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EQUESTRIAN sports are set to take off in Singapore next year when a new $6 million National Equestrian Park (NEP) is built off Thomson Road.
The 5.8ha park, the size of five football pitches, will be the first dedicated multi-discipline equestrian facility here - allowing national riders of all levels in Olympic events, such as showjumping, eventing and dressage, to train in one place.
It will also serve as a support facility for the equestrian events at next year's Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
'Many of our riders are training overseas, in places like Malaysia and Europe, because we simply don't have enough facilities here' said Melanie Chew, president of the Equestrian Federation of Singapore (EFS).
'With the National Equestrian Park, there will be synergy because they will be able to train together on home soil.'
Funding for the NEP came mainly from the Singapore Polo Club. The rest of the funds were obtained via donations from the equestrian community here.
The EFS, with the assistance of the Singapore Sports Council, has secured a 15-year lease from the Singapore Land Authority for the park, which is located along Jalan Mashhor.
The park's design was culled from visits to similar riding centres in the United States, Europe and Australia.
When completed by July next year, it will boast 120 stables, a quarantine facility, an equine hospital and riding tracks.
It will also have a rehabilitation centre, which includes a water therapy facility for injured horses.
The centrepiece of the NEP is two competition arenas, which can host international equestrian events like the Federation Equestre International's prestigious World Cup series.
Each of the arenas will be able to accommodate up to 300 spectators.
Construction is set to begin by the end of this year, and the park will be ready in time for the YOG to be held here next August.
During the Games, the NEP will be converted into a stabling and quarantine facility for competitors.
The YOG competition will be at the Singapore Turf Club (STC) Riding Centre at Kranji.
Roderick Tan, the NEP's chairman and vice-president of the EFS, said the park complements its STC counterpart, which is aimed at public use.
This is because the NEP will be used primarily for national riders and promising youngsters.
'With a centralised training area, we can consolidate our resources,' he said. 'We can also monitor the progress of our national riders, and can host competitions here to help sharpen their skills.'
According to Chew, the EFS has been lobbying for such a facility for the past five years.
'This is great news, especially for young riders who don't have a lot of resources and can't train overseas,' said national dressage rider Cynthia Ee, 44.
'Horse riding is an expensive sport, so having such a park will encourage more young people to pick it up.'
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