Riding with unwavering consistency and backed by an incredible team, Saif Al Mazrouei helped the UAE to a third-straight FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Horses individual honour and a successful defence of the Teams title at Jullianges in France on Saturday.
One of the heavyweights on the distance-riding circuit, the UAE had won the 2023 and 2024 renewals, with Al Mazrouei making sure his calculated ride brought the defending champions a tenth overall success even as he himself claimed a second victory, 10 years after winning for the first time in 2015.
A total of 82 rider-horse combinations from 25 countries set out to conquer the 120 km event for eight-year-old horses at Hippodrome de Jullianges, which is located at an altitude of 910 metres in a wooded forest commune in the picturesque French countryside 530 kms south of Paris and 131 kms east of Lyon. The high altitude and undulating terrain made the ride a tough proposition for the combinations involved with only 31 pairs eventually completing the four-loop ride.
And it was the UAE that secured the top two spots on the podium, with Al Mazrouei triumphing aboard Bullio Quasillo, the pair recording the fastest time of five hours 33 minutes and 21 seconds (5:33:21), which was 43 secs quicker than the second-placed UAE pairing of Essa Saeed Al Mazrouei and his mount Al Fatina who were home in 5:34:04.
Royal Endurance Team of Bahrain rider Sultan Mayoof Al Romaihi, who partnered Haqtar Du Carrelie, took third place on the podium with a time of 5:40:50.
Saif Al Mazrouei posted the second best time during the 35.5 km first loop and dropped three places to reach fifth during the course of the second loop that spanned the same distance. He picked up the pace during the third loop over 31 kms which allowed him to reclaim second on the leaderboard.
Starting the fourth and final loop over 20 kms, Saif found himself trailing countryman Essa Al Mazrouei by five seconds, but after a solid push and upping up the tempo on Bullio Quasillo by nearly 9 kph, he was able to set a lead of his own and overcame his compatriot comfortably.
The UAE claimed the Team championship as well after Rashed Saeed Al Malhoof claimed fifth place aboard Heracles Feuillee.
Congratulating the team on the success, Sheikh Rashed Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Equestrian Club, said: “I would like to congratulate our nation’s great leadership, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence, for their relentless support and guidance which has helped the UAE reach great heights in the sport of endurance internationally.
“Our victory in the FEI Endurance Championship for Young Horses is a testament to the exceptional skill, unwavering dedication and outstanding horsemanship. The UAE Team has always displayed immense grit and unshakable determination in the pursuit of success at the highest level and by winning the championship for the third-straight year we have raised the bar and set a new standard of excellence for the rest to follow."
Ahmed Rashed Al Kaabi, Acting General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club and Chief d’Equipe of the UAE Team, added: “I would like extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum for their incredible backing for endurance and leading the UAE riders by example. They have inspired generations of the youngsters to achieve the best results, which has propelled the UAE forward and turned the country into one of the powerhouses in the sport.
“The UAE Team has worked really hard, and shown great courage and unity to bring glory to the country. Their teamwork truly shone through the entire event and we have earned every bit of this victory. I couldn’t be prouder.”
About Dubai Equestrian Club
Established in 2002 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai Equestrian Club is a world leader in the sport of endurance riding and a pioneer when it comes to organising competitions in the United Arab Emirates at its purpose-built, state-of-the-art Dubai International Endurance City. Its annual calendar is headlined by two globally-renowned events: the HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Festival and Crown Prince of Dubai Endurance Festival.
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