Saudi team arrive for Bahrain endurance challenge

TOP three women riders from Saudi Arabia arrived yesterday to take part in the 160-km Endurance Horseride Championship scheduled for Saturday at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

Alya Alhuwaiti, Latifa Al Shaikh and Noora Al Yousuf are the three riders from the Kingdom Stables in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the best endurance pictures from the 2005-06 season will be awarded as per a directive from the president of the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa who is also the captain of the Royal Team.

Other members of the Royal Team includes Yousef Taher, Fahad Ismail, Raed Mahmood Ghazi Al Dossary and Abdulhaq Qadoori.

Team veteran Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, who was part of the Bahrain team at the Asian Games endurance event in Doha where he came seventh overall, will not take part in this championship.

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Bahrain: Royal Team six set for 160km race

SIX riders will represent the Royal Endurance Team at the 160-km Endurance Horseride Championship scheduled for Saturday at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

The team will be captained by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and includes Yousef Taher, Fahad Ismail, Raed Mahmood Ghazi Al Dossary and Abdulhaq Qadoori.

Team veteran Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, who was part of the Bahrain team at the Asian Games endurance event in Doha where he came seventh overall, will not take part in this championship.

Team manager Dr Khalid Ahmed Hassan said the team have been training daily near the venue and the riders are excited to take part in this race which will be the season's longest event.

The race will be divided into six stages with 30 kms for the first three stages, 25 kms for the fourth and fifth stages while the last stage is over 20 kms.

Dr Hassan said the team will not participate in the other race which will be over 120 kms to give the opportunity to other stables to take part in this race.

The 120-km event will be split into five stages, including 30 kms for the first two stages, 25 kms for the third, 20 kms for the fourth and 15 kms for the fifth.
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Hazza receives winner's trophy

King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al Marhum Sultan Mahmud of Malaysia (left) presented the trophies during a cermony of the Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance festival.

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Bahrain: Two Endurance Races are Schedule

THE Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation is organising two endurance races on Saturday starting at 6am at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

It is the third event of the season and will be over 120kms and 160kms. The 160 kms event is the longest race in the Breef calendar and will be held under the patronage of federation president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Breef second vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa said the 160-km race will be over six stages with 30 kms for the first three stages, 25 kms for the fourth and fifth stages while the last stage will be over 20 kms.

In the 120-km event, the riders will compete over five stages with 30 kms for the first two stages, 25 kms for the third, 20 kms for the fourth and 15 kms for the fifth.

Shaikh Khalid said the federation has already started receiving entries from Bahrain and other GCC countries for both the races and an organising committee as well as other committees are being set up.

Appointed

Breef general secretary Ghalib Al Alawi has been appointed head of the judges committee which also includes members Abdulsamad Al Busta, Haider Al Zo'bi and Ali Ghuloom.

The official commissioners of the race are Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and Mahmood Abdulsaheb who will be assisted by Mohammed Dadulla and Fahad Al Rumaihi.

The veterinary committee comprises 16 members, including Saudi Arabia's Veterinary Committee chairman Dr Mohammed Al Hammad, Dr Mohammed Saifuddin of Saudi Arabia, Iran's Dr Ahmed Jaraghi, Dr Ebrahim Al Hassan of Jordan, Dr Hussain Abbara of Qatar, Mohammed Shafi of India and eight doctors from Bahrain.
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Malaysia's King presents trophy in Abu Dhabi

Three-day Endurance Cup a success: Sultan

Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan with Shaikh Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the 240km Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup in Boud Thib endurance village yesterday.

Staff Report


Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Emirates Heritage Club, hailed the success of the three-day International Endurance Festival which concluded yesterday at the Boud Thib Endurance Village and said it would be an annual affair.

"The three days of endurance rides held here have been highly successful. There is no doubt that such festivals will give rise to a new generation of endurance riders," said Shaikh Sultan, who attended the event on all three days.

Speaking to the media after his son Shaikh Hazza Bin Sultan Al Nahyan won the 240-km three-day ride, Shaikh Sultan said, "I am satisfied with the display of the riders here.

"This three-day event is very good for both riders and horses. It will bring out the relationship between rider and horse and for us this is what horse riding is all about. It has been the sport of our forefathers and I am happy to see so many young riders taking to the sport," he added.

The Boud Thib Endurance Village was created in 2004 under the Emirates Heritage Club and has since organised many rides with a special focus on junior rides.

"Such rides held regularly will be a great support and boost for youngsters and juniors," said Shaikh Sultan, who also initiated a special ride for novices and riders from smaller stables during the festival.

Apart from two Qualifier Rides, the three-day festival staged a 100-km ride for juniors, the three-day 240-km ride and a 120-km ride for novice riders.

Riders from many countries took part in the festival. "Such rides will give a chance to those riders who come from smaller stables. It will encourage them to graduate to rides in the open competitions.

This festival will be an annual affair," added Shaikh Sultan.

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UAE: Al Bloushi emerges winner in 100km ride

Abdul Rahman, Gulf News Maktoum Nawab Nouh Al Bloushi won the 100km endurance ride of the Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup for juniors.

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter

Abu Dhabi: A gleaming new car awaits 17-year-old Maktoum Nawab Nouh Al Bloushi, who won the Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup for juniors yesterday at the Boud Thib Endurance Village.
Nawab and his 9-year-old grey gelding Chupacabra outclassed their rivals to win the 100km ride which was held alongside the three-day 240km event as part of the endurance festival being organised by the Emirates Heritage Club.
Though Nawab may not be able to drive his car, the Abu Dhabi schoolboy will receive the prize at a grand awards function scheduled for tonight to reward winners of all the events.
Nawab, who had previously had only a 10th place finish to boast of did very well to keep Chupacabra in front in the final two loops under conditions favourable to both rider and horse.
"It was good out there today. My horse just wanted to keep going and my trainer Abdulla Saeed Bin Huzaim kept advising me to watch the pace," said the youngster.
Munthar Ahmad Al Baloushi, on Z Califa, finished second to stake claim for the Dh30,000 prize after Ahmad Salem Ali Sultan Al Subosi on Woodlaus Sparkle was eliminated. The latter finished ahead of Munthar but his horse failed the final vet check.
The Boudthib Endurance Village is set for an explosive finish today as the final leg of the 240-km ride will see two cars being won while in the added attraction a 120km ride will also bring together riders from smaller stables to win another two cars on offer.
However, it is the three-day, 240km, event which has brought out the best from a handful of top highly skilled riders. National Day Cup winner Jesus Manuel Berna of Spain and Yousuf Ahmad Al Bloushi, both from the Al Reef Stables, are leading the pack, but the remaining four riders in the leaders' pack are so close that today's 80km final leg is expected to see a fascinating tussle.
Berna and Al Bloushi are followed by Shaikh Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Majid Mohammad Salman Al Sabri, Shaikh Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Abdulla Thani Bin Huzaim, with a little under two minutes separating the top six.

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