Equestrian dreams
UniSA
Geographical Information Systems graduate and Olympic equestrian
hopeful, Usman Khan, is proof that you can make dreams happen.
Khan has secured A$12,000 funding from the Pakistani Government and a further A$45,000 from private sponsors in a bid to achieve his ambition to become the first Pakistani equestrian to represent his country at Olympic level.
Since arriving in South Australia a few years ago, he has strived for success. He’s won a prized spot on the UniSA cricket team, a high distinction average in his university studies and was the proud winner of the SA Award for Spatial Research and Development for 2004-05.
“I became interested in equestrian events after coming to Australia and lodged a formal request with the Equestrian Federation of Pakistan for funding. We spoke with President Musharraf and he was keen to take Pakistan to the 2008 and 2012 Olympics,” he said.
Khan says his background playing polo was his introduction into the sport of eventing.
“Unfortunately, Pakistan doesn’t have such great standards in equestrian events, so we can’t compete there because they don’t have Federation Equestre Internationale qualifying rounds,” he said.
“To get into the Olympics, you need to be a four-star rider and in Australia I can train with the best technologies and experience at hand to achieve that standard.”
An example is the use of Global Positioning Systems in cross country eventing, an innovation Khan says is unique to him and his trainer, 1996 Olympic equestrian gold medallist and UniSA graduate, Wendy Schaeffer.
“I’m probably one of the only riders using GPS in cross country events. It helps to target the right speeds for the ride in accordance with the time allowed for an event and the length of the course,” Khan said.
In just three months Khan has become a one-star rider, a feat that normally takes two to three years. He plans to stay in Adelaide until he makes Olympic qualification. And Schaeffer has every confidence he will.
“It’s a big ask to come from polo to equestrian but Usman’s a brave rider and naturally balanced. He is doing extremely well and like Usman, I’m a bit of a dream chaser myself, so I’m encouraging him to go for it,” Schaeffer said.