[National Sports Festival] Dressage Rider Nam Dong-heon Bids Farewell to his Horse of 5 Years, "I Feel Like I'm Losing my Child"

'First Edition', a team that won two Asian Championships, won the National Sports Festival with new horse 'Leonidas', who suddenly suffered an injury ahead of Hangzhou AG ... “Now I have to run towards the Nagoya AG medal.”

“How does it feel to let a horse go? It's like losing a child.”

‘First Edition' is a truly special horse to Nam Dong-heon (36, Gwangju Metropolitan City Equestrian Association), the national horseback riding representative.

Nam Dong-heon, who made his name known on the international stage by winning a silver medal in the dressage team event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, took flight after meeting the First Edition. 바카라사이트

He won two dressage gold medals at the 2019 International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Asian Championships, the first edition and the first international competition he competed in.

It was Nam Dong-heon's first major tournament gold medal.

It was a valuable gold medal for Korean equestrianism, which was in a recession due to political issues at the time.

The ‘glorious times' did not last long.

Due to the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), international and domestic competitions were canceled one after another.

Nam Dong-heon and First Edition endured difficult times by supporting each other as friends.

I constantly refined my acting skills and dreamed of performing at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

However, Nam Dong-heon and First Edition were unable to perform on the Hangzhou stage this year, which was postponed for a year due to COVID-19.

During the 10-day quarantine period that must be passed before crossing to China, First Edition suddenly began to limp.

It was an injury due to ‘old age'.

The average lifespan of a horse is about 25 years, but it is said that around the age of 19, various parts of the body begin to break down.

So, it is common for horses to ‘retire' at this age.

Nam Dong-heon, who is participating in the 104th Jeonnam National Sports Festival on the 13th, said in an interview, "I wanted to give First Edition a great retirement stage in Hangzhou.

I wanted to give him a splendid retirement with a final medal."

The other national team players and horses left for Hangzhou, and the two returned to the riding range lonely.

Now Nam Dong-heon and First Edition are preparing to say goodbye.

Nam Dong-heon, who was looking back on his glory days, said, “I won so many awards, including First Edition and Asian Championship gold medals.

I only came in first place in domestic competitions,” and added, “The injured part is not fully healed yet.

I can't exercise yet. ”

“I'm only doing treatment,” he said in a slightly quiet voice.

Nam Dong-heon is married and has a young son.

When asked how it felt to let go of the horse that was with him, he replied, "It would be like losing a child.

I really cared for First Edition like a son."

However, Nam Dong-heon has to leave his beloved child behind and move forward again.

He won the dressage gold medal at the National Sports Festival on this day with his new horse, with whom he has been working for about three months since last June.

This is the second National Sports Festival gold medal won in six years since 2017.

The new horse's name is 'Leonidas'.

It is named after the ancient Greek hero, King Leonidas I of Sparta.

Nam Dong-heon, along with Leonidas, must take the lead in reviving the still stagnant Korean dressage.

Korean dressage, which won five consecutive team events at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, only received no medal at this year's Hangzhou Games.

Nam Dong-heon said, “I will raise Leonidas well and run toward a medal at the Aichi/Nagoya Asian Games in three years.”