Thailand's Nina has golden mount
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The Thai Equestrian Federation (TEF) predicts that Beijing Games gold-medal-winning horse Butts Leon will boost Nina Lamsam Ligon's bid to clinch the Kingdom's first Olympics equestrian medal.
TEF secretary general Fuangvich Aniruth-Deva said the best Thai equestrian team ever had been assembled for London 2012, highlighted by the presence of the multimillion-baht Leon, the 15-year-old mount that helped Germany win the eventing competition four years ago.
“He’s a top-notch horse we acquired from Germany. He’s the one we have decided to use for the competition out of four horses we have,” said Fuangvich.
Lina herself has been in Olympic training overseas and has even bought a house near Greenwich Park, where the equestrian competition will take place on July 28. The Thai equestrian team comprises 10 staff backed by an estimated budget of Bt100 million.
The TEF chief said that Thai-American Nina needed to get off to a flying start in the dressage to maintain her medal challenge.
“If Nina finishes in the top 20 in the first day’s dressage, she stands a great shot because she is good in the cross country. All she has to do is to keep pace with the leaders in the show-jumping on the final day.”
Of the 75 competitors, Nina is the youngest in the field at 21. She kicks off her debut Games on July 28 or 29 depending on the draw.
