UAE team for Bahrain

By A Correspondent

15 December 2005


DUBAI ? A six-member endurance team has been provisionally chosen to take part in the FEI World Endurance Championship for Juniors and Young Riders (CH-M-E-JYR) to be held at Bahrain International Endurance Village premises in Sakir, Bahrain, on Saturday.

The championship is being organised by the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation under the supervision of International Equestre Federation, FEI.

The first day will feature a number of official meetings and will be followed by an opening ceremony and a dinner banquet in honour of the participating countries. The second day will include veterinary tests and a meeting during which participants will be briefed about the race rules, regulations and route.

The main ride, which is a 120-km event, will be run on Saturday in five stages of 30km, 30km, 25km, 20km and 15km respectively.

The members of the UAE team include Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Shaikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum, Shaikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Shaikh Abdullah bin Faisal Al Qasimi and Rashid Saeed Al Kamda.

Shaikh Ahmed will ride eight-year-old chestnut gelding Jazyk, Shaikh Majid will partner nine-year-old bay gelding Orkawa, Shaikh Juma will ride nine-year-old bay bending Wind Wood Zaatri, Shaikh Khalid will ride eight-year-old chestnut mare Miss Dancer, Shaikh Abdullah will ride 12-year-old bay mare Coolahlee Park Charlene and Rashid Saeed will partner 11-year-old grey gelding Silver Majesty.

As many as 180 riders from different parts of the world including Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, USA, Great Britain, Brazil, Chile Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Namibia, Botswana, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Slovak Republic and Uruguay are vying in the championship. Most of the participating countries have sent in a six-member team to compete for the Team Gold.
Being the host country Bahrain has deputed a 12-member team which is being led by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation President Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and includes Federation First Vice-President Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.