By Peter Ibrahim Abisheganaden

Dato’  “Awang” Kamaruddin Abdul Ghani is ready for a change of luck.  On the eve of the World Endurance Championship, I found Malaysia’s most experienced endurance rider in a relaxed and fairly confident mood.  We had a coffee together at the Gloria Jean’s cafe at the Terengganu International Endurance Resort after the Technical Briefing.  I had a Vanilla Chiller, while Dato’ Awang had a latte, which he was careful to have without sugar.

“It’s not that I have had bad luck in the preparation of this World Endurance Championship, but this is the 5th occasion I am at a World Championship and I’m still looking for my first true completion.”

At the WEC in UAE in 2004, he failed to finish.  In 2002 his horse was injured two weeks before the start of the event and he was not allowed to change mounts, therefore he was unable to start at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera.  In his first attempt in 1998, his horse went lame behind in the last loop and he was not able to finish. 

The one that rankles him till today is his finish at the WEC in 2000 in Compiegne, France.  “I actually finished the ride and had 30 minutes to present my horse.   My French crew thought the horse would be okay and presented it too early for the final vet check.  The horse did not pass.  With a little more time he could have passed.”

“I learn from my mistakes and I take the opportunity to learn from other masters.  Sports change with new rules and new techniques.  The best in the world change accordingly.  Look at sports like hockey.  In the past it was teams like India and Pakistan that totally dominated this sport.  Now, these teams struggle like any other ordinary team.  This is because the way hockey is played has changed and they haven’t been able to adapt enough to remain dominant. Likewise, I try to learn from the best and adapt with the changes in endurance.”

They are humble words from a man who was once the highest rated rider in the world.  Dato’ Awang was FEI World No. 1 in 2001, the only time Malaysia has ever had a No 1 ranked rider in any equestrian sport.  It is unthinkable at present that Malaysia will have an FEI World No 1 in any other equestrian disciple and was a mountain nobody thought he could climb in 2001. 

So it is a little strange that the former World No 1 has unfinished business with the World Endurance Championships.  Does he have a chance this time? 

“I’m more experienced now.  I have also learned a lot from riders like Dr Jack Begaud, who is currently World No 1 for the third time.  He is also a vet and a superb horseman.  I will try to use my experience.”

Some Malaysians thought he should use a French bred horse which he had also qualified, but he chose to declare the Chilean-bred part Arab gelding Navidad.

“As a horseman, I know that at this time of the year horses in the northern hemisphere would be preparing for winter.  They naturally start to create more body fat before winter.  A southern hemisphere horse would be going into summer, and the body would naturally be losing fat.  Also, I have fully tested Navidad and I know he has it in him.  So, which one would you choose, the nothern hemisphere horse or the fully tested southern hemisphere one?" 

But he dismissed any home ground advantage.  "I don't think we have any home ground advantage.  The course is not really technical.  It is a fast course, so in that respect it is technical only how you ride your horse and plan your strategy.  If you go too fast early in the ride, of course you run the risk of burning out." 

He expects to go with the field at the flag off, which will be rather frenetic as the 133 starters head down a 900 m straight in a mass start.  “I will ride the horse rather than pull against him.  But I’ll try to settle him as soon as I can.  I hope he will go well.  I have planned his work to peak at these championships.  I think he will have a good finishing kick.” 

He says he will be looking to run a pace of about 15 km/h for the first few loops, but the experienced horseman will not be using a stopwatch to clock his times.  “I’ll use the clock in my head.” 

When I asked if he was confident, Dato’ Awang said, “I will ride my own race.  Inshallah, I will finish this time.”

I got the feeling this cagey old champion is planning to do more than just finish.