The Glory of Showjumping

Singapore’s young equestrian athletes are proving they have the mettle to shine abroad despite financial and educational challenges.

- GRACE MA

This year, 13-year-old Aryana Singh competed in her first National Jumping Championships organised by the Equestrian Federation of Singapore and in the recent Jumping World Challenge by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). As soon as 2023, she aims to purchase a horse in Europe to compete in international competitions, such as the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup and Hubside Jumping for exposure.

Alice Shi’s focus is also on showjumping, in which a horse and its rider must jump over a series of obstacles within a set period. The 16-year-old was among the top three in Category B (110120cm) of this year’s Jumping World Challenge. Additionally, she engages in basic dressage, in which a trained horse performs precise movements while walking, trotting, cantering, and making other specialised manoeuvres.

Rachael Leong, 18, has been riding since she was 7. Her parents have poured time and money into their only child, who has been gleaning accolades in local equestrian shows and competitions since 2019. She was the overall winner of the Jumping World Challenge that same year.

In November, Leong and Shi, alongside Tara Nur Ibrahim, represented Singapore in their first international competition at the Princess’s Cup 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand, where Shi emerged second in the individual category of the international junior show jumping competition.

Young, passionate and dedicated, the riders have what it takes to succeed at the international level. However, the barriers they must overcome go beyond the heights they need to clear in their jumps.

Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre’s (STCRC) chief riding instructor Roy Ibrahim, equestrian coach for the athletes says, “They’re very disciplined and dedicated, and constantly motivated to learn more.”