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)