Speaking about the Asian Games and WEG qualifiers, Shirley Khaw, Equestrian Federation of Singapore, was clear about the potential impact.
She told FEI.org: “This is an amazing milestone in our little equestrian community, and we hope the outstanding achievements by these athletes can inspire more riders to continue pursue their sporting dreams and nothing is impossible.”
Singapore’s hopes of equestrian glory in the Asian Games will begin on Monday, when the Dressage competition begins. Find out more about equestrian sports at the Asian Games here.
Roshni Pannirselvam will be taking part in her first-ever senior international event as a rider in Indonesia, although she has travelled with the Singapore team before in her capacity as a veterinary surgeon.
Now 42, her journey to Jakarta Palembang 2018 effectively dates back to a family holiday when she was nine years old and fell in love with a pony.
Back in the mid-1990s she reached the podium in an FEI competition in Singapore’s Bukit Timah Saddle Club, but took a few years away from equestrian at the start of her career. She returned to the saddle just over a decade ago, and began to train seriously under Carole Grant and Anna Burtell in the US five years later.
She told FEI.org: “My goals are to be attuned to my horse, ride each step precisely, and just do my best. Hopefully this will get us our personal best scores.
“I would like to continue to grow as a rider and start learning the Grand Prix movements.
"It would be wonderful to compete at the next Asian Games, and hopefully I will be able to represent Singapore at an Olympics one day.”
She just missed out on the 2014 Asian Games but believes she has been able to step up a level since she began working with Dancing Boy, her liver chestnut Rhinelander gelding, in 2015.
“Dancing Boy has a sweet and gentle personality, and a lot of natural talent. He loves his work, and always brings his A game to every lesson or competition,” she says.
“I have a great connection with him and I'm excited about going on this huge adventure of flying to Jakarta and competing in the Asian Games with him.”
Interestingly, Roshni believes that the combination of being a vet and a rider has been beneficial to both her vocational and sporting careers.
She said: “I find that my profession and my riding compliments each other. For example, as I became a better rider and understand more about the biomechanics of riding, it improved my ability to detect and diagnose certain lamenesses.
“On the flip side, as I understand the limitations of my horse because of old injuries, I know how to manage and ride him better so that he stays sound and in work. I intend to keep this happy balance of working and riding for as long as I can.”
Keep up with the latest from the Asian Games on FEI.org and FEI_Global on Twitter
Text by Richard Mulligan
Images courtesy of the Equestrian Federation of Singapore
