Shaikh Hamdan leads a posse of riders with the historic Danube River in the background, during the FEI World Endurance Championships in Samorin, Slovakia - Image Credit: Dubai Media Office twitter Gulfnews.com - Full Article
Spaniard claims Endurance gold in Slovakia as UAE’s hopes are dashed at final vet gate
Published: 21:42 September 17, 2016 Gulf News
By Leslie Wilson Jr Racing & Special Features Writer
Dubai: Jaume Punti Dachs, a veteran endurance rider and trainer, clinched the gold medal at the FEI World Endurance Championship in Samorin, Slovakia, as a spirited performance by the UAE’s Saif Ahmad Al Mazroui and Ganem Abdullah Al Merri, ended in heartache at the final vet gate.
Triumphantly waving the UAE flag, Al Mazroui crossed the finish line first following a final loop cat and mouse battle with Uruguay’s Jonatan Rivera Iriarte, only to see his horse, Napoli Del Ma, disqualified due to an imperfect gait.
Iriarte’s horse, LG Muneerah, suffered a similar fate which left third placed Emirati rider Al Merri in the number spot and anxiously awaiting the vet results. But as luck would have it.
Quran El Ulm was found to have a metabolic condition and was also disqualified.
Dach’s horse, the nine-year-old grey gelding Twyst Maison Blanche, passed the vet test ensuring he would emulate his wife, Maria Alvarez Ponton, who was a two-time World Endurance Championship in 2008 and 2010...
Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/veteran-dachs-follows-in-wife-s-footsteps-1.1897692
