Show jumping team upbeat to win medals

Show jumping team upbeat to win medals

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Host nations for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games have the
right to select the events in competition for the biennial sports
gathering -- and often pad the roster with sports in which their
athletes excel.

The Philippines, which will host this year's Games on Nov. 27-
Dec. 5, chose to limit equestrian events to show jumping
individual and team competitions, with no place for dressage,
endurance and eventing.

"It is because the Philippines only has athletes in show
jumping but no athletes in other divisions," said SEA Games
equestrian manager Otto Satyawan R on Tuesday.

Ruled out of the medal hunt is top dressager Larasati Gading,
but the Equestrian Commission of Indonesia (ECI) believes that
its show jumpers have a strong chance against competitors from
Malaysia and the host.

"I am sure that we will get medals," Otto said. "But we will
be surer about the types of the medals after we finish our
participation in the World Cup series in Manila from Nov. 18 and
Nov. 20, with other ASEAN countries also taking part."

The ECI, which is a division under the auspices of the
Indonesian Equestrian Association (Pordasi), has selected five
athletes for the World Cup series, followed by the 2005 SEA
Games.

On the team are Kurniadi Mustopo, 25, Budi Tulodo, 38, Andri
Prasetyo, 21, Dadan Suhendar, 28, and Fesol Said Mubarok, 20.

Kurniadi will ride Sidoal de Genetro, Budi has Dark Mellow,
Andri is with Gonzo, Dadan rides Dominggo and Fesol with Canial.

"Kurniadi and his horse have the biggest chance to win medals
for Indonesia," he said.

Kurniadi won gold in the 2004 National Games in Palembang in
individual show jumping and bronze in the team competition.

Andri won gold in team show jumping, while Budi grabbed silver
in team show jumping.

The team is training at the national equestrian training
center in Cinere, West Java, south of Jakarta.

"We practice every day to sharpen our focus, increase horse
strength, except on Monday," Otto, who is also an endurance
rider, said.