By day she navigates the world of court cases and legislation, but beyond the lecture halls she takes on an entirely different form of discipline and precision. For one University of Pretoria student, balancing a demanding law degree with competitive dressage has resulted in two of South Africa’s most prestigious titles – and a Toyota Starlet Cross. While some athletes thrive with institutional support behind them, others must forge their own paths. After catching up with Janina Rexrodt, we explore the journey of a student doing just that.
Janina Rexrodt is a second-year BCom Law student who has had a passion for horses for as long as she could remember. She is no stranger to competitive dressage and has already represented South Africa on three separate occasions. Recently, she had two of her biggest accomplishments to date: she defended her South African titles at the Toyota South African Dressage Championships at two different levels on her horses Rosalie and Vincent Vegas, and then three weeks later, she won the Toyota South African Mini Dressage Derby for the first time on Vincent Vegas. Despite winning the South African Championships in previous years, these wins meant more than standing at the top of the podium to Rexrodt. They were indicative of her mental strength to recover from a bad ride when it matters most. “My qualifier was really bad on Vincent because he just wanted to throw me off,” Rexrodt explained. Despite qualifying second to last, she attained the highest score on Championship Day, crowning her as the winner. As part of her prize for winning the South African Championships, she won a Toyota Starlet Cross, and to this day she is still in shock.
Rexrodt, although very experienced and one of South Africa’s most promising young dressage riders, has had her fair share of challenges and bumps along the road. With her transition to university life, she has been challenged by balancing an academically demanding degree and maintaining a training schedule equivalent to a star university athlete, minus the support from the university. Still, Rexrodt finds time to train five times a week by commuting over an hour back to her horses. Regardless of her challenges, she never once considered giving up. It is simply not an option. Rexrodt credits her success to her love of the sport, her grooms, and the support of both her parents.
Often, we applaud those in the limelight. While it is important to do so, we must not forget to look to the unsung heroes. Those who may not have the spotlight placed upon them, but shine nevertheless. Not everyone can be a first team rugby player, but that does not mean they are any less deserving of recognition because they, too, have undergone great adversity to get to where they are, which we can all learn from. There are many unsung heroes, Rexrodt being one of them. As she revels in her success and triumph, she is already looking to the future. Rexrodt already has plans in place to ride at the Grand Prix – the highest level in competitive dressage. She is one to watch out for in the future, and this is just the beginning of it.
