Equestrian league may boost RI riders' skills

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Equestrian Association expects the first Southeast Asian Jumping Event League this year will improve skills of regional riders, including those from Indonesia in their quest to qualify for the Olympics.

There will be eight events in three countries this year, Max E Ammann, the Volvo World Cup Jumping director, told reporters yesterday at the Arthayasa stables in Limo, Bogor. He expects more countries will host events in the annual league in future.

The initial event will be held on Aug. 24 in Kuala Lumpur, with the second the following week at the same place. Each event consists of three rounds staged over three days.

Indonesia will host the third and fourth legs in Ciater, West Java, on Sept. 21, and in Limo, Bogor, on Sept. 28.

The next events will take place in Bangkok on Nov. 30 and in Cha'am, 30kms south of Bangkok, on Dec. 7. Kuala Lumpur will host the last two legs on Dec. 14 and Dec. 21.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines will take part in the US$225,000 league.

Rafiq Radinal, the Arthayasa stable owner who is also the association's Jakarta chapter chairman, said eight Indonesian riders have registered to compete in the league. They are Rafiq, Roy Ibrahim, Indra Rosendi, Ardy Hapsoro, Roy Ibrahim, Budi Tulodo, Erik Nabring, Nico Pelealu and Tenny Palandeng.

He admitted they do not have enough horses at present for the events.

"The problem is each rider must have two horses. We're still waiting for our horses, which were bought in Australia, New Zealand and Germany," Rafiq said.

Association deputy W Johan Pitoy said that the regional league will be a good starting point for Indonesian riders in efforts to reach Olympic qualifying standards.

Ho Nai Yo, the league technical director, said several Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, have improved in equestrian events, especially show jumping.

Ho said the league will be a good tryout for athletes before the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok.

The league winner will have a chance to compete with nearly 50 other winners from all over the world at the World Cup in Helsinki in April next year.

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) plans to stage a semifinal of the best three of the Asian region, along with New Zealand and Australia.

"If the region league only features 1.4m barriers, the semifinals will have 1.45 to 1.5 barriers to let them adjust for the World Cup, which has 1.6 barriers," Ammann said.

Ammann expressed his optimism that Indonesian horse riders will be able to qualify for the Olympic Games in 2004.

"In a year or two, Southeast Asian riders, including Indonesians, will reach the international standard," he said. "Hopefully in 2004 or 2005, Asian riders can compete among Europeans."

Among Asian countries, only the Philippines, Japan and India have qualified for the Olympics.

Ammann identified riders from Malaysia and Singapore as the best in the region.

"The two countries have the base for equestrian pursuits because they have the English tradition of riding horses," he said. (yan)