Nagaland’s Kekhriesilie Rio clinches Grand Prix title in France

Nagaland’s equestrian athlete Kekhriesilie Rio registered a landmark achievement in Indian equestrian sport by winning the Grand Prix at Haras de Liverdy Grand Prix in France while riding Presley OL.

The victory in the prestigious international showjumping competition is being seen as a significant milestone for Indian equestrian sports and a major achievement for athletes from the Northeast competing on the global stage.

Vice-President of the Athletics Federation of India, Abu Metha, described the achievement as a remarkable moment for Indian showjumping. Sharing visuals from the competition, Metha said Rio’s success demonstrated how young athletes could reach the highest levels of excellence when provided with the right opportunities. He congratulated the rider and encouraged him to continue striving for greater achievements while bringing pride to Nagaland.

Rio’s rise in equestrian sport has been marked by consistent performances over the years. In 2014–15, he secured third place in the Individual category at the Junior National Equestrian Championship (Endurance) held in Dibrugarh. He later emerged as the Junior National Equestrian Championship (Show Jumping) winner in Kolkata in 2018, earning the national title.

His international breakthrough came in 2019 when he finished second at the Asian Equestrian Federation Junior/Young Jumping Challenge. 

In 2020, Rio delivered another major performance at the FEI World Show Jumping Challenge in Bengaluru, where he was ranked No. 2 globally and No. 1 in Asia in Category A.

In 2021, he added another podium finish at the National Equestrian Championship (Senior) in New Delhi in the Puissance jumping event, reinforcing his reputation as one of India’s leading equestrian talents.