Sisters trot to success
Accomplished riders, Vaishali and Pranaya Vinayan Pillai, both recently excelled in the Dressage category, one that showcases perfectly the teamwork between man and beast. DT Next spoke to two sisters who don’t follow the herd.
Chennai
Chennai sisters, Vaishali and Pranaya Vinayan Pillai, ride a horse like pros and have done the city proud by winning various competitions. While Vaishali, 20, an engineering student, came first in the Young Riders Dressage category for two consecutive years and was declared the grand champion, 16-yearold Pranaya placed first in the Introductory Trot Dressage category.
Dressage is a highly skilled form of riding a horse. It is considered to be the foremost expression of horse training where horse and rider perform from memory a series of set movements.
It’s a niche interest
Equestrian sports are expensive and usually hold interest for the swish set mainly, but the Pillai sisters were seized by curiosity. “We’d see ‘Chennai Equestrian Academy’ while driving along Sholinganallur. It got us curious and we decided to check the place out,” says Vaishali.
To this Pranaya adds, “The premises were green, completely impressive. The horses were well kept, they looked magnificient. We both knew, even before riding a horse that we had to learn the sport.” She also says she is happiest when riding a horse.
Dressage is hard work
To start with dressage is not easy. One has to build trust with the horse, and animal and rider have to work as a team. The girls worked very hard. “The sport entails a series of individual tests which rise in level of difficulty. We practice regularly, but it becomes more rigorous before competitions,” Pranaya says.
Vaishali was recently the grand champion in the Young Riders category in the International Dressage Development League. It is a series of competitions held annually, where qualifiers are conducted each month. The best five scores over the months are added and the average is taken as the best, which is then pitted against other contestants in the 16-21 age group. Pranaya, on the other hand, came first in Introductory Trot Dressage which does not have an age restriction.
The sisters started their journey eight years ago and hope to represent the country on international platforms one day.
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