Epic battles - events on 14 December

Epic battles of riding skills against Arun’s courses were on display on 14 December 2007. The International Candidate Course designer showed just some of the tricks of the trade he has picked up, in the National Novice Jumping Technical.

A field of 51 hopefuls attempted the Round ‘A’ , producing clear rounds from N C Subbaya of Embassy International Riding School on Susan and the local lad Aditya Krishna of Chennai Equestrian Academy on Guatemala Hog , egged on by a enthusiastic local crowd followed by Lt Col Deep Ahlawat on Karishma , and Dafedar Kuldeep Singh ( President’s Body Guard ) on Magician.

There were 9 unlucky riders with four penalties, who had either a rail down in the various sections of the course or were trapped in the compulsory trot section, where a canter stride was penalized. More than a dozen were sitting just behind, on eight penalties.

There were 8 teams battling it out in the team event. RVC ‘A’ team comprising of Lt Col Deep Ahlawat , Lt Col G S Gill on Mahi , Risaldar Bhagirath on Glandyl Wolf and Dafedar Kuldeep on Magician were sitting pretty with 4 penalties between them , over the Cavalry – RVC – BEG combine of Maj Rohit Dagar on Gazab , Maj Ravi Rathore on Time to Win , Maj Viram Nehra on Frontier and Swr Shantanu on Nissan with 12 penalties.

Two teams, the Chennai Equestrian Academy team of C K Somanna / Covington , Aditya Krishna / Gautemala Hog , Capt Amit / Rmt RM, Yashaan / Napolean and the Bangaloreans i.e N C Subbaya / Susan , Nadia Haridas / Norforking , Vivek Coelho / Sophisticated Lady and Aliya Das Gupta / Stariano were equal third after the Round ‘A’ , on 16 penalties each.

Entering the second round, out of the hot favorites, Aditya Krishna, Lt Col Deep Ahlawat Dafedar Kuldeep Singh, unfortunately managed to drop two fences each which made the former two to drop out of individual medal contention. Maj Rohit Dagar with Gazab sneaked into the second place with a brilliant clear second round.

Day’s honors deservedly went to the unstoppable N C Subbaya and Susan with only one drop in the second round and in a better second round timing than Maj Rohit Dagar and so he proudly pocketed the National Championship Novice title. Dafedar Kuldeep had to console himself with a third place, fourth being brought up by Yashaan on Napolean.

Team RVC held on to their 1st position, followed by the Cavalry – RVC – BEG team and then the Bangalorean team.