Singapore needs about 40 horses
Oh well, planning every event will have its difficulties, looks like the Youth Olympics will face some too.
Singapore needs about 40 horses
ORGANISERS of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2010 have hit a snag: not enough horses for the equestrian competition.
The Equestrian Federation of Singapore (EFS) needs about 40 showjumping horses because YOG competitors will not be bringing their own, to be fair to all riders.
This means that EFS will have to provide the specially-bred horses for the competitors.
Said EFS president Dr Melanie Chew: ‘We need about 40 showjumping horses.’
Each horse, said Dr Chew, costs about $50,000. So EFS may have to fork out about $2 million for the 40 horses - an amount that is beyond the federation’s means.
Organisers are therefore planning to approach horse owners in neighbouring countries for help.
Said the EFS president: ‘If someone is willing to lend us horses, that would be great. We will pay for all the costs, like transport.’
If money needs to be spent on buying new horses, Singapore may approach the Federation Equestre International (FEI), the sport’s world governing body, for help.
Said Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck: ‘We would have to absorb some of the costs as we are the hosts,’ he said.
‘It is our responsibility to provide what is needed, but we should also discuss with the international federation on how the problem can be solved.’
Showjumping will be the only equestrian discipline at the inaugural YOG, which will feature youths aged between 14 and 18.
The event requires a horse and its rider to clear a series of 14 obstacles up to 1.60-metre high at speeds of up to 400m per minute.
To host the competition, Singapore is building a new five-hectare Singapore Turf Club Riding School at Kranji - the only new venue to be constructed. The US$8 million (S$11 million) facility is funded by the Singapore Turf Club and will be completed by April next year.
The horses, assured Dr Chew, will also be ready for the equestrian event in 2010.
‘Getting the horses is our biggest challenge,’ she said. ‘But I promise we will have them ready - by hook or by crook.’
Source: Straits Times Interactive, 1 May 2008.
Ivan @ May 1, 2008
I think that your best shot would be to pay for the transport and the riders would bring their own horses. Im not sure about the level of this competition but I think it will be more dificult to find horses jumping 160 in Asia then actualy bringing them to Spore. Was there a typo?
I am wondering too if the information about the class (160 cm) is correct. And how about the age 14 (not 16 for showjumping)-18? How about 14 year old riders on borrowed horses jumping a 160 course ….?
Hi fellas,
I’ll check it out and get back to you. This article was directly quoted from source and there might have been a printing error.
160 might be a bit too much for a 14 year old? Plus yes i agree that you’ll hardly find horses that jump to 160 in asia, unless its Europe.
But anyway YAY for a public riding school to be opened! People who can’t afford a membership fee will be happy to hear this (i’m one of them) and have been riding in JB to cut down on costs.
Maybe they could buy horses that would be specific to the youth olympic games? All participating countries could share the costs? They may have to get a few new horses every time, but then it isn’t as hard as having to get 40 new horses each YOG, or shipping horses from all over the world (the participants own) and everyone is on fair ground.
oh, well apparently there is a mistake in there. it’s supposed to be only up till 1.2m not 1.6m. and it is for athletes from 14 to 18 years old.