KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Oct (Bernama) -- Uruguays Pio Juan Olascoaga Amaya who is the current World No 2 and the highest ranked endurance rider to feature in the World Endurance Championships (WEC) in Terengganu next week, is the favourite to win the individual title of the event.
The prestigious race will be held from Nov 6-9 at the Terengganu International Equestrian Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong, Setiu.
A media release by the organisers sourced from the Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation here said with the absence of the world number one, Jack Begaud, and world number three, Laurent Mosti, both from France, the odds favour Amaya to win the race.
The 28-year-old is one of the most talented riders from the South American continent.
He has been outstanding in several competitions, especially in Uruguay, where he has won two 160km Costa Azul events held in April and September, respectively.
He will be riding his trusted horse - Ar Vale - at the WEC.
The second highest ranked rider in the competition is Mohd Ahmed Ali Al Subose of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The world No-4 rider has proved himself in several competitions and managed to finish on the podium several times this year.
His latest win was in the United Kingdom, where he captured the Euston Park competition on Oct 10 while his compatriot, Abdulla Thani Huzaim, the World No 5, is also a strong challenger in the FEI WEC.
The other challenger, Prince Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohamed Al Maktoum of UAE stands as the only rider from UAE to have won the individual world title. He did it at the 2002 edition in Spain.
From the local scene, season campaigner Datuk Kamaruddin Abd Ghani is the highest ranked Malaysian rider at 93rd. Kamaruddin, a former Sea Games gold medallist, has been involved in endurance riding for more than a decade.
He has competed in five tournaments so far this year and his most memorable outing was in Uruguay, where he finished third in the Costa Azul competition in April.
Kamaruddin will be riding Navidad at the world meet. Among the other Malaysians competing are Ismail Faizal, who is ranked World No 107, followed by Abdul Halim Alihan (161st), Zainuddin Yusof (168th) and Rosdam Mohd Noor (192nd).
The 12-member Malaysian team is led by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.
A total of 133 horses and riders from 32 countries will be competing in the race.