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SARGA.CO – Whenever people talk about Susi Pudjiastuti, the conversation usually revolves around fisheries, the sea, or aviation. That’s no surprise, considering she is remembered as a trailblazing figure who made bold moves while serving as Indonesia’s Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries under President Joko Widodo.
Before stepping into government, Susi was already a well-known entrepreneur in the aviation industry with her airline, Susi Air.
But what many may not know is that Susi once had a passion for horse riding—not just as an enthusiast, but as a jockey during her childhood.
Susi shared this childhood story while attending the Indonesia’s Horse Racing (IHR) Merdeka Cup 2025, held at the Legok Jawa Horse Racing Track in Pangandaran, West Java, on Sunday, August 24, 2025.
She was also invited as a guest of honor to present the Susi Air Cup, one of the prestigious trophies contested at the championship.
The Susi Air Cup was awarded in the THB INA – 1600 meters class, with a total prize of Rp30 million at stake.
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Her fondness for horses began because one of her uncles owned racehorses. In fact, she remembered that her uncle’s horses—named Wilis and Leo—often claimed victory on the track.
“I never had my own horses, but my uncle did. His horses, Wilis and Leo, were always champions,” she said.
That same excitement was rekindled when Susi attended the event organized by PP PORDASI and SARGA.CO at the newly inaugurated racetrack.
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According to her, Pangandaran has long had strong potential for horse racing. While traditional horse racing has been popular, she believes that if it is promoted professionally, like the way PP PORDASI and SARGA.CO are doing—it could become a major tourism draw.
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Susi’s enthusiasm was echoed by Kevin Jonathan, Vice President of Marketing & Operations at SARGA.CO, who noted the overwhelming public response to the inaugural IHR series in Pangandaran.
“We received tremendous support from the local government here. The district government has been very helpful, which is why the event ran smoothly,” said Kevin.
With the enthusiasm from the community and the uniqueness of the horse racing arena, Kevin said that SARGA.CO has planned to hold another championship event in Pangandaran.
“For Legok Jawa, since it has been so warmly welcomed, we will hold another event here next year. It definitely needs to be on the list again,” promised Kevin.
Not only in Pangandaran, SARGA.CO has also scheduled to host large-scale horse racing events monthly.
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He added that the series will continue, with the next races scheduled in West Sumatra next month, followed by another city in Java in October 2025.
Looking further ahead, SARGA.CO is also aiming to host an international-scale event within the next 1–2 years.
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