India’s equestrianism dreams get boost
We have the best international quality jumping arena, I would say the only one in the country; the surface is important to preserve horses, improve quality
JITU VIRWANI, Embassy Group chairman
BENGALURU: On a leisurely Sunday afternoon, children as young as four and five set off on ponies with trainers in tow, for their first riding lessons that are expected to stoke a lifelong love for horses and equestrianism.
“Equestrian enthusiasts and talent across ages are encouraged to achieve the highest standards here,” says Silva Storai, the Italian who runs the Embassy International Riding School in northern Bangalore.
The 240-acre complex is soon buzzing as the ninth edition of the Equestrian Premier League is on, a jumping competition where 40 riders shortlisted from monthly competitions over six months are in action. It involves at least 12 riding clubs. Competitions are held in the children’s (height of hurdle -- 80cm), junior (100cm) and open category (120cm).
Young riders take off two at the same time on adjacent competition arenas, and the winner of that ‘duel’ is identified. The Embassy school’s Jibran Khan emerged champion in the open category while Tiyasha Vatul and Shashank K Varma come out winners in the junior and chil- dren’s divisions.
“We have the best international quality jumping arena, I would say the only one in the country; the surface is very important to preserve good horses and improve quality of competition,” said Jitu Virwani, chairman of the Embassy Group, a major realty company in Bengaluru, who started the facility after getting Silva on board.
EPL is a platform to identify talent. It requires both skill and dedication. The idea is to give riders an opportunity to pursue equestrianism as a professional sport,” Virwani said, adding that the membership fees are set to encourage even those who are not rich. “Our objective is to have more training and planning. Initially it was mostly our own riders, but now we get very good participation,” Silva added.
The stables at the riding school have a capacity to have 120 horses. The school also encourages youngsters to learn how to work on stables and groom horses. “We need that education. When you train abroad, you have to take care of everything,” says Fouaad Mirza, eventing silver medallists at the Jakarta Asian Games, who is a product of the school.