Displaying improved skills and ample confidence, Rishita alone contributed six medals, which featured two gold in open hacks and confined hacks, the one silver in pole bending and the three bronze in open dressage, hitting (stick and ball) and throw (ball aiming) events.

But it was cute-kid Riddhi, who opened the floodgates, capturing two medals on April 2 and 3. A UKG student of KIIT International School, Riddhi won one gold in children’s hacks junior category and one bronze in pole bending. Her remarkable achievement assumed added importance as she was the youngest rider in this National level competition.

There is no doubt that all credit for giving Odisha a heart-warming foothold in the equestrian circuit of the country goes to the Samanatary family, which features the two budding riders, their father-cum-coach Col Asish Samantaray and mother-cum-manager Rohini Singh Deo.

The parents have invested a huge amount of effort and money to enable their daughters to excel in horse riding and win laurels for the State. They have also given a proposal to the State Sports & Youth Services Department (DSYS) for setting up of a proper equestrian training centre in Bhubaneswar. The lack of such a centre in Odisha has been forcing Rishita and Riddhi to travel to Delhi or Pune for their training.

According to reliable sources, the DSYS has shown keen interest in the proposal and is working on the details of its feasibility. If implemented, the training centre is sure to produce a good number of national and international horse riders in the future.
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PHOTO: Riddhi (Left) and Rishita posing with their Delhi Horse Show medals in Bhubaneswar on 15 April 2024.