[WEC Reports] Bahrain endurance team receive award

Gulf-daily-news.com

10th November2008

BAHRAIN'S Royal Endurance Team yesterday received the bronze medal following their third place finish in the World Endurance Horseride Championship which concluded on Saturday at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Terengganu.The Bahraini team was captained by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa who came eighth in the individual category.

Other riders of the Royal team were Ghazi Al Dossary who was ninth overall, Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Yousif Taher, Raed Mahmood and Ahmed Abdulla.

The Bahraini team is coached by Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa while the team manager is Dr Khalid Hassan who received the trophy on behalf of Shaikh Nasser who returned to Bahrain right after the race.

A total of 242 riders, representing 34 countries from across the world started this race but few managed to cross the finish line due to heavy rain, especially in the first three stages.

The awarding ceremony was held under the patronage of the Malaysian monarch Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin who deputised his wife to honour the winners.

Maria Mercedes of Spain won the race while Argentinean rider Agustin Vita finished second and Sultan bin Sulayem of the UAE was third.

Finished

The next four places were won by UAE riders - Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum finished fourth and was followed by Mohammed Al Saboosi, Mubarak bin Shafia and Abdulla bin Hazeem in that other.

Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Khalid congratulated the members of the UAE and Qatari teams who finished first and second respectively in the team event, adding that the Gulf nations will now pose a stronger challenge to the Europeans, Americans and the Australians.

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Posted By Merri to WEC Reports at 11/10/2008 04:39:00 PM