Dapper in Dressage
Hosts National Police Academy won the team title and also swept the Dressage individual prizes
Host Riders dominated the proceedings on the third day of the Shaktiman 35th All India Police Equestrian Championship and Mounted Police Duty Meet by clinching the double in the Dressage Novice event. Led by experienced riders P. Subba Rao, Tejpal Daber, V. Pandiyan and Satyaveer Singh, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy ‘A’ team horsemen exhibited brilliant skills by clearing most jumps with less penalty points to win the coveted trophies.
The NPA witnessed a superb display of skills by well trained riders on a pleasant evening. From the beginning, the host riders stole the show with comfortable jumps in the dressage novice event. Sub-Inspector P. Subba Rao rode his favourite horse Sagar well to win the individual event and took the Sam Bhadur Trophy.
In the team event, NPA ‘A’ represented by Deputy Commandant Tejpal Daber, Inspector V. Pandian and SubInspector Satyaveer Singh clinched the Amitabh Pathak Memorial Trophy.
Earlier, Bagh Chand of Rajasthan Police won the precarious Mental Hazard event, with a convincing lead over his rivals. Host rider and Deputy Commandant Tejpal Daber and BSF head constable Raghavender Singh finished second and third respectively.
Considered a thrilling yet risky event, Mental Hazard tests the patience and skill of the rider and power of the horse. To be in tune with the horse one needs to both ask for the horse and listen to his response, then act accordingly. This was evident when most of the riders who tried their luck to clear all 10 hurdles in vain. The obstacles, which included some live animals like, hen, donkey and goat barriers.
Bagh Chand cleared all hurdles to aggregate 26.25 points and emerge winner.
As many as 18 teams from various States and Central Para-military Forces are in fray at the championship in which 290 horses and 460 riders are taking part.
The Equestrian Police Championship includes competition in Dressage, One Day Event, Show Jumping Event, Tent Pegging and Hacks. The Mounted Police Duty Meet events include, Police Horse Tests, Quadrille Competition, Medley Relay, Competition for Farriers and Syces and Mental Hazard Competition among others.