Thailand Holds Nerve to Claim Team Gold at 2025 FEI Asian Championships

Shows

2025 FEI Asian Championships

-- FEI press release, edited by Eurodressage - photos © FEI/Yong Teck Lim

The Thai team secured gold on home soil at the 2025 FEI Asian Championship 2025 at the Thai Polo Club in Pattaya (THA) on 25 November 2025.

Their combined total of 205.853% proved enough to top the leaderboard in a very tightly contested team competition. India earned silver with 204.059%, while Hong Kong claimed bronze with 203.235%, demonstrating just how little separated the podium placings. One or two small mistakes made the difference between gold, silver and bronze.

Teams of minimum three and up to four riders were eligible for the Team Ranking. The fourth team score was the drop score, not counting for the team total.

Emotional Victory for All-Female Thai Team

The Thai team successfully defending the title they last won in 2019.

Thailand's leading rider was Pakjira Thongpakdi, who rode her own 10-year old Oldenburg mare Samira O (by Franizkus x De Niro) to a fourth place in the Prix St Georges with 68.735%. Her mare is bred by Andrea Oldehus and was previously competed by Spanish Olympian Borja Carrascosa

Thailand's second contributing team score was 68.706% achieved by Chanjanok Klara Ruecker on her long-time partner Vincent, a 12-year old Brandenburg bred gelding by Viscount x Stalypso. She placed fifth in the Prix St Georges and was immediately followed by team mate, 18-year old Nynn Puttisombat in 6th place with 68.412%. She rode the 12-year old KWPN gelding Ivaro (by Connaisseur), a horse she's been matched with for the past two years.

H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya Mahidol delivered the fourth Thai result, a 63.941% aboard Kylie Riddell's 14-year old Boulevard (by Bordeaux x Donnerhall). The horse was sourced at Hof Kasselmann.

The Thai athletes expressed their pride at defending their title from 2019, this time as an all-female team.

Team anchor Thongpakdi stated, “She (Samira) gave me everything today. She has had very little competition experience, but we went in with full confidence. I am incredibly proud.

Klara Ruecker commented, "Vincent has been with me since the Asian Games, and we have made a lot of progress. Riding as the first athlete for your team brings a lot of pressure, and I really wanted to do well."

Princess Sirivannavari added, “we won with girl power. The pressure was huge, my heart was beating out of my jacket, and because of some family circumstances it was an emotional but very special day.”

India Takes Silver

India's Pundir, Singh and Vora win silver

After winning gold at the 2023 Asian Games, India finished in silver position. Their highest score came from Shruti Vora, who placed second individually with 70.882% riding the 13-year old Oldenburg Magnanimous (by Millenniu x De Niro). Their harmony and soft contact were among the highlights of the performance. “I am so honoured to have this horse in my life. He takes me into the arena with such confidence, and he gives his heart every single time,” she said. Magnanimous has been kept in training with Helen Langehanenberg in Germany.

The second counting score for India came from Divyakriti Singh with the 12-year old Improver (by Apache x Ferro), who produced strong work to achieve 67.118%. “This was our first championship together, and everything came together here,” shared Divya, who has been training with Coby van Baalen.

Gaurav Pundir and Dina Ellermann's 16-year old KWPN gelding Electro (by Rousseau x Samber) made their debut for India at a major championship. They have been together only since March and produced a solid score of 66.059%.

India travelled to Pattaya with a team of three riders.

Bronze for Hong Kong

Bronze went to Hong Kong, with the experienced Jacqueline Wing Ying Siu delivering the top mark for her nation riding Heather and Rowan Bryson's 12-year old KWPN bred Izonik (by Zonik x Jazz). Their 69.588% was the third-highest score of the day and showed great potential despite their short partnership.

“We have only known each other for six weeks, and I am very grateful to the owners for this opportunity,” she said.

Hong Kong also benefited from a strong performance by Annie Ho, who is also based in Great Britain. Riding Dannie Morgan's Southern Cross Braemar (by Breitling W x Fabuloso), she scored 68.206%, the seventh-best score of the day. Remarkably, Ho has only competed in dressage since 2023, having previously focused exclusively on eventing. She will also compete in eventing later this week.

Samantha Grace Chan scored 65.441% riding the 15-year old DSP bred Quaesar (by Quaterback x Eklatant). She shared her enthusiasm, saying: “Riding here is a dream come true. I love Quaesar so much.”

Hong Kong sent a delegation of three riders to the Asian Championships.

Qatar finished fourth in the team standings, while Taiwan placed fifth.

Top Score for China’s Sarah Rao

The highest score of the day came from British based Sarah Rao, who competed as an individual rider for China and not as part of a team. With her 14-year old former licensed KWPN stallion, now gelding Geniaal (by Vivaldi x Biotop) she achieved 71.382% with a well-presented and confident test that demonstrated great potential for collection. A small mistake in the changes every third stride was the only error in an otherwise commanding performance. Their result positions the pair strongly in the race for the individual medals later this week.

The first individual medals will be presented on Thursday in the Intermediate I competition, while the Freestyle to Music final will take place on Sunday.