The Indian Dressage team made India proud at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China on Tuesday by winning gold for the first time in 41 years. The equestrian team consisting of Divyakriti Singh, Hriday Chheda, Sudipti Hajela and Calcutta boy Anush Agarwalla showcased extraordinary skills and teamwork.
Born on November 23, 1999, in Calcutta, Anush has tasted success in the world of equestrian sports at a very young age. His journey from a casual weekend rider to a determined international competitor serves as an inspiration to many. Introduced to horseback riding at the age of three by his parents at The Tollygunge Club, Anush’s initial fascination soon evolved into a deep-seated passion. Beginning formal riding lessons at just eight, the La Martiniere for Boys student quickly progressed to local children’s events. His ambitions knew no bounds, as he aspired to grace prestigious stages like the Asian Games and the Olympics. At 11, he started shuttling between Calcutta and Delhi, masterfully managing his equestrian pursuits alongside his education. His hard work bore fruit with silver and gold medals at the esteemed Delhi Horse Show in 2014.
Overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers, Anush’s determination propelled him to become India’s youngest Grand Prix rider and secured his spot in the World Equestrian Championships. Amidst challenges, including the pandemic, Anush’s commitment never wavered. He achieved a significant milestone by clinching victory at S-Level, an accomplishment unprecedented for any Indian equestrian.
Anush’s determination earned him qualification for the Tokyo Olympics, although India ranked third in the individual category. Despite narrowly missing the opportunity to represent India, he became the first Indian rider to qualify for the 2022 World Games in Herning, Copenhagen. This year marks another milestone as the Indian equestrian team wins three gold medals for the country. t2 congratulates Anush and the whole Indian equestrian team.
Tell us about your equestrian journey so far...
I would say that my journey into equestrian sports has not been the typical journey of the majority of the equestrians, especially in Europe. I come from a non-horse family, so I was introduced to the sport at a relatively young age, especially in comparison to most of the equestrians in Europe. Coming from Calcutta, Tollygunge Club was not too far away from my home and it has a riding facility. My parents used to take me there on the weekends since the age of three, where I would sit on ponies and go for a walk around the forest. I had to wait until the age of eight or nine until I was eligible to enrol myself for riding lessons. At the age of 11, I started going to New Delhi every weekend from Friday to Sunday so that I could ride horses, while during the week I continued schooling in my hometown. At the age of 16, after finishing my Class 10 examinations, I decided to shift to Delhi to undertake riding more seriously, but I soon realised that I was nowhere compared to the level where I wanted to be. Seeing no chances of improvement, at the age of 17, together with the support of my family, I decided to move to Germany and train with my coach, Hubertus Schmidt, in order to pursue my equestrian dreams more seriously.
Anush Agarwalla
What made you choose the sport in the first place?
I always enjoyed spending time in the company of horses. While I was training in New Delhi, I used to watch videos of the biggest competitions such as the Olympic Games etc and watch how happy the riders were after finishing their tests and how everyone stood in respect and started clapping for the horse and rider, while the rider patted the horse. This really gave me goosebumps and motivated me to work hard enough to enjoy a special moment like that and hopefully inspire others in the future.
You started your horseback riding lessons when you were eight. Would you like to share any fun memories of riding a horse?
I would say my first fun moment, and to be honest, also one of my favourite parts about my whole training, riding, and the whole journey, is my relationship with my trainer. We have a great relationship. We are both really competitive and we both hate losing, so sometimes when he is training me, it gets a little tense. He is strict with me and pushes me. We share a great relationship, and we always go out for dinner and get a drink later, and we talk about it, and I really enjoy my journey with him. I am really happy about his contributions to my success.
What are the motivational rituals you follow before a race?
To be honest, I would not say I have any extra motivational rituals that I do before a race. I don’t like to change anything about my training or any aspect of my training, or anything before a show, because I feel that if I change anything, then I start feeling that something is different. That’s when I get nervous. I like to keep my same routine. For example, before a show, obviously, I’m a little, not exactly nervous, but positively excited. That’s when I always watch my tests, like my previous tests from the
previous shows, just so that I know where mistakes happened and where I have to be a little bit more.
What I normally do a lot and what really helps to calm me down is listening to music. I always listen to music before my test, or before I ride the horse. I think it really calms me down. What I’ve also started in the past months is that I have been working with a mental coach and he taught me to do a practice called visualisation. It’s like meditation, I would say. I close my eyes and visualise, let’s say I’m entering the arena, how my horse is feeling, how I am feeling, and how there are a lot of spectators. I basically try to visualise the same feeling I would have during my test just before the riding, just when I’m meditating or visualising so that when I’m actually in the stadium or in the arena, it does not feel anything new. It feels the same.
(L-R) The Indian equestrian team Anush Agarwalla, Sudipti Hajela, Divyakriti Singh and Hriday Chheda with their gold medals at the Asian Games 2023
What are your favourite breeds of horses in the sport?
So in my sport, in dressage, normally you only find warm blood. That’s the breed of horses you find in the test, and within warm blood, there are different categories of horses, different subbreeds of horses, I would say.
One and my favourite breeds I would say is Westphalian. I think they’re very nice to ride, really motivated to ride and just a good feeling. I also am a big fan of the Oldenburger line of horses. My main horse on which I rode the world championship last year, and with whom I hope to qualify for the Olympics next year, is an Oldenberger. My horse, Sir Caramello, is a little sensitive horse, but also a sweet character and really rideable.
How do you feel representing your country in such great tournaments?
To be honest, I love feeling the pressure and being nervous in a positive manner before a competition, especially before an event like the Asian Games. There’s a very famous saying that goes “Diamonds are formed under pressure”, and I think this perfectly sums up my answer. Whenever I sit in the saddle, at home or at a competition, I feel that there is a responsibility that I have to take care of, a responsibility towards my family, my coach, my friends, my teammates, my country and all those who supported me in my journey to give my 100 per cent, no matter what.