When Glenellen Show Jumping contacted DreamWorker to assist with workers to prepare for the World Cup Showjumping in October 2009, only one person came to mind : Jeffrey Mgwaba. Jeffrey earned his leadership spurs arranging teams of workers, when he was employed by Coast Care Hout Bay. Coast Care cleaned up the beaches, rooted out aliens and cleared the rivers until funding dwindled and Jeffrey was once again unemployed.

Preparing for the World Cup at Glenellen took loads of organizing. He and his team had to paint all the arena poles, prepare the grass and fences as well as learn to be comfortable around horses. As Jeffrey puts it “I used to be so scared of horses, but not anymore. Now I even help with brushing them down and changing horse shoes!”

The World Cup event was a huge success. Jeffrey’s input was so valued, he began to get work for himself and his team for many other local showjumping events in Noordhoek, Durbanville, Goodwood and Constantia. He has been working on an ongoing basis for these various events for over 9 months.

Jeffrey has learned many new skills. He beams “I can now plant new grass, paint very, very well, drive a lawnmower instead of pushing one, handle a quadbike and best of all, I can build courses. Just give me a course plan for a showjumping event and I can do it. I love organizing teams of guys to move from one site to the next as this helps me develop my leadership skills. I have to remain very cool headed during an event. But building the jumps fires up my creative skills and that is really fun!”

One of Jeffrey’s employers, Brendan Silen was Assistant Course Designer at the World Cup event. He has been delighted with Jeffrey’s leadership abilities. “He is self motivated and multi talented. A great delegator and organizer who can handle pressure well and still be a superb peoples person. Jeffrey is intelligent and thinks on his feet. He uses his initiative and creative skills when building jumps and has been a true asset to showjumping these past few months.”