The Hindu Business Line : Pune gearing up for equestrian meet

HORSE lovers in Pune are gearing up for what is billed to be the biggest event in equestrian sport in the country this year, with the sprawling 8,000-acre campus of the National Defence Academy here all set to host the Competition Show Jumping Internationale (CSI).

The show, to be held between March13 and 20, will see some of the world's best teams compete for top honours. At least eight national teams including UK, Australia, Sweden, China and Lebanon have already confirmed their participation in the borrowed horse competition, which, for the layman, translates into a competition in which the riders display their skills on horses provided by the host country on the basis of drawing lots.

The Academy's top brass has been working over- time for the last year and a half to prepare for the event and has put in place a world-classinfrastructure, which now puts it on the equestrian map of the country along with other destinations like Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore.

The first few days of the event would be dominated by the Western India Equestrian championship where the cream from the riding clubs across the country, the police and the armed forces would compete for the honours. The international competition, which follows on 19 and 20 will have both team and individual show jumping events.

For the two Indian teams (host country is allowed two teams) that will participate in the event, it will be the perfect chance to compete against the world's best and prepare for the 2006 Asian games.

Talking to Business Line Lt. Col. Yadav, Show Secretary (organising committee), said the week-long extravaganza would include events in all categories and disciplines including dressage, show jumping including one for juniors and novices, and the challenging tent pegging. The National Defence Academy is fielding its teams, which are, incidentally, the favourites after their recent haul of medals at the Bangalore Horse Show 04 and the Junior Nationals. A special area in the thickly wooded campus has been cleared to make special arrangements for an estimated 150 horses that are being brought in from various parts of the country including Jaipur, Uddhampur, Sahranpur, Bangalore, the BSF and the Punjab police, apart from private riding clubs.

Two-wheeler major Bajaj Auto has stepped in as the main sponsor for the event, which is expected to cost an estimated Rs 17-20 lakh, and will host an unusual combo event of man and beast against the 150-cc Pulsar bike.

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