Exciting times for riders

It’s been 24 years since the Philippines went to the podium in equestrian sports at the Asian Games.

- By JOAQUIN M. HENSON

That was in Busan where Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski bagged the gold in individual showjumping and a team made up of Jaworski, Danielle Cojuangco, Toni Leviste and Michelle Barrera brought home a silver.

Now, Barrera is president of the Equestrian Association of the Philippines (EAP) and married to polo player Santi Juban. She’s committed to actively promoting her sport and bringing Philippine riders back to prominence. A few weeks ago, EAP launched the first-ever, three-leg National Championship Series featuring the FEI Jumping World Challenge, a hybrid international competition initiated by the world federation’s Solidarity program.

Barrera-Juban, a granddaughter of the late sports patron Ambassador Danding Cojuangco and daughter of Mike and Tina Barrera, said the hybrid event with FEI judges and officials is an international show but conducted in each country so riders and horses don’t need to travel overseas.