UAE resident becomes the first Indian woman to complete Equestrian World Endurance Championship

A UAE resident has become the first Indian woman to complete Equestrian World Endurance Championship for juniors and young riders in Castelsagrat, France on Saturday.

Nida Anjum Chelat, a 21-year-old rider from Kerala, astride Epsilonn Salou, completed four loops totalling 120km in seven hours and 29 minutes. The goal of the championship was to cover the track without any harm coming to the horse.

Nida successfully completed all four stages, finishing 23rd in the first stage (28.6km), 26th in the second (29.2km), 24th in the third (33.8km) and 21st in the final stage (28.6km), maintaining an average speed of 16.7km per hour, said a press statement on Sunday.

UAE secured the individual gold and silver medals, while Bahrain and France emerged winners in the team category.

Riders from Italy, France, Germany, UAE, Bahrain, Argentina, China and Libya, among others, competed in the event. A total of 70 competitors from 25 countries took part in the championship and 33 of them could not complete the race.

Nida, whose parents hail from Kerala's northern Malappuram district and reside in Dubai, developed a passion for horse riding at a very young age. A former student of Raffles World Academy, Dubai, Nida holds a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from the University of Birmingham, UK. She is the daughter of Dr Anvar Ameen Chelat, managing director of the Regency Group, and Minnath Anvar Ameen.

Nida's trainer is Bocher, and her personal trainer is Takhat Singh Rao. She gained entry into World Championships by winning the Gold Sword at the Abu Dhabi Endurance Championship. She is being coached by UAE-based renowned horse trainer and rider Ali Al Muhairi.

"Besides testing the riding skills and expertise of the rider, ensuring the welfare of the horse is also a paramount challenge for the rider," said veterinary consultant Mohamed Shafi in the statement.