Shruti Vora and Magnanimous continued to keep the India flag flying high in the FEI Asian Championships in Pattaya, winning the silver medal with 70.147 per cent score in the Dressage Intermediate I test on Thursday. It was India’s second Dressage medal after the silver won in the team event on Tuesday.
Shruti Vora was very happy that she had won her first individual medal in a continental event, having made her maiden appearance in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. Back then, she rode Akira to ninth place after Prix St. Georges, Intermediate I and Intermediate I Freestyle tests. On Thursday, she acknowledged at the official press conference that there is room for improvement.
Riding Geniaal, the more expressive horse, Sarah Rao (China) was able to convince each of the five judges to give the combination top scores for the routine. To Shruti Vora and Magnanimous’ credit, the combination was able to draw the second best scores of the day from four of the five judges, with only the official from France awarding her a score that dragged her average down.
China’s Sarah Rao (on Geniaal) were the standout performers, winning with a 73.794 per cent score while home favourite Pakjira Thongpakdi (on Samira O) finished third with a 69.118 score. Pakjira Thongpakdi was the last of the 22 riders and aware that a good test fetching a score of 69.119 and more would secure a place on the podium.
India’s other riders, Divyakriti Singh, astride Improver, and Gaurav Pundir, on Electro, finished fifth and 16th respectively in the Inter-I test but will be hoping for improved displays in the Freestyle competition on Sunday. Shruti Vora and Magnanimous will gun for third podium finish in as many starts in the Asian Championships.
The results (Dressage Individual Championship – Intermediate I: 1. Sarah Rao (China) astride Geniaal 73.794; 2. Shruti Vora (India) on Magnanimous 70.147; 3. Pakjira Thongpakdi (Thailand) on Samira O 69.118; 5. Divyakriti Singh (India) on Improver 68.588; 16. Gaurav Pundir (India) on Electro 63.853.
Photos: Screengrabs from official stream
