UAE riders face tough challenge in world junior championship

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
Buenos Aires: Despite the absence of some of the leading European teams, the UAE will face a tough challenge in today's World Junior & Young Riders Endurance Championship from some of the rising endurance countries from the region.

Apart from hosts Argentina, who will try to take full advantage of home conditions, the main threat to UAE is likely to come from the riders from Uruguay and Brazil.

Key members of the UAE team arrived late last night including Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Mansour Ahmad Al Subose and Mohammad Ahmad Ali Al Subose while Shaikh Abdullah Bin Faisal Al Qasimi and Shaikh Abdul Aziz Bin Faisal Al Qasimi, who are already here, took part in an impressive inaugural ceremony earlier on Wednesday evening.

WEC-Young Riders: Ahmad to lead UAE contingent

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter

Buenos Aires: Former world champion and Doha Asian Games team gold medallist Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum leads a six-member UAE team at the World Junior & Young Riders Endurance Championship, 2007 to be held here on March 16.

Shaikh Ahmad along with Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who was also in the gold medal winning team at the Doha Asiad along with Shaikh Abdullah Bin Faisal Al Qasimi, Shaikh Abdul Aziz Bin Faisal Al Qasimi, Mansoor Ahmad Al Subose and Mohammad Ahmad Ali Al Subose comprise the six-member UAE team.

Shaikh Abdullah and Shaikh Ahmad had won the silver and bronze medals respectively in the last World Junior & Young Riders Endurance Championship held in Bahrain in 2005 and the UAE team will be looking to improve on that display in conditions which will be totally new and unfamiliar to them.



The UAE riders, who have almost dominated the European and Asian endurance circuits, now venture out into the South American continent with a total of about 60 riders expected to be in the fray.

Though the final list of riders and teams will be known only after tomorrow's final veterinary check, over 10 teams are expected to be in the running for the team event while all the entrants will take a shot at the individual medals.

Apart from Shaikh Abdullah Bin Faisal Al Qasimi and Shaikh Abdul Aziz Bin Faisal Al Qasimi, whose horses have arrived here from the UAE, the others will be riding Uruguyan horses owned by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Shaikh Mohammad has based about 30 endurance horses in Uruguay and about six of them have arrived here after qualifying for the championship.

The 120-km event will be held at the Campo De Mayo on the outskirts of Buenos Aires and will be contested over five stages of 37km, 32km, 21km, 20km and 9km.

An opening ceremony later this evening (Buenos Aries time is about seven hours behind UAE time) will start the event.

"The horses are all in good condition and we have arrived here well in advance to make all preparations.

"The list of four names for the team will only be finalised after the final vet check and we are hoping the horses will be fit and pass the test," said Ali Moosa, Head of Endurance, Dubai Equestrian Club.

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Argentina: 2007 Junior & Young Rider World Championship Entry List

UAE: Shaikha Alyazia is Ladies Endurance champion

Khaleej Times
12 March 2007


DUBAI — Shaikha Alyazia bint Sultan Al Nahyan was declared the “Ladies Endurance Champion” as soon as she crossed the finish line ahead of 21 other lady riders in front of a cheering crowd on Friday. She won the first place with 290 points from all the rounds.

Shaikha Alyazia was riding 10-year-old, bay mare Ningadoo Moesha, from Al Reef Stables for the His Highness Shaikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Cup, which was the last round of the of three-round Al Asayl Ladies Endurance Championship.

Shaikha Alyazia completed the distance in three hours, 18 minutes and 30 seconds riding on an average speed of 24.18 kmph. A total number of ten riders completed the ride.

The FEI, CEI Two-star Round III was run in three phases of 30 km, 30 km and 20 km respectively. All the rides were held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Shaikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation.

The Organising Committee had formulated a point system based on which any rider, with the maximum number of points at the end of Round III, will be declared the “Ladies Champion.”

Second place in Friday’s ride went to Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi with 230 points. She was riding 13-year-old chestnut mare Red Sonya from Al Reef Stables. She finished the ride in three hours, 21 minutes and 40 seconds riding on an average speed of 23.80 kmph.

Third place went to Shaikha Shamma bint Sultan Al Nahyan (125 points) who was riding 6-year-old grey stallion Sabee, owned by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

She clocked three hours, 27 minutes and one second registering an average speed of 23.19 kmph.
The ride was chiefly sponsored by Shaikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, along with Assisi Endurance Lifestyle.

UAE: Strong response for Emirates Challenge

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter


Abu Dhabi: The Emirates International Endurance Village's Emirates Challenge is expected to attract around 100 entries for the FEI CEI Three-star 120-km endurance ride on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters here yesterday, Adnan Sultan Saif Al Nuaimi, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC) said the event, earlier a three-round challenge, will now be a one-off event with Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage (ADACH) supporting it.

"There will be a total prize money of Dh400,000 and the ride will be run in five stages of 32km, 30km, 24km, 18km and 16km," Adnan said.

"This is a very prestigious event after the President's Cup and the National Day Cup and we expect all the top riders in the UAE along with the foreign riders to take part in it," he said.

Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Head of the ADACH Exhibitions Department, said the Authority was set up last year and aimed at preserving heritage sport and activities.

"We work directly under Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, and this is the first time we are sponsoring an endurance event," he said.

"Apart from horse racing and camel racing, falconry is another sport that we support while we also hold the annual Equestrian and Hunting show," Al Qubaisi said.

"With Purebred Arabian horses playing a lead role in the sport of endurance, we are delighted to be part of this event and hopefully we will continue this association," he said.

ADEC's Marketing and Sponsor Liaison Lara Sawaya said that apart from the Dh400,000 on offer, there were many other awards and cash prizes for the spectators.

"Etihad Airways will be giving away three air tickets and Axiom Telecom will part with eight mobile phones to be raffled free. The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage will also give away a total of Dh10,000 through the free raffle," said Lara.

Meanwhile, Saturday's event will be the penultimate event at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba. Once again, Al Reef Stables are expected to make a strong bid to extend their domination.

Bahrain: Strong UAE team for endurance race

FORMER world champion Shaikh Hazza bin Sultan Al Nahyan will be participating in His Majesty the King's Cup Endurance Horseride Championship scheduled for Saturday at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir. Shaikh Hazza will lead a strong field of top UAE riders, including his young brother Shaikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The championship, featuring senior and junior races - both over 120 km - will also witness four riders from Kuwait as well as Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Stable team who have already arrived in Bahrain.

Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa welcomed the participants for the championship.

Shaikh Khalid said the federation has received many entries from Bahrain and that registration will be open until Friday.

"We are all excited and honoured to take part in this race which has attracted many top riders from Bahrain and overseas. Riders here are showing great spirit during training and are keen to steal the spotlight on this special occasion," said Shaikh Khalid.

He also thanked sponsors Durrat Al Bahrain, specially its chairman Abdulhakim Al Khayyat for its support to this championship.

"I am thankful to Durrat Al Bahrain for their support which will certainly help in making the championship a success," he said.

"Preparations are almost finished at the village which is now ready to host the championship and I am thankful for His Majesty King Hamad who has been supportive and inspiring the riders in different competitions," he said.

Meanwhile, the organising committee has named the working committees of the championship.

The judges committee is headed by Brian Dunn of Ireland and includes Sundar Rethinavel of India, Abdulsamad Al Busta and Haider Al Zo'bi of Bahrain. They will be assisted by Bahrain's Haider Rafii, Mhadi Al Kulaiti and Ali Ghuloom.

Ghalib Al Alawi, who is the Breef general secretary, has been chosen as the official commissioner of the championship while Mohammed Dadulla, Mahmood Abdulsaheb and Fahad Al Rumaihi are the supervisors.

The veterinary team consist of Saudi Arabia's Dr Mohammed Al Hammad, Ahmed Rida of Iran, Samuel Kamal of Malaysia, Zahid Rafiq of Pakistan, India's V C Thomas, Shafi Mohammed and Ibrahim Al Hassan, Bahrain's Abbas Al Haiki, Ibrahim Yousef, Adam Sabeel, Abdulrahman Abushook, Fareeda Abdulrazzaq and Sabah Al Kaabi.

Qatar: Mannai wins Endurance ride

Qatar: Gulf Times

Published: Monday, 5 March, 2007, 09:48 AM Doha Time

Photo: The King of Malaysia Wathiq Billah Mizan Zainal Abidin (fourth from right) seen with the winners of the Endurance Ride held on Sunday at Mesaieed

The King of Malaysia Wathiq Billah Mizan Zainal Abidin (fourth from right) seen with the winners of the Endurance Ride held on Sunday at Mesaieed
ESSA Ahmed al-Mannai finished the gruelling 160km qualifying ride in 12hrs25min.02secs , ahead of the King of Malaysia Al Wathiq Billah Mizan Zainal Abidin at the Endurance Village in Mesaieed on Sunday.
Mannai, riding Vertglant, was placed sixth at the end of the first and second vet gate, but improved to second at the third and made up enough time to finish first after the fourth and fifth stages to emerge champion.

The Malaysian king astride Moniqe Danilee started off the first stage of 35 kms with a ninth finish. He gradually made up and took the fifth spot in the second and third stage. With some of the contenders retiring from the fray, Abidin came back into reckoning in the fifth and sixth stage while checking in behind the eventual winner.
In another qualifying round which was held in two stages over 60kms, Diana Cumming Untermeyer riding Lamh Al Basr checked in first ahead of Lakshman Singh astride Omani Azaq. The former clocked a time of 4hrs35min11secs, while Lakshman was just 11 seconds behind the winner.