RI riders to handle tough horses
RI riders to handle tough horses
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian riders may have to waste time
training horses during equestrian events at the 18th Southeast
Asian Games in Chiang Mai.
Ardi Hapsoro, Indonesia's ace rider in dressage competition,
said yesterday that he and his teammates were forced to try out
many horses after hearing that the host country would provide
inappropriate horses.
He quoted an international judge, Wolfgang Niggly of
Switzerland, who said that Thailand would allocate thoroughbreds
formerly used in horse races.
"The disadvantage of using such horses is that their ability
to understand instructions are limited," Ardi said. "Even if they
are trained intensively for a long time, they will never match
the original horses," he added.
"Ability to quickly get familiar with, and control the horse
is the key to victory," Ardi said.
He admitted, however, that the host country has the right to
choose the horses. Race horses, usually called cold-blooded
horses, are cheaper than those used in riding events.
Competitors will only have free practice on Dec. 8 and an
official training on Dec. 9 before the competition.
An official of the Indonesian Horse Sports Association,
Rubyanto A. Hamidjojo, said that despite the disadvantages,
Indonesia could dominate the dressage competition.
"It's not easy for Thailand to beat our experienced riders in
dressage. One year is not enough to get skilled in that event,"
Rubyanto said. Ardi, 24, has been training in dressage for eight
years.
Ardi won the ASEAN dressage competition in the individual
event in Singapore in July. His teammate, Indra Rosendi, took the
silver. The two also helped Indonesia triumph in the team event.
Indonesia will parade nine riders to Chiang Mai, including
Ardi, Indra, Endariyanto and Putri.
Ardi and Indra are Indonesia's hopefuls in dressage and show
jumping. Endariyanto will compete in the dressage and three-day
event. Teenager Putri, the only girl in the team, will be fielded
in the dressage only.
The national team will undergo its final try-out at the Asia-
Pacific Equestrian Games in Melbourne, Australia, from Nov. 10 to
Nov. 20.
Meanwhile, the National Sports Council (KONI) plans to display
the world's longest banner when it sends off the nation's
sportsmen and women to the SEA Games on Dec. 6.
The banner, expected to reach a length of 34 kilometers, will
span from KONI's headquarters at Senayan, Central Jakarta, to
Soekarno-Hatta airport, Cengkareng, West Java.
First the banner will be divided into small pieces by KONI and
distributed throughout 314 cities in Indonesia. People will be
invited to add their signatures, or write a statement encouraging
their team, on the banner. All these smaller banners should be
posted, without stamps, to reach KONI by Dec. 1.
The program, jointly organized by KONI, the state-owned postal
company PT Pos Indonesia and private television station RCTI, is
part of the nation-wide program to boost Indonesia's performance
during the Dec. 9 to Dec. 17 games.
KONI will announce the line-up of the Indonesian contingent
for the Games by Nov. 15. The athletes will take part in 26 of
the 28 sports contested during the biennial event. (arf/icn)