Barbara Walters chats with Forward Syria
Swaying between art and seduction
Discussing monetary policy with the man in charge
Where the earth screams in horror
02/12/2011 - Issue 48
Ahmad Hamsho
At just 18 years old, Ahmad Hamsho is the first ever Syrian equestrian to qualify for the Olympic Games in London 2012 at the Jumping World Championship at the World Equestrian Games being held in the US last year – and the youngest to ever qualify for the Championship.
Having just won the Sharjah International Championship for Equestrian Jumping in Dubai, he is now ranked third in the Arab League table and says he now has a medal in sight.
How did your career start – was horse riding in the family?
No, my father wanted me to be involved in a sport and he chose horseback riding. I started in 1999. My first international show was in 2004, in Damascus at the junior level Al-Wafar competition.
My brother is also started the sport now, but I don’t think he will continue with it professionally.
It’s a beautiful sport and I took to it immediately. You only know when you start whether you have the right communication and once you know it, that’s it, you’re in it.
You can prepare as much as you like, but at the end of the day, you are dealing with an animal and you can’t always predict how he will feel on the day. That’s the beautiful thing about the sport.
You are also studying – how do you find the time for both?
I am studying economics and general science in London, but I had to take last semester off to go to the US World Equestrian Games in October. I took a year out from riding in 2009 to finish school.
I realised that if you try to do both full time, you just end up failing at both.
It’s hard. I have to travel a lot. I live in London, but my horses are in Germany, so I travel to Germany nearly every weekend. You are away from your family and home for long periods and it can be really tiring.
But I am determined to finish my studies; I just want to finish it because it’s important to have a degree, to have a good education. I know you can’t just do one thing in life.
What is your ultimate ambition with the sport?
My ultimate ambition is to get to the 2012 Olympics and win a medal. Then I will have done what I set out to do. I think it is the greatest feeling to hear your national anthem played to a crowd in another country. That would make me feel so proud.
After that I will hang up my boots and just continue riding as a hobby and continue what my father started.
It makes me feel sad and happy at the same time; happy because I will have achieved my goals and sad because I’ll be giving up my passion.
If I don’t win a medal, I will keep trying until I do. But I won’t try forever. There are limits.
Do you feel older than your years?
I know that most of the time, I am around people that are older than me and that I have to be very independent to do what I do. I have travelled a lot, and I have a professional career that I take seriously, but no, generally I feel my age and I like to live my age. I am not in a hurry to live my life sooner.
What do you want other young riders and readers to know about the sport?
If you don’t feel it, then this sport is not for you. Also, you should never let yourself think that you are the best – that’s when you fail. You need to be humble.
I also want to thank Mrs Manal Al-Assad for all her work in promoting the sport and all her support to young riders – I always look to make her proud.
I also want to wish the Syrian youth team all the best at the upcoming World Equestrian Games for Children this month. I know they will make us proud.
