Fouaad Mirza has made what could be the toughest decision of his equestrian career so far. He has picked Dajara 4 as the mount on which he will compete in the Olympic Games. And he has not had the heart to communicate the decision to Seigneur Medicott, the horse on which he won two Asian Games silver medals; and the one he nursed back to fitness with love and affection.
“Seigneur Medicott helped me win two Asian Games medals. He is very dear to me. I have not told him yet (that Dajara 4 will go to the Olympic Games). He won’t be happy. But I am sure there are many wonderful competitions lined up for him and that he will help me fly the Tricolour high,” Fouaad Mirza told reporters at an interaction facilitated by Embassy Group.
“It was a difficult decision. And I am lucky to have them both. There are two rounds of showjumping in the Olympic Games Eventing competition. And that is perhaps Seigneur Medicott’s weaker link. It was a tough call, but I believe I will be with the right horse in Tokyo2020,” he said.
“When I saw her the first time in end-2019, I knew Dajara 4 is a top horse. We (Embassy Group) are lucky to buy her. I am confident that we can make history in Tokyo,” Fouaad Mirza said, perhaps setting his sights on making it to the top 25 in the field of 65 rider-horse combinations that will compete in a second showjumping for the medals.
“She is fit and the key is not to push her hard in the run up to the Olympic Games. We have to be careful not to in making any changes since it can go the other way in the big event. I am sure I will keep my intensity high and do the best for India,” he said
The decision was probably made before Dajara 4 and Fouaad Mirza finished second in a 41-strong Strzegom Horse Trials conducted alongside the second leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup in Strzegom (Poland) from June 23 to 27. It was the 13th time they were pairing up since October 2019 while Seigneur Medicott has had just three competitions since return from injury.
Fouaad Mirza and Dajara 4 finished second on 40.4 points in the Strzegom Horse Trials. The combination was ninth after dressage (32.4 points) but came up with terrific efforts in cross country and showjumping to claim the second spot ahead of Poland’s Mateusz Kiempa (on Lassban Radovix) who finished with 40.5 points after a clear jumping round.
“Dajara 4 will have the week off to recover and pick up. We will move her to a quarantine location in Germany and continue training for a week from July 11 before she is flown to Tokyo. We have 10 days there (before the competition starts on July 30). We will do some small things to make more comfortable when travelling,” Fouaad Mira said.
“We have engaged a company that has worked in several Olympic Games to move Dajara 4 to Tokyo. We have asked for her to be flown with another horse who would be less anxious during the travel. I am grateful I have a sponsor who looks after our every small need,” he said, pointing out that the Equestrian Federation of India’s support was limited to doing paperwork.
Unsurprisingly, Fouaad Mirza speaks more fondly of the horses at his disposal, courtesy his sponsor Embassy Group’s Jitu Virwani who has spent close of Rs 15 crore in the run up to the Olympics. “The second you walk into the barn, and they are all looking out of their doors. They are happy to see you. It is very rewarding, better than winning sometimes,” he said last year.
“I like to know each one of them individually. Each of them has their own personalities. Just being around them in the stable and getting to know what they like and dislike. They get to learn how to trust you. And your different moods. You can get a feeling when you need to do a bit more for them. You learn to understand one another,” he says in a FEI YouTube video.
“Touchingwood and Fernhill Facetime filled up for Seigneur Medicott when he was injured and helped India get a slot in Tokyo2020. Seigneur Medicott is a horse that always puts a smile on my face. With the Covid-19 situation, it has been beneficial for him since he had an extra year to heal and recover from his injury,” he said.
That is an indication of how hard it would be for him to break the news to Seigneur Medicott that it would be Dajara 4’s superior jumping skills that had tilted the balance. Horses have a way of knowing and it is a good guess that he will give Fouaad Mirza a warm nod and a neigh of approval.
Image: Fouaad Mirza astride Dajara 4 (Photo courtesy: Strzegom Horse Trials Facebook page)
