Sarah Rao Makes it Double Gold at 2025 FEI Asian Championships

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2025 FEI Asian Championships

-- FEI press release, edited by Eurodressage

Sarah Rao (CHN) was the standout athlete of the week at the 2025 FEI Asian Championships in Pattaya (THA) on 24 - 30 November 2025. After already posting the highest score in the Prix St Georges and winning gold in the Intermediate I aboard Geniaal, Rao added a third title today by claiming gold in the Intermediate I Freestyle.

Rao's winning score of 79.180% put them over 5% ahead of the field. The podium line-up remained unchanged from the Intermediate I: Shruti Vora (IND) and Magnanimous secured their second silver on 73.800%, while Pakjira Thongpakdi (THA) and Samira O took bronze again with 72.505%.

Brave Floorplan and Powerful Music Choice

Sarah Rao presented the 14-year old Geniaal (by Vivaldi x Biotop) with energy, impulsion and an uphill tendency, along with a very brave floorplan in their Freestyle. With four combinations still to come, they faced a tense wait to see if the score would hold, and it did.

“We did it!”, Rao celebrated afterwards. She admitted that nerves played their part ahead of the Freestyle. “I was so nervous I was even struggling to stand up. The past two days went very well, but normally the Freestyle is my weak point. So I listened to my music like 500 times, and managed to stay calm during the test. I could keep everything on track, I’m so happy everything worked out!"

Rao performed to music from a Chinese computer game. “I wanted Chinese music because I’m Chinese. But I also wanted to show that Chinese music can be powerful and really cool.”

Rao is no stranger to the podium. She first represented China in the 2019 FEI Asian Championship, where she finished fourth and fifth with Waldessarini. She went on to win team silver at the 2023 Asian Games on Geniaal. Sarah is also a Gold medallist as part of the Shanghai Team at the 15th edition of the National Games of the People’s Republic of China.

Rao has been based in Great Britain since 2017 and trains with Sarah Higgins at Pinfold Stables in Cheshire. She and her coach swap rides on Geniaal as Higgins rode the former licensed KWPN stallion to the 2025 British Small Tour Champion's title in September.

Cracking the 70% Marker

While Rao was untouchable on the scoreboard this week, the fight for silver and bronze was intense. Very early in the class, a high score of 71.025% was produced by Laura Richardson (UAE) with The Royal Stables' 12-year old Swedish warmblood Bergsjoholms Valbonne (by Zack x Epson). In the Prix St Georges (58.647%) and Intermediate I (62.765%) the British born Richardson had a difficult time, building up a lot of tension, but in the Freestyle everything came together, and they delivered a 71.025% earning test, which placed them sixth.

The Dutch based Divyakriti Singh (IND) entered with the 12-year old KWPN bred Improver (by Apache x Ferro) and showed a horse in an uphill frame and lots of quality in his paces. The pirouettes lost some jump, which cost points, and with 71.605% they finished fifth. Singh trains with Coby van Baalen.

The final starter in the class, British based Jacqueline Wing Ying Siu (HKG), came within touching distance of a medal with the 12-year old KWPN bred Izonik (by Zonik x Jazz). The combination has only been together for six weeks, but already performed a strong Freestyle to ABBA music. The frame was nicely open, though occasionally it could have been more collected. Their 71.955% left them just half a percent off the podium, meaning the Intermediate I podium was repeated in the Freestyle. Izonik was previously shown by owner Rowan Bryson at Inter II level. He last competed the horse at the British Championships in Somerford in September. Siu trains with Carl Hester.

Silver and Bronze Decided in a Tight Battle

Home athlete Pakjira Thongpakdi (THA) with the 10-year old Oldenburg mare Samira O (by Franizkus x De Niro). Riding to upbeat Shakira music, the pair delivered an energetic presentation. The extended walk was a highlight, along with many trot exercises, but the pirouettes were challenging and a mistake in the two-tempis added tension to the wait. Their 72.505% ultimately proved enough for bronze.

“After my test I was not too happy," she admitted. “I thought I had too many mistakes, we were a bit ahead of our music and Samira felt a bit tired. But she really gave it all this week, and I’m happy it was good enough for a medal. Samira is very special to me.”

Vora Completes Triple Silver Medal Haul

Intermediate I silver medallist, Shruti Vora (IND) ) and the 13-year old Oldenburg bred Magnanimous (by Millennium x De Niro) completed a triple silver medal haul in Pattaya. In the freestyle the dark bay gelding was ridden in a sympathetic way and showed a consistent and willing picture all week. The entire test flowed, with expressive half-passes, clean flying-change lines and a high degree of difficulty. With 73.800% Vora also earned Freestyle silver, meaning she returns to India with three silver medals after the country also secured team silver earlier in the week.

Magnanimous is owned by the athlete together with Jitendarjit "Jolly" Singh Ahluwalia, who scouted the black as a youngster. Singh Ahluwalia trained and competed the horse up to international Grand Prix level until 2023 after which Vora took over the ride. Since 2024 the horse has been based with Helen Langehanenberg in Germany for more fine-tuning. Vora's home trainer Ahluwalia as well as Helen support Vora's career meticulously along the way.

“I’m so happy I have this opportunity. Manni (Magnanimous) is brilliant. He has three fantastic paces. If there are mistakes in a test, they come from me. I’m blessed to have him in my life, and I think our medal is historic for India," said Shruti.

This brings the individual Dressage competitions at the FEI Asian Championships to a close, with two individual gold medals for Sarah Rao and Geniaal, and team gold for the home nation of Thailand.