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Sinar Daily
  • 11 months ago
‘Talent is not the problem—the system is.’

That’s the raw, powerful message from parents of Malaysia’s young equestrian champions who are winning gold on the world stage with almost zero institutional support.

While our "niche" athletes outperform the world on borrowed horses, their families are left to shoulder the heavy burden of funding and facilities alone.

Are we forcing our next generation of stars to fight an uphill battle just because they don't play "mainstream" sports?

Watch this emotional episode of Sinar Daily’s Sports Matters Podcast as we expose the painful truth behind Malaysia’s sporting priorities and demand better for our future icons.

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Transcript
00:00Hello everyone and welcome back to Sinali's Sport Matters Podcast and this is a part two of earlier discussion with our young heroes who represented our country and one of them managed to clinch a gold medal for third Asian youth games in Bahrain.
00:17And these are the proud parents and let me introduce the first one and Ariel's mother, Encik Puan Farina and Sonia's father, Encik Sanjay and Puan Azlin, Arissa's mother.
00:34Yes, welcome to the show. You guys awesome, you guys didn't only educate, you guys nurtured these young athletes and let them choose their path.
00:47That is a big, big call as a parent. And we start with Chepuan. Chepuan, how, just now I remember Ariel mentioned that, you know, her parents and the coach has been strong figures when it comes to her progress.
01:02And when, when did you know that this is the right path for them? For her, sorry, Ariel.
01:11Yeah. Um, okay. She has been riding for quite a while since small because of the father. I'm not actually, if you ask me, I'm not so keen with her, all this, with the horses.
01:21But I think it was, uh, last year, early, early last year when, when she first went to Pattaya for the first competition under Malaysian junior.
01:32And she secured, she was a champion, out of the blue. You know, the first who brought back a trophy for Malaysia, actually, for the younger, young rider.
01:43So that's where she started when she saw that first trophy and she slapped with it and then suddenly said, she said that, I think this is what I want to do.
01:51Um, and she, I had discussion with my husband. He said, this is what she wants to do. What do you think? If she likes it, then we just help and nurture her in a way that, what we can do as a parent.
02:05And as you know, it's not, it's not, it's not cheap, um, I don't know, a fair, but when we use, like, um, school horses and our own horses as well, and then I think towards that, last, that was last, last year, or this year, we bought our own horse.
02:25This year, I think last year, I can't remember. We bought our own horse for her, the house, the father feel like, I think she needs her own horse.
02:32Is that a name for the horse? Yes, it was, um, actually, the Korean horse.
02:39Korean horse, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, yeah, all right. And she almost became a polo player, thanks to you.
02:44Yes, I stopped her. Yes, it did. And, um, uh, J. Sanji, how does it feel to be a parent of an athlete?
02:53Parent of an athlete? Yeah. Uh, basically, because of the sport, this, this, uh,
03:01equestrian sport compared to football or equestrian, and the sport is dangerous, especially show jumping.
03:08Um, you know, I still get, I still, there are times that I cannot watch her jump, right, especially as the heights go up, right?
03:18So, but I'm very proud of her ability, uh, and I think it built her character in terms of, uh, you know,
03:25they fall many times, and it's very easy to give up, right? But to get up and go on, uh, that's, that's something, uh,
03:34I'm happy to see, uh, that she's building her character that way, and all, all we do is just, we, we just support, right?
03:41So, I think there's more to that. Yeah. It's just simplified by just saying support.
03:46All right. And, uh, Puan Azlin, uh, same question as I asked Ariel's mother earlier,
03:54when did you realize that this is it, this is the right path?
04:00For Arisa, she started at a very young age, at age of six. In fact, when she was little, at age of three, four,
04:05mommy, I want a horse, I want a horse, I want a horse. But we couldn't send her up for any lessons yet
04:10because she wouldn't, she wasn't able to take instructions. So, at age of six, finally, on her
04:14birthday, a day before her birthday, we said, it's okay, you know, for your birthday present, we'll sign
04:17you up for lessons. So, she wrote, you know, she started doing dressage and all that for a couple
04:22of months. Then she won, you know, she got second place, third place, and all that. I said, okay,
04:26there's some talent in there, right? So, she started riding, and then one day, she fell at the age of six
04:30plus, and she stopped riding completely, you know? Um, and then out of the blue, in 2021, she says,
04:37mommy, I want to ride again. My heart just dropped because I remember that fall very clearly.
04:40She was so tiny at the age of six, falling off a big horse, you know, and the fear in her. I said,
04:46are you sure you want to ride again? And then she says, yes. I said, okay, let's do this, right?
04:50So, we signed her up in Chiara, riding club horses, similar to Cipuan, Ariel, as well as, I think,
04:55Sonia as well, right? And, um, then she started competing, and then we saw like, okay, she was able to
05:03get placements in podiums. So, I said, okay, there's something there, you know?
05:07Um, and then as we progressed, the height progressed, and she was getting better and
05:11better, and said, okay, you know what? Maybe this is time, let's just invest in a horse.
05:14So, in 2023, we decided to buy a horse. So, she has one horse called Heaven, and, um, ever
05:21since, it has been quite a positive trend for her. Um, so, she's got, she went to many shows,
05:26like, for today, she's already jumping a meter, a meter ten. Um, another event that I saw her
05:33potential was when we, both Ariel and Arisa went to Korea. I mean, they were riding
05:37amongst the top young riders as well, and, uh, Arisa came in fourth out of, I think,
05:42what, 18 or 20 riders? Maybe, right?
05:45More, more, more, right? And, uh, Ariel came in fifth, and then we look at our
05:49girls, like, you know what? They've got talent. There's something in them, you know?
05:52So, here we are. We just support and push as much as we can. Like Sanjay said as well, it's not,
05:57like, exactly the cheaper sport. I'm like, why did you take up, you know, badminton or chess or
06:01something, right? But, no, the passion is there, and you can see, you know, even Bahrain,
06:07she got a very challenging horse. She fell in her first round in the team event. It was quite
06:12a hard fall, and I said, you want, if you don't want to continue, it's okay. She says, no, mommy,
06:17giving up is not an option. I just need to rest one day because I can't really walk today,
06:22but I'll go in for the team event. And she went up again, you know, no tears, no nothing. She just went
06:27out again because she knew she had to do it. She wanted to do it for herself, for her team,
06:30and for the country. So, there's passion there. And I'm so impressed. I'm amazed at how all of
06:36these girls, even Ellie, who's not here today, right? They all have that passion and determination
06:40that they really, it's not something that you can get overnight, right? Yeah. So, it's built in them.
06:47And what we're here to do as parents is we support as much as we can. Yeah. Again, you parents just
06:52simplify everything by saying support. There's more to that. Yeah. Emotional support, monetary
06:57support, of course, right? But emotional is also very important. Yeah. Especially at this
07:02young age. As Arisa, right? As she progresses, when you thought that, okay, it's about time
07:10we can let down our fear. The fear is always there, right? Yeah. The fear is always there.
07:17Always there. In fact, on the day on her first team event day, that whole day, I was all out
07:22of sorts. I knew it because we saw it in her warm-up and the day when she tested the horse,
07:26we knew that that horse is a bit hot-blooded, right? It's tough. It's not easy. And Arisa's not
07:32used to that kind of horse. So, the whole day, I was all over the place. And I was even more
07:36nervous. But, you know, I just had to keep my cool and then show that I don't portray that
07:39in front of her that she doesn't see it. If she sees that I'm nervous, then she'll
07:43get even more nervous. You see? So, it's also a lot of playing of emotions here. They
07:46have to be strong and calm for the horse. We have to be strong and calm for them.
07:51You know, if they see that we're nervous, immediately feel like, I don't know whether
07:54I can do it, right? Yeah. So, it is a lot of emotions that we all have to balance, not
07:58just for them, for ourselves. And I don't think there'll be a day that I will not be
08:02scared watching them, right? Yeah. Yeah. Like, when Ariel's down, when she missed the
08:08jump, whatever, she's down, she doesn't want to talk to anybody. I don't go near
08:11her. I let her stick on her own for a while until, like, maybe good half an hour, we'll
08:18see her mood. But then, when she started talking to people, smiling, then we can go to
08:23her. If not, if you talk to her when, you know, thing happens like recent Olympic youth.
08:29I think it's the pressure on her so much by everybody after the winning. So, and then the
08:35worst part is the horses that we use, the horse that we use to jump, she haven't been
08:40riding that horse for 10 months, 11 months. Suddenly, she's going to use that horse for
08:45qualifying. And she's been away for two months, right? Basically two months. And then
08:49came back, I think she rode it for maybe three times before the qualifying. And said for
08:56her that the horse refused to jump, not even one jump, just refused. So, she was a bit
09:01down. That morning, she was, she doesn't want to talk to anybody. So, just let her be,
09:06you know. So, mommy, that's my calling. Yep, that's it. You missed that, eliminated, you
09:10can't qualify anymore. So, she was aiming for it, you know, for the Olympic youth. But it
09:15didn't, it didn't go through. So, she was hoping that maybe she can go qualify
09:19somewhere else. She, she doesn't mind going like to Europe or to Qatar. There's one more
09:24in December. But I don't think you can do it unless we write in. But I don't think so
09:27because once you give a summit, one name, one, one competition, I think that goes
09:32into the fight of the Federation, the International Federation. So, she
09:36must be down. But then, then, she wrote, she wrote the second one. Yeah. And so
09:42don't relax, you know, you have a long way to go. So, you're only 15, you know, see
09:47like, it's like, Olympic youth, maybe not for you. But there's next year, there's a
09:52sea games. You know, I told the parents, since we, as the kids are still young, this
09:57the next aim is to go for sea games. We try to push as much as we can for these
10:02kids. They have two years to practice and train. Because that kind of
10:06throw this old riders still riding. So, we need, I think this is where, sorry, if I
10:13say this, these days the ministers and the ministry have to come in, help out.
10:18Because if you don't push this young riders, in 10 years, who else going to jump? Who
10:23else going to do the dressage, jumping, inventing for these people? Because that
10:27can't ask for those 50 years old people to jump again, you know, to do this thing.
10:31So, this is how I keep pushing. The past years I've been pushing the association. Get
10:36the young rider, get the young rider, push them. Because if you don't push them, who else
10:39going to push it? Who else going to jump for us? Who else going to do dressage for us?
10:45It actually is to say it's an expensive effect. It's not really expensive unless you have
10:51your own horse. When you start, I think everybody start the same thing, right? We started with
10:55a, I would call it club horse. The club horse, or we can just like, I have extra horse. I
11:01list my horse to other riders if they want to. Like last time I give it to Sonia to learn
11:07to jump higher. It's not, it doesn't cost you that much. But, you know, it's where
11:12you start. You know, that's all I can say about it.
11:15The observation in Cipuan. Kerajaan, memang buat pun, bukan tak buat. But you got a bit
11:23aggressive, I guess.
11:25Now, association, our AM is pushing it. Cipuan, now we need the KBS, the, I mean, those
11:33ministry, ministers to come out and push these young kids. Because you keep pushing on like,
11:39badminton. There's nothing wrong with it. You know, they're already there. But what else
11:44can we push? Like the Wushu. Like recently, the, when we went to action game, the Muay
11:50Thai, they have like six, five bronze, you know, that's something we can proud of as well.
11:54Those are young kids and these are people that can bring us up. All the time Thai, Thai, Thailand,
12:00you know. Malaysia, come out with bronze, it's not nothing that is, it's good. And I think
12:07it's like, you know, it's like, of course, I think because when we saw, when we were there,
12:15we saw the Chinese rider, 15 years old, six years old, very strong rider. It scared us
12:20actually, when we look at them, how they can handle terrible horses. Apparently, their government
12:27pushing it, you know, pushing them as much as they can. And then, to tell the truth, I met
12:34the Korean counterpart as well. You know, their Asian youth, Asian rider, and the
12:42Asian, Asian riders, they have Asian riders, all below 21 years old. They're pushing
12:47young riders. And we are not pushing the young riders now. That's the sad part. That's
12:52why we need everybody in media and the parents and the government help out here. It's not
12:58that we want the money. We just want them to push. To recognize, to recognize these young
13:03talents. Yeah, the young talents. You know, I mean, it is a niche sport. But look, it's
13:08the only one that came back with the gold. Yeah. Right? Yeah. And look at Kabir. How many
13:13years? 20 years for him to get the gold. That's a lot. Because nobody pushing it. Because
13:18they have to pay everything themselves. Nobody pushing them. Now I said, you see that there's a
13:23young one coming in. Every time, I think when we went to Korea, Thailand, the kids bring
13:29back a placing. It's either, if not number one, number three, number one, at least top five.
13:34At least podium. It's a podium. Is it because the current system is a bit slow? Something
13:41need to be tweaked? This one, I have no clue. What do you think, Sanjay? I think because they
13:47are not focusing on the sports like, you know, equestrian and all that. Look, look at e-sports
13:53for instance, right? So suddenly that one has a medal and all that, right? So you have to move away
14:00from the conventional sports like badminton and all that. There are other sports, right? And equally
14:04talented children. And I think just to add, I think from the spectator point of view in Bahrain, for
14:12instance, when Ariel won that jump off, she actually surprised the other teams. Because
14:20they never expected a Malaysian girl to come there and rock the boat like that, see? So
14:27that means there's possibility there. And Ariel was also the fastest rider for every round.
14:33You know, from the team event day one, day two and individual. To tell the truth, I think
14:39when we were there, they expect, I think Saudi and Kuwaitis to win the goal, the boys, you
14:44know, basically none, the girls are nervous in the picture. But then we came in like Malaysian
14:49came with four girls in the team. It's like, they were quite surprised, all girls, you know. And
14:53then when they saw, during the, I think during the training, they got shocked with the girls, you
14:59know, managed to go through the training round. And then when we won, I think it opened up
15:05the Middle Eastern eyes, especially Saudi, the Kuwaitis, you know, they were like quite shocked.
15:11And then, you know, surprisingly, Ariel's now got a lot of tweet, you know, they sent text
15:18or email through his IG from the Saudi Kuwaitis. And those riders asking her, you can come
15:25to Saudi and ride with us, you know, because you know how they are with the women, right?
15:29The girls, right? They're very like the levels, like the girls, girls, boys, boys, and they
15:33don't go to the girls. When they saw Ariel, they even texted, mommy, you know, they asked me, can I go?
15:39They asked me to go to Saudi, go to Dubai, to jump, to ride with them. Even the Iraqi boys asked her, hey, I have a horse
15:47Italy, you can come and ride together, that kind of thing. It was quite a surprise for me, you know,
15:52the Iraqi, because he's based in Dubai, actually, but invited her to jump together. That's something like,
15:59open our eyes, actually, again, when we were there, everybody quite shocked with, not only Ariel,
16:04to all the riders, and then all these three girls, four girls, came in, like well, you know, underdog,
16:10and well prepared, and actually, we were at a disadvantage, because most of them had their own horses.
16:15They were riding their own horses, because you're at home, right? Or at least in your country is nearby,
16:20you could bring your own horses. For all four girls, all at a disadvantage, because you're not riding your own horses.
16:25They're GP horses, not like, like normal horse, this is a GP, like, horse that jumping 150, 140.
16:32Yeah.
16:33Kita, it is listening.
16:34At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter. You could bring your own horse, but if it's an off day for the horse,
16:38or if the horse gets spooky, and if it's just not its day, you're not going to get the pacing.
16:43Yeah.
16:44But in this game, I think more like a mental game.
16:45Yeah.
16:46Mental. It's like, if even they even ask Ariel, are you, why you're not nervous?
16:53I mean, the boys are saying, Ariel, you're like, you're so prepared and so relaxed.
16:57I don't know, you ask my mom, I think she's already, you know, prepared me for all this.
17:01It's not, I mean, even here. So, I think she cried a lot of times, you know, but I said, you have to deal with it.
17:08You know, you can do it, do it. I don't care if you cry or you fall.
17:12That's how you do it. I cannot go and pick you up all the time. You know, if you don't learn now,
17:17you can't compete internationally, seriously, because compete international and borrowed horses,
17:23different kind of mental game, very much different. I think when we saw Sonia, she broke down,
17:29we were so scared, you know, we were like, oh my God, she's okay. She's okay.
17:35But I realized the second day, she was okay. You know, it's like, it's all mental game.
17:41It's a real mental game.
17:43It's a real mental game.
17:44Okay, everyone, with this, I think, last two minutes.
17:46As a parent of this fantastic athletes, what is your advice or message to other parents?
17:53I think Sanji or Azli would like to say.
17:56Azli?
17:57I think, for me especially, I think, can listen to your children as well.
18:02When there's a passion in them, don't just push it aside because of what we want them to do.
18:08Support them where you can, because sometimes maybe, you know, the persistence,
18:12if they're asking for the same thing over and again, maybe there's something there.
18:15At least let them try and see where it takes them.
18:17Don't give up or don't shove it immediately, you know.
18:20Listen to them at least.
18:21These kids today in this generation have a mind of their own.
18:25They know what they want to do as compared to maybe when I was younger.
18:28Right?
18:29So I think the best we can do is listen to them and support them.
18:31Yeah.
18:33Sanji?
18:34For me, I mean, I never got a chance to play anything at any level.
18:39Right?
18:40So basically, if like I say for Sonia, she wants to, and especially if she's got passion in it,
18:47because she's tried football, taekwondo, all these things.
18:50But only one thing stuck with the most dangerous one.
18:53Right?
18:54So I just facilitate and encourage.
18:57And there are many parents out there with all children also in equestrian.
19:02Right?
19:03So everybody, we are supporting each other.
19:05Right?
19:06That community is important.
19:07Like Cik Puan mentioned, for us, I think the guiding light here is actually for Cik Puan.
19:13Right?
19:14Without her assistance, the sport won't move the way it's moving.
19:18Right?
19:19So that's why we need a lot of momentum.
19:21Right?
19:22To be able to achieve things.
19:25I think maybe because I have two kids that are very much into this sport.
19:28Actually, Eric got younger sisters, Iman.
19:30She's also quite talented.
19:31She just won, I think, third place in Jeju recently.
19:34She came back, you know.
19:35And she made it, she went through, managed to go to jump off.
19:39But then, you know, she and the sisters like different attitude.
19:43She's a bit more kiasu compared to the sister.
19:46Ariel's more like relaxed and composed.
19:48This one, she needs to win.
19:50If she doesn't win, it's not her style.
19:52Isn't it, Iman?
19:53Yeah.
19:54She's more aggressive.
19:55Like I said, as a parent, I think I'm happy now with our own communities.
20:00I think the Christian X communities, slowly parents coming.
20:04And I think, I don't say it's a niche market, whatever it is.
20:08And some of them, it's not like from well or family.
20:10No.
20:11It's a normal family.
20:12But the support from everybody, I think.
20:15And if you don't have the horse, maybe I have more horses than the rest.
20:19I would like, I would, you know, give it or lease it.
20:22I mean, let them use it.
20:23Provide that the horse that my daughter said, no, this one you can't touch.
20:28So it's okay.
20:29The rest you can touch.
20:30That's fine.
20:31So this is a part that the parents, yes, I say, try to support as much as we can.
20:37But Ariel, now she's homeschooled.
20:39Because this is what she wants to do.
20:44The patient she wants, she planned for herself.
20:46Next year she wants to compete internationally in Europe.
20:49And then she wants to do SEA Games qualifying as well for 2027.
20:53So, okay, if you do this what you want to do, you can't go to school.
20:57Because basically, every day, 7 o'clock, 6.30, she goes to stable, riding two horses in the morning.
21:04Come back by 9, her online class.
21:06And then by 5 o'clock, she got to go to TEP again.
21:09Now there are two more horses to ride.
21:10So, if you ask her what's a hobby, she will say sleeping.
21:14Because that's the only time for her to rest.
21:17So, like I said, you have to desert when you decide on this, like the parents, you have to really think further.
21:26Whether, I think at certain age, certain time, like, as you know, so I think Arissa is going to have to do the online classes as well.
21:34And Sanjay, I think soon, he, I think he got to have to decide as well, all this kind of thing.
21:40So as a parent, we do what we can do.
21:42And I, I mean, I encourage others as well.
21:45Because I saw recent, recent competition.
21:48A lot of young riders, which I'm so happy actually.
21:52Because dulu, I think one class only five, six riders.
21:56Now, up to 20 in one class, riding.
22:00I mean, you can't compete with Indonesia, Thais, whatever it is.
22:03Like, 1 class up by 50, 60 riders.
22:05We can't compete.
22:06But to have like 15 to 20 riders in one class is good enough for us.
22:11Dulu, what?
22:12The most, 3, right?
22:13Yeah, yeah.
22:14The most, 10, right?
22:16Now, have more.
22:17It's good.
22:18You know?
22:19If you want with this, I think we can conclude our discussion.
22:23Good luck to all of you.
22:24Thank you so much.
22:25Just like that.
22:26I think more gold medal will be won.
22:27Alright?
22:28InsyaAllah.
22:29We'll do this.
22:30Malaysia Boleh.
22:32Thank you for watching, guys.
22:33And see you next time.
22:35Bye bye.
22:36Thanks a lot.
22:46Bye bye.
22:51There's a little brush to see you next time.
22:52We'll put a balloon down there.
22:54We'll catch the balloon up next on in our next ten,
22:56Hey guys.

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