Her interest in endurance riding sport was sparked eight years ago when she fell for the agility displayed by players on horseback at the Royal Selangor Polo Club (RSPC) in Ampang.
Three years later in 2016, she took part in her first competition: SEA’s first qualifying round in the 40km category, held at the Paya Indah Wetlands in Putrajaya. She rode an Arab mixed breed by the name of Commander, and together, they made the Endurance Malaysia team for the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.
Recalled Nur Qasrina Amani Zakaria, 20, the fourth in a row of five siblings, on her early involvement in endurance riding sport.
“I’m indebted to my parent, Zakaria Abd Rahman and Suzanna Musakal’s for their faith and endless support in me and my younger brother Muhammad Yusuf Lukman Zakaria who is also a captain for national equestrian team. Also play a big part in in endurance riding sport was
Among other highlights of her achievement in endurance riding sport includes took part in at the FEI World Endurance Championship for Young and Junior Riders 2021 in Ermelo, Netherlands; and the FEI Junior and Young Riders Endurance World Championships 2019 in Pisa, San Rossore, Italy.
In recent, FEI World Endurance Championship for Young and Junior Riders in Ermelo, the national equestrian team, which is comprised of myself, Muhammad Yusuf Luqman, Muhammad Faris Haikal Hassan Sa’ari, and Anfal Insyirah Abu Talib and An Nur Muhammad Imran Eirfan Anuwar have clinched the silver medal. The French team secured gold while Belgium claimed the bronze medal. It is the first time Malaysia has made the podium in their fifth participation.
With this achievement, I am determined to take my riding to a higher level through competitions all over the world, and with it, the country’s name.” said jubilant Nur Qasrrina.
Nur Qasrina is now ranked 714th in the world in the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) Endurance Open Riders World Ranking, meanwhile her career’s highest-ranked 181st.
She counts being in the same squad once with the Sultan of Terengganu, who won gold at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, as a sparkling moment in her sporting career
“Endurance riding is a competition to test the athlete’s ability to safely manage the stamina and fitness of the horse over a course in a competition against the track, distance, climate, terrain and clock.
To be successful, the rider must have knowledge of pace and the efficient and safe use of the horse.
Being able to skilfully balance training and technique helps an athlete focus on winning,” offered Nur Qasrina, currently studying Bachelor in Marketing with Psychology (Hons) at the Management and Science University (MSU) Faculty of Business Management and Professional Student (FBMP), she has her sights set on a future career in event management.
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