BENGALURU:Let me start off with a simple question – can you name an equestrian rider to have ever represented India? Many, in fact 99.9 per cent, will Google to find the right answer. There is no shame in not knowing the answer. In a nation where cricket rules the roost, other sports have always been under the shadow of the ‘gentleman’s game’, and it would not be wrong to say that equestrian falls in that unknown
category, for its fair share of reasons as well.
Despite some medals at the Asiad, India has not achieved much in world events for the last few decades to make waves in the sport. There are a number of factors, including a lack of support, in general, from the federation. Also, there are not many takers for the sport, as it is expensive. Buying and maintaining a quality horse costs a minimum of `15 lakh.
The struggle is not new to the sport, however, Embassy International Riding School, Bengaluru (EIRS), has been trying to promote and uplift the sport for some years now. They started with the Equestrian Premier League (EPL) in 2010, and eight editions have been conducted. The ninth is set to start today in the city. The competition, which will be competed across six legs, ending this November, is expected to be bigger as the EPL has evolved over the years. Participating teams and riders have gone up, which are encouraging signs.
“In the beginning, nobody thought EPL would work. There were very few equestrian schools and centres when we started. Gradually, it got bigger and bigger. Initially, there were about two-three teams including Embassy School, and now we have 25-30 teams competing. It has been amazing – the level of competition has gone up too,” says Silva Storai, EIRS’ director.
“The main objective of having the EPL is to promote the sport. We want to raise the standard, and want people to start considering this as a professional sport, not as a hobby only,” he adds.With EPL, the riders are a happy lot. The level of competition is top-class, as these same riders compete at the Nationals, and are present at the tournament, reflecting the standard. It’s no wonder that EPL is considered to be a top-notch tournament in the country, although there are some other competitions in other cities.
Riders such as Jibran Khan have benefited from the EPL. After making his debut at the EPL a few years ago, he gained experience and has represented India at international competitions. He considers EPL his breakthrough. “The EPL, as it happens six times (six rounds) a year, really helps the athlete. In India, riders do not get many chances, so the EPL provides a great opportunity for us. We riders gain great experience through this. The best riders of the country compete in the EPL, so when you battle it out against them, there is bound to be improvement. The EPL was my major breakthrough, after which I went on to represent India after that,” Jibran says.
Though EIRS is doing its best in trying improve EPL standards each year, there is a long way to go, and it can only get better if there are medal winners at world events. The EPL also needs their fair share of support from sponsors and the federation.
