Published: September 9, 2026 at 2:39 pm
At 22, Shashank Singh Kataria stands as one of India’s strongest Eventing prospects for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. He is among the few Indian riders on the pathway to Concours Complet International four-star level (CCI4), the standard at which Olympic Eventing is contested.
Training year-round in Australia, a leading hub on the Asia-Oceania Olympic qualification pathway, Shashank enters the final preparation window ahead of Olympic qualification, tentatively expected from January 2027 onwards, with the qualification period to be announced by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). He brings with him seven years of consistent progression, a historic continental medal and, as of August 2026, a landmark national first.
Shashank is the first Indian Eventing rider on record to win a CCI3-L. He achieved this historic feat on August 30, 2026, riding HB Zara at the Quirindi Eventing International, a three-day event in New South Wales, Australia. Leading from start to finish, he completed on his dressage score of 32.5 penalties, securing the combination’s second CCI3-L Minimum Eligibility Requirement (MER) and carrying them forward on the pathway towards CCI4, the level at which Olympic Eventing is contested.
The result adds another significant milestone to a career defined by progression and consistency on the international circuit.
During the 2026 Asian Games qualification campaign, conducted under the Equestrian Federation of India’s qualification criteria, Shashank recorded the highest number of Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs) at CCI3-S among Indian Eventing riders, having achieved three individual qualifying scores with his horse Icaro LB. When Icaro picked up a minor injury, Shashank withdrew after the cross-country phase at a CCI2-L, placing horse welfare above personal ambition. He continued with the squad as reserve with his other horse, HB Zara, who subsequently carried him to his historic CCI3-L victory at Quirindi.
Continental milestone for Shashank
The foundation of Shashank’s national story was laid in December 2025, when he rode Bullseye as part of the Indian squad at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Asian Eventing Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. India claimed the Team Silver Medal, its best-ever continental result in the discipline, while Shashank finished sixth individually.
Shashank Singh Kataria represents a strong Eventing prospect for LA 2028 and a visible pathway for the next generation of Indian equestrians
The achievement drew national recognition. On December 5, ,2025, Union minister for youth affairs and sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, personally felicitated the medal-winning Eventing and Dressage contingent in New Delhi. The recognition highlighted India’s revamped sports ecosystem, alongside a commitment to supporting an equestrian-friendly ecosystem, including a dedicated quarantine centre.
Seven years of consistent progression
Shashank’s rise has been built step by step over seven years of continuous competition, progressing from the national level to the international FEI circuit. He became a Junior National medallist at 14, before going on to become National Champion in Dressage in 2022 and National Champion in Show Jumping in 2023.
His 2023 Show Jumping title was backed by an impressive performance at the National Equestrian Championship, where he secured four gold medals, one silver and one bronze. These achievements across the disciplines that Eventing brings together laid the foundation for his transition onto the international circuit and ultimately towards the Olympic pathway.
Shashank’s international experience
Shashank’s international record reflects sustained competition at increasingly demanding levels. He has recorded victories at CCI3-S Quirindi in New South Wales and CCI3-S Ballarat in Victoria in 2026, alongside consistent podium finishes at CCI3 events across Australia and Europe between 2023 and 2026, including runner-up results at Tonimbuk in Victoria, Caravino in Italy and Naracoorte in South Australia.
With more than 35 FEI international appearances across seven countries: Australia, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy and Thailand, Shashank brings substantial international experience to his Olympic qualification campaign. Across these 35+ FEI international starts, he has recorded five victories and four runner-up finishes,
including India’s first-ever CCI3-L win, alongside the Team silver medal and sixth-place individual finish at the FEI Asian Eventing Championships 2025.
Olympic Readiness: Horse-Rider Partnership
At the heart of Shashank’s campaign are the partnerships that make Eventing unique as an Olympic sport, where both horse and rider are athletes. Shashank competes with two Olympic-standard partners, HB Zara and Bullseye, partnerships forged through years of sustained international competition and unbroken continuity that cannot be recreated at short notice. It is this continuity across training, competition and horse care that underpins a credible Olympic campaign.
His competition horses have been taken through the FEI grades across dozens of international starts, giving Shashank valuable experience in managing the demands of high-level Eventing while developing the horse-rider combinations required to compete at the sport’s highest levels.
Road to Los Angeles 2028
The Olympic qualification period is expected to be announced by the FEI, tentatively from January 2027 onwards, while Eventing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games is scheduled for July 15 to 18, 2028 at CCI4-L standard.
The coming months therefore represent an important preparation window, with continuity of training, competition and horse care set to play a critical role through the qualification phase.
For India, Shashank represents a strong Eventing prospect for LA 2028 and a visible pathway for the next generation of Indian equestrians.
