What sort of horsepower would they get?

That was the luck of the draw facing 31 young riders in the equestrian competition.

For the first time in Olympic history, a horse draw was conducted for the athletes at the Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre yesterday.

The assigned horse-rider combination will apply throughout the Aug 18-24 competition for the team and individual events.

Before the draw, Britain's Carian Scudamore, 17, said: 'I've never seen anything like it.'

Added last year's European Junior champion: 'Our chances of winning will all depend on which horse you get.'

A mix of apprehension and bemusement was evident on the athletes' faces as each of their names was drawn from a black box and matched to a steed.

Each horse was also taken into the competition arena at a slow trot for the riders to study it.

Singapore's Caroline Chew, 18, was the first name drawn from the box.

Instead of Pickadeur, her trusty steed on which she won the young riders' class at the Malaysian Open World Cup earlier this month, she got seven-year-old Gatineau, who is only half Pickadeur's age.

She said: 'He (Gatineau) is definitely less experienced than what I'm used to, since younger horses tend to get scared easily.'

But Carian will be in the same situation. Rather than Angel, her favourite ride, she has to tame 11-year-old Mighty McGyver, one of the oldest horses in the herd of 38.

Her coach Corinne Bracken took a positive view: 'We liked what we saw. He's small, lively and looks very similar to Angel.'

The athletes will be restricted to one-hour sessions with their new partners for the next four days, before the competition kicks off.

With such a short time for familiarisation, Carian admitted that that she will have her work cut out for her to gel with her new ride.

Australia's Thomas McDermott did not appear too concerned about Hugo, the horse that he drew, having encountered similar draws in other competitions before.

Said the 16-year-old: 'All the athletes are in the same boat, but I've heard some pretty good things about my horse from the trainers.'

Venue manager Jeremy Edwards was adamant that the three main issues surrounding the horses - being able to jump at least 1.2m, give a decent ride and be medically sound - have been addressed.

The horses have also undergone the same diet and training regimen in the last 12 months.

'Horses always find a way to lift themselves up on the day of the competition,' he said. 'These are some of the best young riders in the world and their skills will shine through.'

SYOGOC