Asian Games 2026: Why was the Indian equestrian team disqualified from eventing?

File | Arjan Nagra was disqualified following his horse Cooley Goodwood’s refusal to attempt two obstacles in the jumping event of the competition | Photo Credit: Instagram/Jindal Global University

One horse refused to jump, another tested positive for tick fever and a third never got its blood work done leaving it unable to travel for competition.

India’s hopes in the eventing team in the equestrian competition ended with one day to go after Arjan Nagra was disqualified following his horse Cooley Goodwood’s refusal to attempt two obstacles in the jumping event of the competition. Two other Indian riders – Fouad Mirza on Camouflage 38 and Ashish Limaye on Willy Be Dunn managed to complete the jumping competition.

The eventing competition consists of three events – dressage, jumping followed by cross country. Although each country is allowed four riders, only the top three scores are considered for the team competition.

The Indian trio successfully completed the dressage event. However, following Nagra and his horse’s disqualification, the Indian team were left with only two riders forcing their disqualification as well.

Although India had planned to send four riders, only three riders were finally sent because the horse of the fourth - Bolivar Gio Granno of Ahaan Kumar – tested positive for tick fever and was not allowed to travel to Japan.

Although the ad hoc committee currently running Equestrian Federation of India had also appointed a reserve player – Pradeep Jhangam, it is learned that his horse didn’t get its blood work (which is how a horse is tested for fitness and infection and thus declared fit to travel) would be unable to travel to Japan as well.

At the eventing team events in Tokyo, India was one of only two teams out of eight teams to not feature four riders (China was the other one).

It is also learned that although India didn’t send a fourth rider or a reserve rider, some 50 lakh rupees had already been spent towards the transportation of eight horses although only seven were actually sent.

India have had a history of success in the team event winning medals at three consecutive Asian Games between 1998 and 2006. However they have only medalled once (in 2018) since then.