Page 302 - Westport Guide To Malaysia

294 EQUESTRIAN
Dreaming of Gold
By Syed Omar Almohdzar
President, Equestrian Association of Malaysia
As president of the Equestrian Association
of Malaysia (EAM), I have many dreams. I chased
my dreams as professional rider based in Europe, competing in the FEI World Cup Jumping Final and World Equestrian Games. Being ranked in the world’s top 100 riders has given me an appreciation of how best to achieve results.
While I now dream on behalf of the EAM, the dreams are no less golden. Malaysia won five gold medals in equestrian events at the 2001 Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and has since dominated the sport in the region.
We would not enjoy
this dominance if not for Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. He recognized equestrianism as a skill sport that Malaysians could excel at. It was during Tun Dr. Mahathir’s years as Prime Minister that mounted uniformed units of Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur’s (DBKL) Unit Berkuda,
Polis DiRaja Malaysia, and Skuadron Istiadat Berkuda were formed.
Mounted Unit riders made a significant contribution to Malaysia’s first SEA Games gold medal. The jumping team at the 1995
Syed Omar Almohdzar, President of the EAM, riding in the FEI World Cup Jumping Final and World Equestrian Games in 2006.
SEA Games in Chiang
Mai, Thailand, consisted
of Quzier Ambak and three of DBKL’s riders: Ram Thalib, Omar Ghani and Shaiful Anuar. Quzier added another Bronze medal in the SEA Games in 1998. Another DBKL show jumper, Ruzailina Zainal Abidin now commands the DBKL Mounted Unit, the
first female officer to do so. Inclusion of equestrian
sport in the national SUKMA Games for youth has left a legacy of facilities and competitions in almost every state.
The Bukit Jalil Sports School has produced
a series of SEA Games champions. Graduates include Edric Lee, a SEA
The 2001 SEA Games Showjumping team with their gold medals: Eric Koh, Quzier Ambak, Qabil Ambak and Azni Azhar.