Setting off fourteen years ago with twenty-two Luistanos purchased from the well known classical training family of Master Luis Valenca in Portugal, Mario Miguel Silva left Portugal in hopes of developing an equestrian training facility in Thailand. Now head of an equestrian facility in Jakata, Indonesia, Mario has been working with a group of riders who are improving and competing in the FEI World Dressage Challenge over the last three years.
Before Mario came to Indonesia, riders there were few and it was very rare that one would even compete at Prix St Georges level. In two decades Silva taught dressage, raised the bar and now has a string of small tour competitors who are eager to make it to the big time. Some have taken their first steps at medium tour level and are ready to start Grand Prix.
Based at a very exclusive, private yard where Mario works for a dedicated family, the Portuguese coaches riders from all levels and motivates them to meet the challenge in the show ring.
Indonesia Using FEI World dressage Challenge as Stepping Stone
Silva stimulates his riders to use the format of the FEI World Dressage Challenge as valuable stepping stone for ring experience and exposure to international level dressage judges.
The FEI World Dressage Challenge program aims at helping smaller dressaege nations gain experience in competition. It is global event that includes more than 50 countries divided into nine zones. Two judges are chosen for each zone and they travel to the events where competitors ride the same tests. When the judges conclude their trip through one zone, the results are added together which determine the winner for each class, as well as a team result. Indonesia has been one of the top nations competing in their zone.
Competitions are a sportive way to test the progress a rider has made over the years. Jakarta is quite well equipped with equestrian facilities for dressage and show jumping.
"Around Jakarta we have four good show grounds to have dressage and jumping competitions. These competitions are funded by some private sponsors, corporations and respective federations. The South East Asian countries are fairly competitive. They are equally competitive as any new country doing a new sport or a sport without old tradition. These past few years the FEI World Dressage Challenge has been won by different countries each year which proves their gradual progress in time. In 2013 it was India, in 2014 Thailand, and in 2015 Singapore."
Indonesia is part of Zone 8 for the FEI World Dressage Challenge alongside Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and India.
"These initiatives give our riders motivation to learn and improve," Mario stated.
Passing on Knowledge, Inspiring Students
Silva has students of all levels. Darwin Labonou, Jamal Mewengken and Agus Soludiun are prime examples of students that began on the lunge line for seat lessons and rising trot and now made their first steps in the show ring. "They have became quite good riders and are competing in shows and now training horses under my guidance," Silva added with pride.
Two of Mario’s front-running students are small tour level riders: 38-year old fashion stylist Mira Warganegara and 41-year old riding instructor Aditha Indra Wardhani. Mira has showed at Prix St Georges level and acknowledges that since Mario’s arrival in Indonesia dressage has really grown there.
“Nowadays dressage is getting more and more popular, with many riders interested in the dressage discipline," said Mira. Her horse Xeique is stabled in Jakarta, and Mira has been training with Mario for four years. “I think this horse really suits me, and he has very nice movement plus a bonus handsome factor," she added. Mira is looking forward to more opportunities to compete. Her goal is to one day represent Indonesia at the Asian Games.
Aditha Indra Wardhani also started training with Mario four years ago. At that time her horse was doing jumping, but needed to improve on the dressage work. “I started competing in the FEI challenge and I like the system. We have the same judges going around to the different countries, so you can see your placing against the riders of the other nations. It is also a great opportunity that we are offered a clinic at the end of the competitions," Wardhani explained.
While Aditha says that dressage is a lot less popular than jumping, she remarks that change is about to happen as there is a greater understanding of the discipline. “Most consider dressage to be more a more difficult and less ‘action’ sport, but people are slowly realising the importance of having good basics, basics that are improved through dressage exercises," said Aditha.
Silva has also travelled around South East Asia for clinics. Singaporean lawyer Wei Chi Soh is a passionate rider, which Mario got acquainted with during a clinic in Singapore.
"We started working together and she was able to move from advance level to Prix St Georges and Intermediaire I," said Silva. "She as able to qualify for the Asian Games but unfortunately her horse got injured right before. It took almost one year for the horse to get fit again but now she's back competing again."
Young rider Auriel and junior Wilbert Sutardja keep their horses in training with Mario and are regular coached by the rider in Jakarta and Portugal. Wilbert is still on a regular training schedule with Silva, but Auriel has moved to boarding school in the United Kingdom and has put riding on the back burner for now. Other up and coming Indonesian dressage stars include junior riders Nadya Zax and Dara Ninggar, who are now training and competing up to Prix St Georges level.
Mario Miguel Silva Blazing Trails in Indonesia
Mario Miguel Silva is well aware that raising awareness, passion and financial input for the sport of dressage is a long-term process. At this stage in the development of the sport in Indonesia winning at dressage events is not paramount, but planting the seeds for the future. The foundation for that are knowledgeable riders and a good horse base to work with.
“What is needed is grooming new riders, new professional riders, riders capable of training horses under the classical system who can pass on that horsemanship to future generations," said Mario. "Some of our students are now training new horses under our guidance and are no longer just learning on schoolmasters. It's great to look back and see that we are leaving something good for the country and for these riders.”
Sourcing Lusitanos from Portugal and some good warmbloods in Germany, Mario aims to match the right horse to the requirements of the rider or owner.
"I go off to Portugal twice a year for vacation, but most of the time I travel to Europe to purchase horses. The majority of our horses are Lusitanos and they are the most successful with their riders, but some students have warmbloods too. I love good Warmbloods but unfortunately they are too 'high maintenance' for amateur riders," said Silva.
Mario also established a training connection with the Koschel family in Germany after a horse sales deal. He keeps visiting Hof Beckerode in Hagen, Germany for training when his time schedule allows.
Mario has a tunnel-focus on promoting dressage in Indonesia and has clearly put training his students as main priority. While he does compete nationally on Sumatra, he foremost aims at making his students' dreams come true.
"My career goal is to keep training horses, competing them and bringing my students to the upper level classes," said Silva. "One day I want to compete with my students in Europe. With all this work and by attracting more sponsors, there's a chance for the sport to develop in this region."
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