Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

Dr. TanDY

Equestrain: Trio to battle for final spot

Date: 29 September 2006
Source: New Sunday Times Online

THREE riders have confirmed their places in Malaysia’s four-member showjumping team for the Dec 1-15 Asian Games, while the fourth will only be named a few days before the squad departs for Doha.

Quzier Ambak Mahamad Fathil, Qabil Ambak Mahamad Fathil and Syed Omar Syed Abu Bakar Almohdzar are assured of their places while Alex Maurer, Eric Koh Thong Hau and Syed Mohsin Almohdzar will battle it out for the last spot on the team.

A medal, of any colour, is the target set for the showjumping team, who clinched a bronze in the 2002 Busan Asian Games, and a silver in the Manila Sea Games in 2005.

Eric, who is also the Equestrian Association of Malaysia’s jumping committee chairman, said selection will be based on results of rider and his horse in various competitions this year.

"We are confident of a medal in the team event. It is just a question of what colour," Eric said. "The selection criteria is very transparent and objective. The reason why a rider is picked will be made public to avoid any controversy.

"We are leaving it late to name the fourth rider because a lot can happen between now and the start of the Games.

"In showjumping, the horse is 70 per cent of the equation and if a horse was to turn up lame or sick then there’s no point of the rider going."

Only the best horse-rider combination will go to Doha, Eric said in a veiled warning to Syed Omar, who intended on taking his horse Malibero to Doha instead of his World Cup Final and World Equestrian Games horse, Lui.

"Syed Omar is currently competing with Lui in Belgium and prefers to keep the horse there. But no matter how good the rider, if the best horse does not go it is pointless sending the rider." Qabil’s preparations were disrupted after the deaths of his top two horses — Camelias and Opium Metado — this year and will be riding a new horse, Parvina in Doha.

The 26-year-old Qabil, who won the individual showjumping gold medal at the 2005 Manila Sea Games, will hope to have familiarised himself with the 11-year-old German mare before the Games begin.

Alex, meanwhile, will leave for a one-month stint in Europe where he hopes to compete and gain the results that will convince the selectors he deserves to compete in his first Asian Games.