Bahrain riders finish second

Gulf Daily News
BAHRAIN's Royal Endurance Team clinched second place overall in the FEI European Endurance Championship Open in Companhia das Lezirias, Lisbon.The six-member team, led by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, were behind eventual winners France and ahead of Spain in this six-stage event which was over 160 kms.

Riding Basic Instinct, Shaikh Nasser finished eighth overall in a time of eight hours, 45 minutes 29 seconds and with an average speed of 18.268 kmph.

The remaining Bahrainis who completed the race were Ghazi Al Dossary (9:01:43), Mohammed Abdulaziz (9:09:44) and Yousif Taher (9:09:45) who took 12th, 13th and 14th places, respectively.

The championship was won by Mubarak Khalifa Al Shafya of the UAE who steered Zakah Zahra to finish the race in 8:22:13 with an average speed of 19.115 kmph.

In second place was French rider Jean Phillippe (8:23:12), ahead of Jaume Punti (8:23:18) of Spain who was followed by compatriot Maria Alvarez (8:23:43) in fourth.

Five of Bahrain's six riders completed the first stage which was over 35 kms after Mahmood was eliminated when his horse Antar failed to pass veterinary inspection at the end of the stage.

The team was then reduced to four riders as Shaikh Daij, riding Shar Rushkin, was eliminated for the same reason.

However, the remaining riders survived the challenge and continued for a remarkable second-place achievement.

The team staged a fine comeback starting from the third stage where they moved from seventh to third behind the UAE and leaders France.

In the final stage, the UAE team stumbled in the last 200 metres as Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoom fell from his horse while Shaikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoom was eliminated.

Shaikh Nasser was congratulated after the race by Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa who was present at the village.

General Organisation for Youth and Sports president Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, who was also at the venue, praised members of the team on their achievement.

The championship was also attended by Dubai ruler Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoom.

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EuChamp: Bin Shafya happy with UAE's show

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter - Gulfnews.com
Published: September 09, 2007, 21:33

Bin Shafya happy with UAE's show


Alcochette, Portugal: The European equestrian fraternity seemed to have become familiar with the UAE national anthem, which once again filled the air when Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya stood on the podium to extend the UAE's domination in the European Open endurance championships.

Bin Shafya, representing the UAE for the first time, won the 160-km Open individual gold medal on Saturday, but the newly-appointed trainer-cum-manager of the Al Asaafa Endurance Stables, owned by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said luck deprived the UAE of a team medal.

"I am delighted with my performance, but we really had a good chance of winning a team medal until the final stages when luck turned against us. First Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum's horse just about failed before the final loop of 27 kms.

Good display

"Despite that we were in sight of the team gold but with less than a kilometre left for the final loop, Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum's horse Kevin De Narthou slipped and fell forcing a key team member out of the race and our team medal hopes vanished with that.

"Sultan Bin Sulayem also did very well to finish first, but his horse could not clear the vet check. Overall it was a good display by the UAE riders and I am satisfied with the performances of the horses," said Bin Shafya, who was given charge about a month back.

"As far as my win here is concerned, I always set the pace and it paid off. That has always been my policy to go for a win and with me not being part of the team, it helped me to go for the gold," added the new European Open champion, the fourth consecutive one to hail from the UAE.

Fantastic achievement

Frenchman Jean Phillipe Francas on Hanaba Du Bois, who took the Open silver and also topped the European pack, said it was a very tough ride.

"A silver medal, in a ride dominated by the UAE riders, is a fantastic achievement for me. I knew I could not catch the UAE riders so I just decided to ensure I won the European section, so getting a silver in the Open is a bonus," said the 31-year-old, who hails from Aix en Provence. Jean had won a team gold in the 2002 World Championship with France.

The Head of Endurance at the Dubai Equestrian Club, Ali Moosa attended the prize distribution and gave away the team medals.

"We could have ended with more success but that is how sport is. We are happy that the UAE riders displayed excellent character and won the hearts of the large crowds here with their horsemanship," he said.

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2007 European Championship Qatar Challenge - Medal Winners

Full Event Coverage

Open Individual Division
Gold - United Arab Emirates - Mubarak Khalifa riding Zakah Zahara
Silver - France - Jean Phillippe Frances riding Hanaba du Bois
Bronze - Spain - Jaume Punti Dachs riding Elvis


Open Team Division
Gold - France
Silver - Bahrain
Bronze - Spain


Europe Individual Division
Gold - France - Jean Phillippe Frances riding Hanaba du Bois
Silver - Spain - Jaume Punti Dachs riding Elvis
Bronze - Spain - Maria Alvarez Ponton riding Nobby


Europe Team Division
Gold - France
Silver - Spain
Bronze - Switzerland


Best Condition
Hanaba du Boise ridden by Jean Phillippe Frances

EuropeanChampionship: Vetting In

The Vetting In

VET-IN DAY - Merri Melde

It's a hazy, warm, muggy Portuguese morning as the teams assemble with their horses for the vetting in for tomorrow's championship ride. The atmosphere (so far) seems to lack tension, and the vet check flows smoothly, with officials directing horse and groom traffic, taking the entries into the vetting area team by team. After they pass the vet check they are fitted with an electronic timer around their neck, and their numbers written on their butts with the grease pens. A few horses are wound up enough at the trot out they have to do it twice (or three times), but that's mostly because they've been separated from their buddies. The American horses look good and rested after their long journey.
[More ...]

EuropeanChampionship: The Show Begins!

The Opening

The fun and chaos of a European Endurance Championship! Steph misses one of her flights due to insane security lines in London-Gatwick, there is no rent-a-car place at the airport that I rented a car from, I call the hotel and they have shuttle, and then they don't have a shuttle, the new hotel is so far out the taxi service is not quite sure how to get there or what to charge. I finally get to the hotel, throw everything all over mine and Steph's room (she will think a tornado hit), grab my gear, take another looooooooooong taxi ride to the venue (later one of the Swiss team said, ?I think your taxi driver was just driving you in biiiiiiiiiiiiiig circles, for fun!?), and once I'm there I realize I have forgotten some of my equipment. [More ...]

European Championship: Horses' progress to be tracked with GPS chips

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
Gulf News
Alcochette, Portugal: Horses taking part in tomorrow's 160-km FEI European Open Championship will be fitted with a GPS chip in their collars to keep track of their progress.

"This is the first time that a GPS system will be used in a major endurance championship and this has been done at the initiative of the Portuguese Equestrian Federation," said Hallvard Sommerseth, the Foreign Technical Delegate for the championship.

Insight

The Norwegian veteran of endurance rides said the introduction of the GPS will help keep track of the runners at various stages of the competition.

The move will aid in ensuring the welfare of the horse as well as it will give organisers insight into how the runners are faring. In endurance the horses run in stages of about 30 to 40kms at a stretch and are subjected to stiff veterinary checks after every stage to ensure their welfare. In between the stages the horses are given about 20 to 30 minutes to recover for the next stage.

"The European Championship will also be bigger and better this year as there will be live coverage of the event on Portuguese TV as well as Dubai and Qatar TV channels," Sommerseth added.

The move will aid in ensuring the welfare of the horse as well as it will give organisers insight into how the runners are faring.
EnduranceEurope.net Coverage

UAE the team to beat

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
Gulf News

Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum , Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum and Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum will lead the UAE's challenge, along with Sultan Bin Sulayem in tomorrow's 160-km endurance ride in the World Endurance Games.

Alcochette, Portugal: Nearly 90 riders from 20 countries will start tomorrow's 160-km FEI European Open Endurance Championship here about 25 kms away from the capital Lisbon and the team to beat will be the United Arab Emirates.

Ever since the UAE won its first-ever international championship, which was here in Portugal when the 1999 European Open championship was jointly held with Spain, the UAE riders have dominated the open category.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was the architect of that first win in 1999 when the UAE won the team gold and after that the UAE has virtually dominated the Open championships.

Shaikh Mohammad himself won the 2003 individual gold in 2003 while Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum won the individual gold in 2001 and now Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum starts as defending champion having won the gold in Compiegne, France in 2005.

Medal fight

Shaikh Mohammad announced the team last month which includes Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Sultan Bin Sulayem and Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya. The 160-km European Championship will have medals on offer for the Open event as well as the European event and the UAE will be challenged by traditional European powers France, Italy, Germany and hosts Portugal while two other GCC countries, Bahrain and Qatar along with the US add another dimension to the medal fight.

Ali Moosa, Endurance Head at the Dubai Equestrian Club said the UAE horses have been based in Newmarket through the summer and have been well prepared for the event.

The UAE, who last swept honours in the Doha Asiad winning the team gold and the individual gold and bronze are once again expected to be a strong force here.

Strong advantage

While the final team composition and the horses will be known today after the final pre-event veterinary check, the championship has attracted a strong field of 90 entries with at least 14 countries in the team championship.

Hosts Portugal will have a strong advantage

EnduranceEurope.Net Coverage