Sanyogeeta Limaye retains Equestrian Premier League Open crown in the grand finale

Bengaluru, Nov. 16: Sanyogeeta Limaye retained the Open crown in the 12th Equestrian Premier League (EPL) 2022 with another commanding performance in the climactic event at Embassy International Riding School (EIRS).

Samanna Everaat (Chennai Equestrian Club) and Aadya Esha (Red Earth Riding School) won the Juniors (U18) and Children (U14) titles, respectively.

Though she was assured of the title well before the sixth and final leg, Sanyogeeta Limaye sought to use the opportunity to improve as a rider. "Each leg of the competition has its own challenges, and I was looking beyond the title for improvement," she said. "I am glad that I could find that this weekend."

Samanna Everaat beat back the challenge from EIRS riders Navyashree and Geethika Tikkishetty on Saturday to seal her crown, while Aadya Esha (on Paprika for Dressage and Richness in Space for Show Jumping) capped a fine run by ticking all the boxes in the grand finale.

Asian Games medalist Fouaad Mirza, on encouraging EPL 2022 riders in the grand finale, said he was happy to see a sharp rise in the number of competitors from the time he took part in the maiden event in 2010. "There was only a handful of us in the opening year. There is no greater joy than seeing the arena brimming with so much life," he said.

As many as 70 athletes and horses from some of India's most prestigious equestrian clubs competed in the six-month-long event. Riders picked up points in Dressage and Show Jumping competitions each month. The promising show by budding equestrians from 20 clubs also saw some of the best equine breeds in action.

One of India's pre-eminent riding schools, EIRS has produced some of the top equestrian champions, most recently Fouaad Mirza, who represented India in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games last year and the World Equestrian Games this year, and Ashish Limaye, who has qualified both of his horses for the Asian Games 2023.

Silva Storai, Director, Embassy International Riding School, expressed delight that EPL has become one of the best competitions in the Indian equestrian calendar. "The EPL season is one of the most eventful times at EIRS each year. It has grown from only two competing clubs in 2010 to 20 this year," she said. "Our aim is to encourage equestrian sports by offering the right platform for athletes to be recognised and kickstart their careers."

Jitu Virwani, Chairman and Managing Director of Embassy Group, said the group remains committed to raising the bar for equestrian sports and encouraging young riders to pursue the sport professionally. He said, "It has been a wonderful experience to witness the talent here at the EPL 2022 finale. India has a promising future in the world of equestrian sports. With every passing year, we at EIRS remain committed to raising the bar for equestrian sports and encouraging young riders to pursue the sport professionally.

"Today, EIRS is one of the leading riding schools in the country, and it has been extremely fulfilling to see its contribution to the development of the sport. We continue to provide model competitive platforms that elevate the Indian equestrian sport and put it on the world map."