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Charge of the 'civvie' brigade
There is a revolution happening in Indian equestrian sport, but Armymen aren't complaining about one of their strongholds falling to civilians, writes Ajai Masand.
A rickety Army truck doubling up as a technical bench, decorated olive green attire all around, a place that has the smell of an Armyman's lair, an air of discipline and a ground so neat, only Service personnel would be able to maintain.
On the face of it, it seems, equestrian sport is steeped in Army tradition — there being an air of aloofness, bordering on complete privacy — but talk to exponents of the sport and you get the feeling that sure-footed civvies are marching into a traditional bastion.
Yes, there is a revolution happening away from the hubbub of the cities but Armymen aren't complaining about one of their strongholds falling to civilians. In fact, they are happy that, like polo, equestrian is seeing more and more civvies showing interest in the sport. "We have seen a 10-fold increase in the number of riders from the time I took to equestrian sport in 1995," says Deep Ahlawat, the Busan Asian Games bronze-medallist and winner of about 145 national and international medals.
"It augurs well for the sport as the level here is improving by the day and the game is being technically followed," says the veteran, participating in the Delhi Horse Show currently on in the Capital.
"The number of Armymen has remained more or less the same, so you see, the 10-fold increase is due to the civilians." But one look at the all-pervasive army green and you have got to ask, where are the civvies and the revolution Ahlawat is talking about?
"They are around, but in the junior and sub-junior categories. It will take some time for them to mature and compete at the professional level. Now we have civilians like Jai Rathore, Kapil Modi and Vishal Bishnoi who have represented the country in international events," says Arjuna Awardee Maj Rajesh Pattu.
"We have so many private clubs from Bangalore and Chennai now participating in a big way. Now the country can boast of close to a 100 clubs and some fine riders. We have been told by people abroad that we are technically very superior, but the only thing lacking is a foreign coach and pedigreed horses," says Pattu.
