even more meaningful.
Currently, Megan competes with her Thoroughbred, Billkool, who she has developed to the 1.30m level and is soon ready to go even higher in the new year. Together, they’ve faced their share of challenges, but Megan’s perseverance and problem-solving have always carried them through, proving that the journey is as important as the results.
Megan’s accolades speak to her talent and passion. She is the proud 2024 Open Equitation Champion and claimed second overall in the Thoroughbred Series—an incredible testament to her dedication and skill.
We are thrilled to have Megan representing our brand for the 2025 show season and can’t wait to see what she and Billkool achieve next!
Megan Bailey
We’re thrilled to introduce you to Megan Bailey, a talented and dedicated showjumper from Pretoria! Megan is currently competing in the 90cm classes with her incredible schoolmaster, Adelt Conlynne ("Conny"), who she has had the privilege of partnering with for the past year.
Megan trains at Pinedean Stables, under the expert guidance of her instructor, Adrian Brink. Her journey in the saddle began as a young rider, but after a 7-year break, Megan returned to the equestrian world 3 years ago with a renewed passion.
Conny has played a pivotal role in helping Megan regain her confidence, and their partnership continues to flourish. Megan plans to compete with Conny for several more years and is excited about the future with her young horse, Zorino Ladon, as he develops and prepares to step into the spotlight.
Outside of the arena, Megan is equally driven. She is currently completing her articles at PwC, working towards her dream of becoming a Chartered Accountant (CA)(SA).
We are proud to have Megan as part of the DEE team and can’t wait to support her on her journey, both in and out of the ring!
Ashlyn Riviere
Ashlyn Riviere is an 18-year-old show jumper from Johannesburg. She trains under Lauren Coltman at Equicolt, a private yard in Walkerville.
She owns five amazing horses, three of which she is currently competing with, while the other two Ashlyn hopes to back and produce herself once they are of the right age and ready to begin their training.
This year, Ashlyn will be competing with Saratoga Ankhesenamun, Born Atlantic, and Oathkeeper:
• Saratoga Ankhesenamun (Ankhe): A stunning 17-year-old warmblood who gives her all in every ride. Ankhe has been instrumental in building Ashlyn's confidence and career, and together, they have competed in the 1m classes.
• Oathkeeper (Odie): A 5-year-old OTTB that Ashlyn has produced herself. They are currently competing in the 90cm-1m classes, with plans to reach 1m10 by the end of the year.
• Born Atlantic (Atlas): A rising 4-year-old OTTB that Ashlyn is excited to develop and produce further, with the hope of moving up the grades in the coming years.
Ashlyn describes her proudest achievement as the progress of her horses, who never fail to bring her joy. She firmly believes that with patience, love, and dedication, they will reach the top.