India’s Shashank Singh Kataria and the Australian Thoroughbred Bullseye on their way to a team silver medal at the 2025 FEI Asian Championships at Pattaya, Thailand. Image by FEI/Yong Tek Lim.
A young Indian-born, Melbourne-based university student who only took up riding on medical advice has proudly flown the flag for his home country at the 2025 FEI Asian Championships.
“It’s every rider’s dream to compete at a championship representing their country,” says Shashank Singh Kataria. It’s often a dream held since childhood and the earliest days in the saddle. But for 21-year-old Shashank, who has only been in the saddle for seven years, his dream is now a reality. On 30 November, he proudly represented Team India at the 2025 FEI Asian Championships at Pattaya, Thailand, in his first major championship.
Shashank and his current equine partner Bullseye – an Australian Thoroughbred – had a very successful event. While they were down the leaderboard a little to begin with following the dressage, the duo were clear and under time on cross country and in the final jumping phase – thus finishing on their dressage score of 37.9 and placing an impressive sixth overall.
India’s silver medal winning 2025 FEI Asian Championships eventing team, L-R: Shashank Kanumuri, Ashish Limaye, and Shashank Kataria. Image by FEI/Yong Tek Lim.
Alongside teammates Ashish Limaye with Willy Be Dun – who claimed the individual gold medal – and Shashank Kanumuri with Wellfields Casino Royale, who placed eleventh, Shashank Kataria and Bullseye claimed a team silver medal. It was a fabulous effort, especially given the team of three didn’t have the luxury of a drop score.
UNCONVENTIONAL INTRODUCTION
The pursuit of elite level equestrian competition was not something Shashank had ever considered, at least not until late 2018, when his orthopaedist suggested horse riding as a cure for severe knock knees. “I was an active yet quite obese kid – sounds contradictory but it is true!” laughs Shashank. “My body was not able to cope with the level of activity, and the doctor suggested horse riding.”
So, with an unconventional introduction to the idea of equestrian sports, ‘Sha’ started out with the only connection he had to horses, a polo club. “One of my distant relatives was a top polo player. I picked it up pretty fast and started stick and ball. Within three months I was galloping and hitting good shots on the polo field, but it didn’t feel like my calling,” reflects Shashank.
After discovering show jumping, he left polo behind and committed to the horse sport world. But the show jumping didn’t last for long either, when, after 18 months, Shashank discovered “the real adrenaline” in eventing. “I told myself, I want to do this, and I want to do it at the Olympics,” says Shashank, “and since then there has been no looking back.”
“I told myself, I want to
do this, and I want to
do it at the Olympics…”
In India, a country where equestrian sport is lesser known, Shashank was fortunate to find and surround himself with knowledgeable and supportive people. “My first eventing coach, Captain Sunil Kumar [who competed to three-star level whilst serving in the Indian Armed Forces] built up my riding from zero to two-star in a very short time span; he gave me his all and helped me a lot, he built my foundation.”
Shashank and Bullseye jumping clear on the final day of competition in Pattaya. Image by FEI/Yong Tek Lim.
It was a foundation that was developed in partnership with A La Bon Heur, a horse Shashank describes as a very green seven-year-old that was naturally a good jumper. “We did both of our first star classes together!”
Shashank’s next ride, Reinroe Adare Acrobat, whom the highs and lows of the sport were experienced with, “had a couple of really good starts and then he unfortunately sustained a tendon injury”, explains Shashank.
But with his foundations now solid and his eventing experience growing, the challenge Shashank faced was the lack of competition exposure in India and the need to go abroad. So, with Acrobat’s injury sustained, high school finished and no set-up to export horses from India, Shashank went to Germany without a horse, but with the knowledge that eventing was now his life’s passion.
Arriving to the European eventing scene and in need of an equine partner, Icaro LB was sourced with help from Italian four-star rider and friend, Pietro Grandis. Icaro and Shashank competed all over Europe for 18 months, with mentoring and coaching from Sydney 2000 Olympian and fellow Indian national Imtiaz Anees, and from Alexis Lemaire, who coached him to his first FEI three-star level runs securing experience and “a lot of character building!” laughs Shashank.
Shashank and Bullseye in the dressage phase at the Asian Championships. Image by FEI/Yong Tek Lim.
MOVE TO AUSTRALIA
But with the desire to further his studies as well as equestrian pursuits, Shashank was set for another move, to be determined by his success in application to urban planning degrees at a lot of universities all over the world. Ultimately gaining entry to one of the most prestigious, the University of Melbourne in Australia, Shashank’s place of study was confirmed – and so too was his new competition location.
“I’ve always loved Australian riders and look up to them as some of the legends of the sport, so I thought Australia is one of the best places to be,” he says. With his books packed, this time the horse could be too, and Shashank was ready to apply to his studies as equally as his sport. Arriving to Australia in January 2024 with Icaro LB, they started competing soon after.
Initially based in the Yarra Valley north-east of Melbourne, Shashank discovered his FEI Asian Championships partner, Bullseye, sourced by Emily Anker from Robert Palm. The gelding was previously trained and campaigned at Bimbadeen Park, under Shane Rose and Sam Woods. Shashank’s Asian Championships teammate Ashish Limaye also coincidentally has a connection to Bimbadeen Park – he now has in his stable the mare Easy Turn, formerly ridden by Shane Rose.
Shashank and Bullseye in Pattaya with Sam Cesnik and Chris Height. Image supplied.
“His riding is really
developing but so too
is his horsemanship.”
A 10-year-old Thoroughbred that can be hot, Shashank says Bullseye is a really sensitive horse. “We’ve worked really hard to channel his energy and sensitivity towards the correct direction,” he says.
That “we” mentioned is his current home base at Spring Creek Equine with Samantha Cesnik and Christopher Height, who Shashank says he “very randomly reached out to via social media”.
“I was thrilled when they entertained the idea and got back to me! I’d done a lot of research, and I really thought they would be good mentors for me, as well as amazing coaches – which they are! Now they’re like family.”
Sam and Chris joined Shashank in Thailand to support he and Bullseye in their lead-up to and during the Asian Championships, and they’re very proud of both how much he’s achieved and the opportunity to help him reach his goals. “Sha came to us as a green three-star rider looking to develop and he’s an excellent student,” says Sam. “His riding is really developing but so too is his horsemanship, which is very important to any rider’s long-term success. He’s got a lovely team of horses now representing India and we are proud to help him reach his goals. His whole family are so welcoming and we enjoy working together as a team both at home in Australia and abroad.”
Shashank and his Thoroughbred were clear and under time on cross country at the Asian Championships. Image by FEI/Yong Tek Lim.
Shashank and Bullseye on cross country in Pattaya. Image by FEI/Yong Tek Lim.
“I’m really grateful
to be able to ride a
horse like Bullseye.”
Shashank too acknowledges the incredible impact of his family, who have tirelessly supported him through the ups and downs after taking his first three-star win at the Eventing Victoria Spring Horse Trials in September and claiming the CCI2*L at Tamborine, Queensland, in October – fantastic results in the lead-up to the Asian Championships, an event run at CCI2*L level.
Shashank and Bullseye at the EV Spring Horse earlier this year at Werribee, where they won the CCI3*S. Image by Tazzie Eggins.
With the Asian Championships now over, Bullseye will head to Europe for around six months. Thailand is an unapproved country of import for horses heading to Australia, however they may be imported if they spend at least 60 days free of quarantine restriction in an intermediate approved country. Six months in Europe will more than tick this box, and Shashank says he may even try and qualify with Bullseye for the inaugural FEI Eventing World Championship U25, which will take place in Millstreet, Ireland in July 2026.
Regardless, Shashank couldn’t be without his trusted partner, and the plan is to have the Thoroughbred back on Australian soil and ready to go for Sydney International Three-Day Event next November.
“I’m really grateful to be able to ride a horse like Bullseye,” says Shashank. “I’m really proud of the progress we’ve made together. I think we share a really good bond; he’s like my best friend and bosses me around most of the time.” Who better to take on your dream with than you best friend? EQ
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