Equestrian sports in Malaysia have progressed significantly over the past 15 years. However, there remain several issues and problems including a small equine population, lack of cultural traditions and expertise, and insufficient facilities. The presentation outlines the status of existing facilities and support resources, and prospects for equestrian sports to contribute to sports tourism. Several initiatives are proposed to address issues, such as developing riders and equines through corporate sponsorships and public recreational facilities, in order to help equestrian sports realize their potential.

1. EQUESTRIAN SPORTS:
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
ISSUES AND PROSPECTS
Presenter: Mohd. Anuar A. Wahab
TELUK DANGA INTERNATIONAL GAMES
CONVENTION,
Johor Bahru, Malaysia
3rd
– 5th
April, 2006

2.  Introduction
 Support for the Sport
 Some Underpinning Problems
 Overview of Existing and Planned Facilities
 The Rider Athlete
 The Equine Athlete
 Supporting Resources
 Overview on Existing and Future Directions
 Prospect for Contribution to Sports Tourism
 Initiatives
 Conclusion
Equestrian Sports: Planning and
Development Issues and Prospects
Contents of Presentation
…..

3. Equestrian Sports: Planning and
Development Issues and Prospects
Introduction
…..
 World Cup competitions for various disciplines
 Malaysia hosting FEI World Cup Jumping 2006
& FEI World Endurance Championships 2008
 Polo & Flat racing traditions over a century
 The past 15 years progression significant
especially in showjumping and endurance
 Integral part of international
games being contested at the
Olympics
 Regionally, contested at SEA and
Asian Games

4. Support for the Sport
 Family activities inculcate positive values
 Advent of equestrian sports i.e. showjumping,
dressage, eventing & endurance in extension to
polo and flat racing
 Potential of equestrian sports for excellence is
real
 Strong support from promoter agencies
 Advent of sports and leisure tourism contributing
 Prevalent image as elitist, expensive or adversely
associated with gaming is changing
 More contacts, exposure, greater affluence and
changing lifestyles
 No age or gender barrier, good for the disabled
…..

5. Some Underpinning Problems
 Small equine population
 Dependent on imports
 At young stage in terms of interest, passion and
knowledge
 Lack of cultural traditions albeit pockets of traditions
 Small equestrian fraternity and human resource
insufficient
 Equine resource that is affordable and accessible to
contestants
 Equine facilities are ancillary, lack of regulatory
standards
…..

6. Overview of Existing and Planned
Facilities
Core Activity Centres
 Racing Centres
 Polo Centres
 Endurance Centres
 Equestrian Centres
 Leisure Riding Centres
 Institutional Equine Centres

7. Core Activity Centres
 Racing Centres
 Polo Centres

8. Core Activity Centres
 Endurance
 Equestrian
…..

9. Core Activity Centres
 Leisure Riding Centres
 Institutional Equine Centres

10. Ancillary Activity Centres
 Stud/Breeding Centres
 Quarantine Stations
 Education Centres
 Research Centres
 Agistment/Rehabilitation Centres
 Equine Hospital
…..

11. The Rider Athlete
 No gender and age barriers
 Competitions cater for basic novice rider up to
highly knowledgeable, skilled and experienced
rider
 Ideal rider – good balance, correct position and
seat, correct and skilful use of aids, good feelings
and connection with the horse, firm, patient,
endurance, brave, ethical and disciplined, agile,
knowledgeable and skilful in terms of management
and training of horses
…..

12. The Rider Athlete
 Riders typically young that develop
their riding skills the natural way,
without formal knowledge and many
constraints but fearless and known to
ride and compete without saddles at
beach races
 Riders of all ages that ride for leisure
Identified Groups of Riders
 Riders started riding early and
exposed to correct foundation,
coaching and competing especially
in dressage, jumping and eventing
 Riders started late, largely indulge
in endurance or polo
…..

13. The Rider Athlete
 Issues – support for athletes and other
group of riders are sporadic/fragmented.
Alarming incidence of riders dropping out
from competition scene due to lack of
support to replenish the horse combination
to compete in a higher category or to
replace the horse that retires. Sponsorship
of athletes and horses limited to elite
athletes
 Few Malaysians competing at the highest
levels
 Most athletes are parents/self supporting
 Some intiatives – free training and placed
at Bukit Jalil Sports School, establishment
of pony club movement, sports in schools
programme, support for elite athletes
…..

14. The Equine Athlete
 Precious commodity – has character, temperament
and feelings, can learn and remember
 Training and exercise – understanding of aids and
work, obedience, to build correct muscles, balance
and supple, stamina
 Breed, bloodline, age, conformation, soundness,
temperament, level of training, experience in
competition are among the criteria for selection and
pricing
…..

15. The Equine Athlete
 Broken at 3-4-year old, requires 1 – 2 years
basic training for novice competition, and many
more years to advance and realise full potential
 Proper management and upkeep of the equines
and training with knowledge and ability are very
crucial
 Mishandling and improper training could spoil
equines especially in the highly technical
disciplines. Local incidences of spoilt horses are
significant
…..

16. The Equine Athlete
 Higher in ratio than rider in terms of
contribution to performance
 To realise full potential in performance,
rider-horse combination is crucial – must
present high degree of harmony, feeling,
understanding, obedience and trust
 Value added to horses when easy to ride
and winning consistently in competition is
considerable
…..

17. The Equine Athlete
 Thoroughbreds are used for
racing, polo, jumping and eventing.
In eventing, it is normally the
preferred breed
 At the higher levels of dressage
and jumping, warmbloods like selle
francais, hanoverian, kwpn,
holsteiner, anglo arab etc are used
 At the novice and intermediate
levels, most breeds are suitable for
use, including the local pony and its
crosses
 In endurance, the arab breed is the
preferred choice
…..

18. The Equine Athlete
Procurement for competition
 Green Horses i.e. young horses without basic
training
 Horses that have been trained and already
competed
 Horses deleted or unsuitable for a discipline,
converting into another discipline
…..

19. Supporting Resources
 Competent operators, administrators,
veterinarians, coaches, trainers, judges, farriers
and grooms must progress in numbers and
quality to service the growing equestrian
activities
 MEC and EAM instrumental in
providing courses, training
programmes and industry stints
…..

20. Overview on Existing and Future
Directions
Location Planning & Distribution of Centres
 Continuous living place where care and
management of equines are paramount
 Clustering of centres; advantageous as it enjoys
agglomeration economies
 Sporadic centres rely heavily on natural assets,
tourist and leisure attractions
 In Malaysia centres are skewed towards the
central urban region, Johor second growth area.
Kelantan and Trengganu, Sabah, strong in
equine traditions.
…..

21. Site Selection
 Ample space
 Quiet location, green sites
 Travelling time
 Near population centres
 Near tourist/leisure attractions
 Near other core and ancillary centres
and equine services
…..

22. Economics of Equestrian Centres
Core and ancillary facilities
Facility size
Initial outlay and development cost
 Land cost
 Cost of horses and ponies
 Building and facilities
 Equipment
Management Routines & Operational budgets
 Revenue
 Operational Cost
Issues
Carrying capacity of horses and instructors
Financial performance
Non commercial-oriented establishments
Patronisation of centres
…..

23. …..
Price of Horses/Ponies
Use Age Levels of
Training/Performance
Price Range (RM)
Polo 6-9
10-13
More than 13
Average
Good
Average
Good
10,000-25,000
25,000-50,000
10,000-15,000
10,000-20,000
3,000-5,000
Equestrian
(including endurance)
6-9
10-13
More than 13
Average
Good
Average
Good
20,000-30,000
40,000-100,000
10,000-15,000
15,000-20,000
5,000-10,000
Racing 2-3
4-6
More than 6
years/deleted
25,000-150,000
10,000-80,000
nominal-5,000
Other considerations include horse temperament, conformation, conditions, soundness,
breed, among others. The above reflect averages, there are of course exceptions to the
above figures.
…..

24. Core Activity Centres
Formal (Existing)
Number Informal (existing) Foreseeable
Flat Racing Centres (turf clubs)
Polo
Endurance
Equestrian
Leisure Riding
Institutional Equine Centres
3
5
5
30
ND
3
Racing grounds (Pantai Cahaya Bulan in
Kelantan is a known venue for bare-back
racing)
Bridleways for Endurance/Hacking
Pony Club centres
Harness racing centres
Driving centres
Eventing/cross-country
courses
Facility centres
Training centres
Livery yards
Ancillary Activity Centres
Formal (existing)
Number Informal Foreseeable
Stud
Quarantine
Education
Research
Spelling/Agistment
Equine Hospital
2
4
2
1
ND
1
Breeding farms
Service stations
Residential precincts with
attached stable (s) and
yards or community–based
centres in neighbourhoods,
Incorporation of horse-riding
in parks.
Existing & Foreseeable Equine Centres
…..

25. Prospect for Contribution to Sports
Tourism
 Currently Latent
 Popular with expatriates & Singaporeans
 High profile equestrian sports events – KL
Grand Prix, FEI World Cup final in
jumping, FEI World Endurance
Championships – a considerable spin off
to tourism is expected
…..

26. Prospect for Contribution to Sports
Tourism
 Continuation and increasing the number of local
competitions and organisation of high-profile equestrian
sports that will coalesce with other tourist attractions to
attract tourists
 Greater financial sponsorships for the sport
 Achieving the critical mass …..
From Latent to Reality requires
 Greater efforts and investments in
providing compatible facilities and its
effective distribution and in
harnessing greater number of riders
and equines
 The sport elites overcoming current
thresholds in performance and
achieving success at the highest
levels

27. Initiatives
 Broad-based development of riders and equines,
involvement of corporations in sponsoring riders and
equines, Purchasing of equines and leasing to riders as
an investment. Financial scheme supported by insurance
policy to ease acquisition of equines
 Incorporation of equestrian facilities in urban areas,
urban recreational parks or other attraction areas by
state and local authorities
…..
 Equine centres should
function as public sport
centres
 Community-based centres
 International standard
equestrian and academy be
developed in the district of
Johor Bahru

28. Conclusion
 Among issues and problems – with regards to
the critical mass, creation of broader base of
riders and equines, increased supply of facilities
and adequate dispersion
 Some initiatives that can be considered
 Recognition that it is one potential product to
support the tourism industry
…..
 Equestrianism evidently
progressing but needs
continuing support to
mature

29. Thank you, please don’t hesitate to ask
questions
……