Abu Dhabi: Bahrain riders draw a blank

Gulf-daily-news.com

December 13, 2009


BAHRAIN'S riders drew a blank yesterday in the first round of the Giants Endurance Horse Ride Challenge at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

During the first of the three rounds, Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and other members of the Bahrain team were unable to complete the five-stage event after their horses failed to pass veterinary examinations at the end of the third stage.

The kingdom's other participants were Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa and Ahmed Janahi.

UAE's Vice-President, Prime Minister and the Ruler of Dubai Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his son Shaikh Majed also bowed out of the competition in similar circumstances. The ride was divided into different stages, starting with a 32-km first stage. The second covered 28 kms, the third 24 kms, the fourth 20 kms and the fifth was over 16 kms.

The overall winner was Majed Al Jahouri of the UAE in four hours, 59 minutes and seven seconds for an average speed of 27.07-km per hour.

Riding Bouman Nasrof, the Al Wathba Stables rider was ahead of Federico Zubiaurre (5:03:20) of the Uruguay who was representing Al Ain Endurance Stable.

Ahmed bin Harmash (5:04:26), also of the UAE, steered Havane De Navas of Al Aasfa Ltd to third place.

Behind him was Rashed Ali (5:05:12) of Al Aasfa Ltf in fourth, followed by Anzaq Mehmood (5:06:26) of Pakistan, riding for Shaikh Faisal bin Saqr Al Qasimi Stables in fifth place.

Indian rider Narpat Singh (05:06:38) of Al Aasfa Ltf was sixth while Khalid Al Hammadi (5:22:21) of the UAE's Seeh Al Salam Endurance Stables was seventh.

Break Uruguay's Horacio Diaz (5:22:58) of Emirates Stables managed eighth and he was followed by Taj Mohd Khan of Pakistan, riding for Seeh Al Salam Endurance Stables.

UAE's Rashed Al Darbi from Shaikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Stables rounded up the top 10.

The series will now take a month-long break and is set to resume with the remaining two rounds in January next year.