Young Negrense equestrienne Sophia Begre-Lacson has recently concluded three weeks of training and competition in Indonesia, where she finished in eighth place out of 39 riders in the 0.95-1.05 meter category at the National Showjumping Competition in Jakarta Equestrian Park.
Many of her fellow competitors were professionals, riding their own horses or long-time partners, yet she stood out for her composure and quick adaptation on leased horse, Mopalia.
The weekend before, she topped the one-meter category at a club-level show, earning first place in only her second week of training.
Working with borrowed or leased horses is much harder than riding one’s own horse that riders work with year-round.
During her time in Indonesia, Begre-Lacson trained at Jakarta Equestrian in Sentul under Natasha Herjawan, Indonesia’s current top female show jumper.
At home in the Philippines, she trains full-time under Camila Lastrilla-Curto, a former Southeast Asian Games competitor and now executive director of the Philippine Polo Federation.
Begre-Lacson is based at Happy Horse Farms Equestrian Centre in Negros and also trains at Los Tamaraos Polo and Equestrian Center in Manila.
A self-taught, homegrown athlete from Negros, she represents the strength of grassroots sports development in the Philippines. ||
