KUALA LUMPUR: Equestrian is not everyone's cup of tea due to its high costs. The idea of spending a minimum of €1 million (RM5 million) on a horse just for a shot at qualifying for the Olympics can be daunting for most people. However, Qabil Ambak Mahamad Fathil is not your average Joe.
Having delved into the world of horse-riding three decades ago, the 43-year-old seasoned campaigner is gearing up for his sixth and possibly final appearance at the Asian Games later this month.
Qabil, who is now based in Aarhus, Denmark, even humorously acknowledged this fact in a recent interview, saying, "That's why you don't see anyone willing to do it, except for the crazy ones."
Since making his Asiad debut in 1998 in Bangkok, Qabil has consistently secured a podium finish in all five of his outings.
In the 2018 Games in Indonesia, the Kuala Lumpur-born narrowly missed out on the individual dressage gold, losing by a mere 0.425 points to Hong Kong's Jacqueline Siu.
Acknowledging the subjective nature of judging in his event, Qabil expressed his desire to win gold in Hangzhou as the perfect way to conclude his Asian Games journey.
"Equestrian is an expensive sport. Somehow, I have come a long way.
"Regardless of the result in Hangzhou, I believe I have achieved a lot in the sport.
"But yes, winning gold would definitely be the icing on the cake, especially since I think this will be my last Asian Games," said Qabil.
For this year's challenge, Qabil will be relying on a younger horse, Napoli, as opposed to his previous mount, Rosenstolz, a 17-year-old horse that is seven years older than Napoli.
Qabil emphasised that this year's competition in the dressage discipline will be more competitive, with increased participation from Middle Eastern countries in addition to traditional favourites like Japan and South Korea.
He highlighted the uniqueness of equestrian as a sport, where success depends not only on the rider's performance but also on the horse's mood and condition on the day of the competition. Qabil has been preparing in Denmark and recently achieved notable results in the Danish National Competition.
"I finished first and second with both Rosenstolz and Napoli at the Danish National Championships," he said.
Due to the substantial budget required for his participation, Qabil had to source additional funds to supplement the RM90,000 grant provided by the National Sports Council (NSC). The cost of transporting a horse to China can reach up to RM150,000.
Another rider who has earned a place in the Asian Games on merit is Shoorendran Nageswaran, who will compete in the individual show jumping event.
Shoorendran, a top show jumper in Asia, is also expected to mount a strong challenge for a podium finish.
The equestrian event, which encompasses eventing as well, is scheduled to take place from Sept 26-Oct 6 at the Tonglu Equestrian Centre in Hangzhou.