Riders Lodge | Sedenak | Johor

There’s a cosy lodge deep in a plantation where horses graze, the food is great and staffs are friendly. It also feels like Dallas here.

Nestled deep within a plantation in Sedenak, Johor, is a hidden treasure not well known among Malaysians called Riders Lodge.

It can be a bit tricky trying to locate the place because the road signs are not very good, but look out for The Legends Golf & Country Resort turning on your left, if you are coming from Kuala Lumpur — the resort is situated within their grounds.

The first thing that hits you as you approach Riders Lodge is a sense of deja-vu. The resort, standing majestically in a wide, open field framed by stables, bears a strong resemblance to Southfork Ranch, the Texas ranch that was home to the Ewings, the wealthy, squabbling family of the hit TV series Dallas.

Agnes Tolentino-Tzinberg showing her paintings

The resemblance is entirely intentional.

This was exactly the effect desired by Filipina Agnes Tolentino and her American husband Sennett Tzinberg, who own the place together with Janet Yeo and her family.

“The design of the house is very personal. We wanted a southern feel to the front of the house, much like the ranch in Dallas, and an Australian feel at the back. Our verandas are very similar to the ones found in Australia. Lots of homes in the bush have it,” explains Tolentino, 57, who has lived with her husband in Malaysia for 18 years.

The resort is their retirement dream come true after the hectic years in the corporate world. Before moving to Malaysia, the Tzinbergs used to live in Australia, where they would go on long rides during the weekends.

“We are members of Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Club, and our 17-year old daughter has represented Malaysia in various equestrian competitions. It was our dream to build a ranch when we retired, but for it to be sustainable, it had to be a working one.

“There were several places in KL that we looked at, but it was hard to find a place where you don’t have to go through traffic jams to get there. We decided to target the Singaporean market instead, as there are not many riding centres in Johor.

“We found the perfect place within The Legends, which just began operations. The plantations offer huge areas of jungle trail rides, there are good cross-promotion opportunities and security is good. You can even see Singapore from the top of a hill here,” smiles Tolentino.

Returning from a trail ride in the plantation.

It’s love at first sight for me. The dreamy 27-room resort looks absolutely lovely in white. It feels unpretentious, friendly and welcoming. The place has a lived-in feel to it, and everything is beautifully maintained. Imagine my surprise when I discover that the house was only built in 1998 and completed a year later.

The building is actually smaller than it looks from the outside, and exudes a cosy and intimate ambience. There’s an inconspicuous reception area on the right as you enter and a waiting area with lots of riding-related materials. It feels more like someone’s living room than a hotel reception.

Having a splashing time in the Jacuzzi

Rows and rows of the guests’ pictures and comments adorn the walls, just like how one would hang family pictures and artwork around the house. A few of Tolentino’s own paintings are among them.

A little further in is the patio where guests dine. The tables, decorated in green-and-white checks, have a very relaxed feel to it. The staff will replace the tables with white tablecloths for dinner. The patio overlooks a small Jacuzzi where young children splash happily under the hot sun. A few expatriates lie on deck chairs, working on their tan.

Towards the left of the house is where the 14 Veranda Rooms are located. There are two chairs and a table outside each room where guests can relax or sip tea in the afternoon. There’s even a rocking chair for you to take a nap in. The main building is where the 12 deluxe Manor Rooms (usually booked by families) and the resort’s one and only Executive Suite are.

“We take pride in knowing our guests personally. They are mostly regulars, and we are on first-name basis with most of them. Feel free to make this your home for the duration of your stay,” says Tolentino.

I notice that most of the guests are Singaporeans from the many Singapore-registered cars in the parking lot. There isn’t a single Malaysian in sight.

The Rider’s Lodge has a Texan feel in the front and Australian in the back

“Yes, 95% of our guests are from Singapore, with about 65% of them expatriates and 30% from the island. The rest are from countries like India and Hong Kong, and some Malaysians,” says Tolentino.

Riders Lodge has 52 modern stables that are exceptionally clean. They have more than 30 horses at any one time and a few privately owned horses. Their instructors are all professionally certified.

“Riding is such an elitist activity mainly due to the cost of maintaining a horse. We want to make riding affordable to everyone with packages for total beginners as well as experienced riders,” says Tolentino.

Beginners can take up Learn to Ride programmes where you will be instructed on how to care for, groom, saddle, mount and ride a horse in two days. A unique programme is their two- to seven-day Riding Camps for both adult and children aged eight and above. Besides riding lessons and trail rides, the camp incorporates lots of additional activities like team building, craft-making and cooking.

Many corporate companies book the place for staff team building.

Many of the horses here are thoroughbreds, with most of them former race horses that have been rehabilitated.

“My daughter, who has been riding since she was six, wishes to give former race horses a second chance because they would be discarded if they didn’t show promise in racing.

“It takes about seven months to a year to rehabilitate a horse, and it’s not an easy process, but if you take the effort to love and train a horse, it is capable of delivering. We have a few former race horses that are now champion sports horses for dressage and show-jumping,” says Tolentino with pride.

Besides riding, Riders Lodge prides itself on the great food based on Tolentino’s own recipes.

“We have really good food here, especially our European fare which uses Asian spices. And our portions are very generous. We serve Devonshire Tea every afternoon together with my home-baked scones. I make them Australian-style as that’s where I learnt it!” reveals Tolentino.

Riders Lodge celebrates various cultural events for the benefit of their non-Malaysian guests, among them Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Hari Raya. They also organise batik painting workshops and kampung visits.

Riders Lodge will be celebrating Christmas this July 25 (Australia experiences winter in July) with a Christmas tree, presents, roast turkey, chestnut stuffing and the whole works. There is a promotional offer to stay for free on July 24 if you book the “Christmas Celebration in July” package.

“This is the perfect life for me. Whenever my sister in the US calls to ask what I’m doing, I say that I am watching the grass grow,” smiles a content Tolentino.

Article is sourced from www.thestar.com.my and story by JOLEEN LUNJEW.

Location, Driving Direction and Map to Riders Lodge, Sedenak, Johor.