Tokyo 2020
The historic bond shared with horses by equestrian Fouaad Mirza and his ancestors
The beautiful man animal bond that Fouaad Mirza has grown up with is also one of the reasons why he is at the Olympics this year.
What does one associate the names Obama, El Dorado, Scott and Polima with? The answer could be anything from personalities to landmark places and could leave a person dumbstruck if asked all of a sudden. The answer is horses. Fouaad Mirza has been the proud owner of a quarto of horses and has grown up alongside them since his early days learning the art of equestrian. His family lineage stretches back to over 200 years with his great great grandfather's ingenuity of bringing horses with him from Iran. The tradition has evolved into something completely different since then.
His father was in the 61st Cavalry of the Indian Army, was associated with the prestigious Presidents Bodyguard and also had the distinct privilege of commanding the Presidents Bodyguard during his tenure. It only makes sense that Fouaad would pick up on his family tradition and take it a step further by representing the country at the Olympics. Fouaad's father and mother played an instrumental role in fuelling their son's passion and love for being with horses. In an interview with News18, Dr Hasnain Mirza was quoted saying "We never went on holidays. Because they were always practising or were in events. Riding was their holiday. And I was happy. It is an outdoor sport, it is healthy and it keeps kids away from malls, computers, PlayStations and all that. I was quite happy."
Since qualifying for the Olympics, Fouaad has been in the limelight as he is the third Indian Equestrian to make it for the Olympics. Indrajeet Lamba and Imtiaz Anees were previously unsuccessful in their pursuit of winning a medal. Indian equestrian lovers and sports fans in general will be hoping that Fouaad will capitalize on being third time lucky. One of his biggest well-wishers will also be back home in Bengaluru watching on keenly. A man animal bond is always beautiful to watch and Vijay Singh, the stable boy of the stud farm has also seen Fouaad since his days in training. He feels that India can put on a good show at the Equestrian event this year and Fouaad especially can carry on from where he left off at the Asian Games.
They say that athletes are nothing without their equipment. Investing in good quality sports goods can go a long way in defining the performance of a sportsperson. Horses are more than just pieces of equipment and are an integral part of the rider as far as equestrian events are concerned. For a family that has held their bond with horses for the longest period of time, the Mirza family ought to be proud of all that they have achieved for their love of horses. After all, producing an Olympian and a Commander of the Presidents Bodyguard is no joke!
