Watch the winning test by Korntawat Samran and Ridano Elmy from 1:16:07 with interview following
The FEI Asian Championships are taking place this week from 1st – 8th December at the Thai Polo & Equestrian Club in Pattaya.
Riders from more than a dozen countries, on nearly a hundred horses, across three Olympic disciplines dressage, jumping and eventing with the Eventing competition starting on Tuesday 3rd (dressage), cross country on Wednesday 4th and show jumping on Thursday 5th
Nine competitors are taking part with four riders from Hong Kong – Patrick Lam, Yu Xuan Su, Thomas Heffernan Ho and Annie Ho, four riders from Thailand – Weerapat Pitakanonda, Preecha Khunjan, Arinadtha Chavatanont and Korntawat Samran and one Iranian rider, Toufan Torabi
Korntawat Samran riding Ridano Elmy leads after the dressage phase Photo courtesy FEI/Yong Tek Lim
The event, run at CCI2*-L level and overseen by the international Ground Jury made up of Helen Christie (NZL), Christian Landolt (SUI) and Christian Steiner (AUT), is held at the picturesque Thai Polo & Equestrian Club. The Club, which has hosted several eventing competitions, is set in more than 800 hectares to the east of Pattaya and offers three full-sized, international-standard polo playing fields, as well as two practice grounds, and stabling for more than 250 horses
After the first day of the eventing competition, Thailand’s 22-year-old Korntawat Samran riding the 14-year-old Selle Francais horse Ridano Elmy leads with a score of 30.4 ahead of Hong Kong’s Patrick Lam on Jockey Club Weronique (31.2) and Arinadtha Chavatanont riding Tzar of her Dreams (31.8)
Patrick Lam on Jockey Club Weronique (above) and Arinadtha Chavatanont (below)
Photos courtesy FEI/Yong Tek Lim
British-based Hong Kong rider Annie Ho is not far off the pace in fourth place, currently on a score of 32.4 riding the Irish Sport Horse Lost In Translation
Annie and Lost In Translation finished third at the CCI2*-L at Ballindenisk and 15th at the CCI2*-S at Gatcombe International in September – here’s their cross country ride from Gatcombe
