22 September,2026 12:22 PM IST | Mumbai | Ronan Carvalho
Equestrian Ashish Limaye with his horse Willy Be Dun. Pic/By Special Arrangement
[popcorn number="2025" desc="The year Ashish Limaye won gold at the Eventing Asian C'ships in Thailand" class="Default"]
Equestrian Ashish Limaye, 33, is keen to put his heartbreak in Hangzhou behind him and earn a podium finish in both, the individual as well as team eventing competition, at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
At the previous Asian Games three years ago, Limaye and his horse Willy Be Dun, missed two jumps in the cross-country event (one of three events along with dressage and show jumping that make up eventing), as the Indian team finished fifth. This time around, with a string of impressive performances behind him, including a gold medal-winning display at the 2025 FEI Eventing Asian Championships in Thailand, he's eyeing a medal at the continental showpiece.
"As a combination [of horse and rider] we've been doing well. We consistently finished in the top five across European competitions last year. We're currently in the best form. As a team [along with compatriots Arjan Nagra and Fouaad Mirza] I'm hoping we get a silver medal. Individually, I'm hoping for a podium finish too. Gold would be great, but realistically silver or bronze is the target," Limaye, who is supported by Bengaluru-based Embassy International Riding School, told mid-day.
The eventing competition was scheduled to begin on Monday, but a typhoon has pushed it to Tuesday. Limaye reckons this could make things trickier.
"For eventing, weather can change the whole game. It can make the ground really slushy, causing the horses to slip. For cross-country in particular, which generally features a hilly terrain, it can be tricky. The rain and wind also tends to affect the horse's focus," explained Limaye, who began competing professionally in 2018.
Interestingly, Willy Be Dun was not Limaye's first choice horse for the tournament, but fitness issues surrounding the newly-acquired Easy Turn, forced a change of plans.
"We had brought a new horse for the Asian Games and the 2028 LA Olympics. But unfortunately, she wasn't 100 per cent fit, so we went with Willy Be Dun, who is not the most talented horse, but I can always trust him. He's a very smart horse, who tries his hardest, and has never let me down," he said.
With his performance in Aichi-Nagoya, Limaye is also hoping to inspire the next generation to take up the sport professionally, just like he was motivated by watching the eventing team that won the silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang.
"Seeing the 2018 Asian Games is what made me decide to get into eventing. Already, after my success at the Asian Championships, I've seen more people get into eventing. So, every major medal will encourage a new generation to take up the sport," Limaye concluded.
