Bahrain: Royal team set for UK race

Gulf Daily News

BAHRAIN'S Royal Endurance Team, led by Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, will be taking part in the Thetford Endurance Race in the UK tomorrow.

The event, which will feature races over 160 kilometres and 120km, is part of the Royal team's preparations for the International Federation of Equestrian Sports (FEI) World Endurance Championship, which is scheduled to take place in Terengganu, Malaysia in November later this year.

Both Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Khalid will be competing in the 160-km event, along with Shaikh Daej bin Salman Al Khalifa, Mohammed Abdulaziz, Ahmed Abdulla and Yousef Taher.

Meanwhile, the Bahrainis taking part in the 120km race will be Mohammed Abdulsamad, Ghazi Al Dossary, and Jordan Galas.

Shaikh Nasser, the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president, said that tomorrow's race will be the Royal team's final event prior to the world championships.

Shaikh Nasser also decided to compete in the 160km race with the main Royal team members, who will participate in the Malaysian event.

The race will be the second endurance meet being participated by the Royal team in Thetford. Last month, the team took part in a similar competition, with five of its top riders finishing among the top 10 in each of the categories.

Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Khalid took part in the 120km race then, along with Shaikh Daej. Shaikh Khalid completed the race sixth overall, while Shaikh Nasser came in ninth and Shaikh Daej 10th.

Abdulaziz, on the other hand, came fourth in the 160km race, while Taher was fifth.

The medical check for tomorrow's race will take place this afternoon, to be held under the supervision of the FEI.

The event will be the Bahrain's third participation for the season. The first was the Bahrain Cup in England, while the second race was in Austria.
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