Team Podium: Silver medalists India, gold medalists Thailand and bronze medalists Hong Kong, China during the FEI Eventing Asian Championship at the Thai Polo Club on December 3, 2025 in Pattaya (THA).

©FEI/Yong Teck Lim

3.12.2025

...at FEI Eventing Asian Championship 2025

The Thai Polo Club, Pattaya delivered an unforgettable afternoon of tension, triumph and sheer horsemanship as the FEI Eventing Asian Championship 2025, concluding with a home victory for Thailand and an emotional individual gold for India’s Ashish Limaye. This stunning venue proved an ideal stage for a Championship where precision and partnership counted for everything, and where double-clears were the golden currency.

Team Thailand rose to the pressure of competing at home to secure the team title on a combined score of 117.6 penalties, narrowly edging India’s determined squad on 121.8. Hong Kong, consistent across all phases, claimed the bronze with 122.9. The margins told the story: nothing was given away easily and every second, stride and fence shaped the podium.

In the individual standings, India’s Limaye produced a superbly polished performance with his 13-year-old British-bred partner Willy Be Dun, finishing on 29.4 penalties. A double-clear, including a seamless, fast Cross-country round and a composed final Jumping performance, secured him the top spot. Hong Kong’s Patrick Lam claimed silver on Jockey Club Highdown March with 30.1, while Thailand’s own Korntawat Samran took bronze on B. Grimm Billy Elmy on 32.8.

For Thailand, the result marked a defining moment. The nation has been steadily climbing the Eventing ladder in recent years, developing athletes with both technical finesse and competitive determination. Competing on home turf at the majestic Thai Polo Club amplified the expectations, but the Thai quartet met the moment with admirable composure.

The standout individual Thai performance came from Samran with the 14-year-old French-bred B. Grimm Billy Elmy. Overnight leader heading into the Jumping phase, he entered the arena carrying not only the hopes of his team but the full weight of the home crowd’s anticipation. One unfortunate pole cost him a shot at gold, but his overall achievement - a team gold and an individual bronze - remained remarkable.

After receiving his medals, he spoke with pride and humility: 

“My horse was amazing today. He has given me his best in the Dressage and cross-country and even today he jumped really good. I just missed one jump because I was a bit too open and that is why we had one down. I am very thankful to the owners and the groom and everyone behind us. It was a good experience at the end.”

Korntawat Samran

(THA)

On competing under the pressure of being the last athlete into the jumping arena, he added: “The atmosphere was quite intense and I came in as the last rider. Everybody was here and for sure we wanted to do our best. Even though I had one down we were so happy. We had all their support and actually very happy to be back here again. It was amazing - I would love to compete here every four years.”

Weerapat Pitakanonda contributed a vital clear cross-country round and finished on 37.3 penalties with Billy Grimm Carnival March. His partnership with the reliable gelding has grown over several years, and he credited their shared history for the strength of their performance. “I have ridden him since 2019. He is very reliable cross-country. I am so proud; the longer we are together the more we understand each other. Thank you for the support from the owner and also my family. Without them it would not be possible to have this medal. The atmosphere is great and I was very happy to compete at home. The team spirit is amazing, we know each other well. Sometimes we do the shopping together after working,” he said with a smile.

Another important contribution came from Supap Khaw-Ngam on Vinetto 3, a promising ten-year-old gelding and a relatively new partner for him. Despite finishing on 75.7, Khaw-Ngam remained optimistic and grateful. “Today I must ride stronger, next time I will get there but I have to thank my team very much. I have had this horse seven months. I have been training in Germany and six times competing at 2 star long,” he explained, noting the potential he expects to unlock as the partnership deepens.

Rounding out the Thai squad was Preecha Khunjan on the ever-consistent Clair de Lune Blanc RW. The pair produced one of the best cross-country rounds of the entire championship, bold and confident over every question posed by the course. A keen, forward-going mare, she added eight faults in the Jumping, but Khunjan remained delighted with her performance, describing the experience simply as “a great one.”

The individual competition unfolded with all the drama fans hoped for. China’s Alex Hua Tian, the most experienced athlete in the field, led the Dressage on Manjushri and early predictions placed him as a likely gold medallist. But the cross-country phase reshaped the leaderboard. British course designer Helen West produced a CCI2*-L track that was both fair and influential, beautifully built and demanding accuracy at speed. Out of 16 starters, 15 completed, and all three nations finished their team athletes. Ten combinations jumped clear, with only six managing to come home inside the time-a reflection of the track’s subtle challenges and the championship pressure.

Samran’s fast clear moved him into the overnight lead, but with less than one rail separating the top six riders heading into the final phase, there was no room for hesitation. Spectators lining the arena knew every pole would matter.

Ultimately, it was Limaye who delivered under the fiercest pressure. His double-clear brought him a deeply meaningful victory. “I think he was in super-mode. He was really jumping for me. There were a couple of mistakes that I did but he was really saving and today was our day. It feels super, especially with the last Asian Games-I had forgotten the course after I was leading the Dressage. I think I have redeemed myself and this was a very emotional championship for me so it feels super,” he said.

He also shared the unusual path that brought Willy Be Dun into his life. “Willy Be Dun came to me three years ago. It was a funny story because I hadn’t tried the horse before buying him. I bought him off videos and he’s turned out to be the best companion that I ever had. I would like to thank my sponsors for this and it was just an amazing day.”

As the sun set over Pattaya, the celebrations reflected more than medals. They represented the depth of partnership between horses and human, the rise of Asian Eventing on the world stage, and the unforgettable emotion of a championship where home-team passion and individual resilience shaped a story that will be remembered for years to come.

FULL RESULTS