A rider at a recent coaching drill in Dibrugarh. A Telegraph picture

Dibrugarh, Feb. 2: Experts believe that Assam has a good chance to clinch some medals in the equestrian events, particularly in endurance.

Held under the supervision of Arjuna awardee and national coach Col (retd) G.M. Khan, the last of the several preparatory camps on dressage and show jumping ended in Dibrugarh on January 27.

“I am impressed with the performance of the boys here, they are very good and can take on the very best in the national arena,” Col Khan said.

Individuals as well as teams will vie for 10 gold medals in five events — endurance, tent pegging, dressage, show jumping and eventing. So far the Assam equestrian team has bagged two med-als in the four National Games that it has participated in.

“It is very difficult to compete in the national circuit. Teams from Services, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Manipur are very tough competitors. Still, the boys are hardworking and have the potential to do well”, Col Khan said.

Outlining the finer points of the sports, Col Khan, who has bagged several medals in national as well as international meets and a gold in the 1982 Asian Games, said it is all about perfect combination between the horse and the rider.

“The rider may be the very best in the world, but on a given day, if he fails to control the horse, he will be out of the competition. That is why there should be perfect understanding between the rider and his horse,” the coach said.

Assam is banking on four of its riders to perform well in endurance, which has been introduced for the first time in the National Games. Endur-ance was included in the last Asiad held at Doha as well.

The four-member state team includes Keisham Herojit (Shamili), Rajan Kumar (Montana) and Thangjam Sushanta (Fateh) and Sadique Ali (Rocket).

“Our riders have been performing well in endurance and we have also bagged several laurels in the national arena during the past. We hope that our riders will do well during the Games”, said Manoj Jalan, advisor of the Equestrian Federation of Assam, who has been personally monitoring the preparation of the squad.

The equestrian events will be held between February 10 and 14 at the Assam Veterinary College ground. Brig. (retd) K.S. Rao, who has been appointed director for the equestrian events, has been overseeing the final preparatory works in the ground with active co-operation from the National Games Secretariat.

The logistical and other administrative arrangements are being taken care of by a team under the newly-elected secretary general of the state association, Siddhartha Sarma.

Like in endurance, Assam will field four riders each for the other four events as well, the names of whom will be declared within a couple of days.