Jun 3, 2015


Clip-Clop, Riding Along...

Come April and as the unbearable heat sets in to Colombo, there's a mass migration of the city population to the cooler climes of Nuwara Eliya in the hill country.

This is when you see the ascot-reminiscent scene from 'My Fair Lady' where ladies don their finery, hat and all, parasols in hand, at the much-enjoyed horse races….
Dating back to 1860, Horse Riding in Sri Lanka has always had keen enthusiasts from among the local and foreign community. From the well-known Governor's Cup, to the more-recent Nescafé Cup, Horse-Racing is a top sport in the island.


Especially in the past decade, the Turf Club of Sri Lanka has taken Horse Racing to new heights, with exciting events being organized around the races, such as fashion shows and the like. The annual Nuwara Eliya races are now the top Turf Club Event in Sri Lanka.


The Ahungalla Dressage is also a popular riding event where many locals compete for coveted prizes. Now, Sri Lanka is fast picking up in the sport, with many clubs such as The Victoria Saddle Club, The Heritance Equestrian Club, The Kandalama Equestrian Club, the Waikkal and Riverina Equestrian Sports Club and more, taking shape.


In fact, many popular hotels in top travel destinations within the island offer Horse and Pony Riding, such as Thissamaharama in the Hambanthota District in the South of Sri Lanka where the route goes through picturesque paddy fields, villages, near lakes and banana plantations, and Nuwara Eliya in the hill country, where scenic views dominate. Here, the Marwari breed of horses imported from Rajasthan, India during the time of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka, still thrive. They are known for their strength and endurance and still carry many a rider up the mountains.


Also on the list of places for Horse Riding are Kalpitiya on the North West coast of the island with the beautiful Puttalam lagoon on one side and the Indian ocean on the other. Kandalama and Sigiriya too, are great destinations for equestrian activities among the wilderness and historical landscape of Sri Lanka.


The Premadasa Riding School situated in Nugegoda on the fringes of the Colombo city is the only well-known riding school in Sri Lanka that possesses horses and trains them for events such as horse polo. The aim is to promote endurance events which can be witnessed in the Asian Games and the Olympic Sport of Dressage.


Sri Lanka's equestrian events still have a long way to go, but the enthusiasm is definitely on the rise, given that many are opting to learn horseback riding and clip clop to the professional beats of an international sport.