Apocalypse Time - its Pralay’s Day on 15 December

National Jumping Grade 111 was attempted by a total of 29 horse rider combinations.

With Arun’s courses continuing to bring out the best of riding skill in the riders, there were two clear rounds in the Round A, one with only 4 penalties, three with 8 penalties and rest notching up double digit scores.

One clear round came from Naib Risaldar astride Victor and Havildar P Basumatay astride Pralay They were closely followed by Arun Maribashetty astride Archives with four faults.

The three 8 penalty scorers were Risaldar Bhagirath astride Guddu , Maj Rohit Dagar astride Arjuna and Maj Ravi Rathore astride Remarkable.

Riding into Round B , Maj Rohit Dagar and Arun Maribashetti rode very cautiously to have only one drop each, which however only placed them at fourth and second respectively.

Nb Risaldar Sajjan Kumar had an unlucky round which pushed him to the third place.

The Apocalyse was however waiting to happen. The much underrated but talented Havildar Basumatay and Pralay had finally to arrive.

Riding last and under pressure, they had only a margin of two drops which they exercised and no more – to win the National Jumping Grade 111.

Team placings were the Cavalry Team comprising of Maj N S Sandhu / Twister , Dafedar Bhoom Singh / Virat , Maj Rohit Dagar / Arjuna and Maj Ravi Rathore / Remarkable at third,

The RVC team comprising of Nb Risaldar Dinesh Kumar / Manzil , Risaldar Gulab Singh / Victor and Lance Dafedar Govind Ram on Jungli Boy was placed second , only by less than second of time from the President’s Body Guard team comprising of Dafedar Vijendar Singh / Royal Calibre , Dafedar Ravinder Singh / Tara , Nb Risaldar Sajjan Kumar / Victor and Maj A S Baath / Nisan.

Extensive riding came later in terms of the volume of participation in Preliminary. 109 riders came in with their round to have a crack at Round A having trot and compulsory canter sections.

The deceptively simple course had only 5 clear rounds, Maj N S Sandhu / Golden Eye, Maj Salim Pathan / Arjun , Vignesh / Top Gun , Capt Danni Swittens / Getafix , Mahesha / RS 24.

And a dozen riders with only a drop each.

Second round continued late into the evening and produced 15 clear rounds , with some reversal of fortunes for the leaders earlier.

Maj Salim Pathan / Arjun pulled a rail and dropped to seventh. He was caught up by Dafedar Bhoom Singh , a four faulter earlier who came in clear with less time. C K Somanna and Kings Academy came in even faster with a clear round to place fifth. Nb Risaldar Dinesh Kumar on Mascot crept upto fourth . Havildar Sohan Singh on Gladiator placed third and Dafedar A Sawant on Ajay was second.

Maj N S Sandhu delivered another impeccable cleared round to finish at the top, as quite usual for him.