The son of the Head of Clerical Staff at one of the Buddhist monastery in Japan won gold medal in the Asian Games 2010 for individual horse riding event. The rider, Kenki Sato, is also a Buddhist Monk. His horse name is Toy Boy. He said, he usually “put some grains of salt on his horse for good luck” and he has been riding since he was seven.

His passion of the sport was handed down to him by his father Shodo who was once selected to represent Japan at Olympic level but Shodo’s dreams were shattered by the boycott of the 1980 Games in Moscow. But this time, the son, with his lucky riding boots together with Toy Boy, they fulfilled Shodo’s dream to clinched the gold medal!!!