Gautam wears Open Tent Pegging crown

Gautam of Army Service Corps & Centre (North), astride Monika, clinched the Open Tent Pegging individual crown in the Bangalore Horse Show (BHS) class held simultaneously with the Junior National Equestrian Championship (JNEC) at the Agram grounds here on Saturday.

Sepoy Gautam and Naik Piara Singh of Army Service Centre & College (ASC C & C), mounted on Shaktiman, were tied on 34 points after six rounds. In a nerve-wracking tie-breaker, Gautam and Piara had a go at the smallest two-inch peg with the spectators on their edge of the seats.

Both the riders charged in, Gautam on Monika and Piara guiding Shaktiman, with great confidence but while the former ensured he picked up the peg quickly, held it firm and crossed the finish line, the latter dropped the peg soon after he lifted it to lose the battle.

It was a thrilling finish to a closely-fought competition with Surender of ASC Centre & College (North), astride Gangstar, settling for the third position with 30.5 points.
Meanwhile, Major Amit Sinsinwar of ASC Centre & College (ASC C & C), piloting Silver Streak, notched up his fourth win of the championship when he pocketed the Open Top Score Individual title in the BHS class.

Sinsinwar cleared eight fences in the alloted 45 seconds that fetched him 490 points. ASC Centre & College’s Major Prateeq Mishra, mounted on Ithos, was second with 350 points after going past six fences, all clear jump overs.

Friday’s newsmaker Major Prince Kurian of Remount Veterinary College & Centre (RVC & C), Meerut had to be content with the third place as he dropped one fence out of six attempts that earned him 330 points.

Sinsinwar was a happy man after picking up another title in the meet and attributed his performance to the pre-tournament training regime.

Results: BHS: Open Tent Pegging individual: Gautam (Monika, ASC & C (N), 34) 1; Piara Singh (Shaktiman, ASC C & C, 34) 2; Surender (Gangstar, ASC (N), 30.5) 3.

BHS Open Top Score individual: Amit Sinsinwar (Silver Streak, ASC C & C, 490) 1; Prateeq Mishra (Ithos, ASC C & C, 350) 2; Prince Kurian (Andy Flower, RVC C& C, 330) 3.