Equestrian: Raju Singh Qualifies for the Asian Continental Championships
Click to start listening
New Delhi, Dec 19 (NationPress) Raju Singh emerged as the standout performer at the FEI Concours Complet International (CCI) (short) event, which took place at 61 Cavalry in Jaipur, securing two podium finishes that solidified his dominance and guaranteed his participation in the upcoming Asian Continental Championships in Pattaya, Thailand.
Singh claimed first place alongside his horse Mawillan and a close second with Matakali, showcasing his exceptional skills in this esteemed competition, which was held from December 15-18.
Demonstrating their remarkable abilities, Singh, Pradeep Kumar, and Kumabhar Mahesh K Sharayu successfully fulfilled the demanding Minimum Eligibility Requirements by completing the event with penalties of 48 or fewer and will represent the Indian team at the Asian Continental Championships.
EFI Secretary General Col. Jaiveer Singh remarked, "The outstanding performances observed here in Jaipur showcase the increasing talent in equestrian sports in India. The success of Raju Singh, Pradeep Kumar, and Kumabhar Mahesh K Sharayu in this event is a crucial milestone, and their achievements, particularly with the MER qualification of the Indian team, set an encouraging benchmark for the forthcoming Asian Championship in Pattaya."
In a series of events that included the Dressage Test, Show Jumping, and Cross Country over consecutive days, Singh excelled in the latter, taking the top podium with horse Mawillan and securing second place with Matakali, accruing 38.8 and 40.6 penalty points, respectively. Kumar followed closely with horse Parinda, attaining third place with 42.3 penalty points, while Sharayu, riding Indian Glory, also met the MER with a score of 46.7.
In addition, during the Dressage Test, Kumar limited his score to a prudent 33.5 penalty points, surpassing both Singh and Sharayu. Singh continued his exceptional performance by clinching the top two positions in Show Jumping, scoring 38.4 with Mawillan and 40.6 with Matakali. Lt Col Ashish Malik, riding De Baune De Landette, secured third place in Show Jumping with a score of 41.1.
The competition featured impressive displays from a diverse group of riders, particularly in the Cross Country section. Neel Kamal, riding Rajpal Singh Rock, finished in fifth place with a score of 55.0, followed closely by Vishwanath P Shankar on Amar with 55.4.
Shiva Hooda, aboard Velocity, secured seventh place with 57.4, while Rana Pratap Singh on Galib took eighth with 67.1. Lt Col Apurva Dabhade, riding Sayaji, concluded in ninth with a score of 106.0, and Vishwanath P Shankar, competing on Param, rounded out the top ten with 133.4.
