Bangalore, Oct 18 (IANS) India is hosting the prestigious FEI Concours Saut International 2 for the first time, with the event taking place at the state-of-the-art Surge Stable in Bangalore from October 18-20. Riders aged 12 and above are competing in various categories, including the Children (FEI CSI Ch) and Junior (FEI CSI Junior) Show Jumping competitions.

The Children’s category features riders aged 12-14, while the Junior category includes riders aged 14-18. These competitions precede the highly anticipated CSI 2* event each day.

On Day 1 of the CSI 2* competition, with an obstacle height of 130 cm, Kiran Dinesh Akhade delivered a stellar performance on his horse SRS Newgrange. The 22-year-old clocked an impressive time of 69.36 seconds, finishing more than 8 seconds ahead of second-placed Saravanan, who rode Mewrick BMG. Kirat Nagra on Little Joe rounded out the podium with a time of 83.84 seconds. Kiran Akhade’s victory earned him a prize of Rupees 3,37,500, while Saravanan received Rupees 2,70,000, and Kirat Nagra took home Rupees 2,02,500.

“This event not only showcases the growing talent in Indian equestrian sports but also puts India on the global map for top-level show jumping competitions. We are proud of the riders and look forward to seeing even greater performances in the days to come,” said Col. Jaiveer Singh, General Secretary of the Equestrian Federation of India on hosting the CSI 2* for first time in India.

In the FEI CSI Junior event, Jai Singh Sabharwal claimed the top spot with a time of 65.68 seconds on Carna De La Bryere, narrowly edging out M Krishna Sahiti, who finished just a second behind on Claudius R with a time of 66.65 seconds. Enaith Singh Habibullah on Roanwood My Hometown secured third place with a time of 67.02 seconds. Jai Singh earned a prize of Rupees 87,750, while the second and third positions received Rupees 70,200 and Rupees 52,260, respectively.

The Children’s category also witnessed a close competition, as Eshaan Sundaram (72.06 seconds) riding Pat narrowly defeated Arnav Navratna (73.87 seconds) on Long Range by just 1.81 seconds. Puneet Jakhar finished third with a time of 77.2 seconds. Besides prize money, the event offered participants the chance to qualify for the AEF Cup Children Final, to be held in Indonesia. This coveted opportunity was seized by the 12-year-old winner, Eshaan Sundaram.

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