Oman: HM presides over Royal Horse Race Festival

MUSCAT — His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said presided over the annual Royal Horse Race Festival at Al Adiat horse race track, in the wilayat of Seeb yesterday.

The festival was attended, along with His Majesty the Sultan, by members of the royal family, the chairmen of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, ministers, advisers, members of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, undersecretaries and members of the diplomatic corps in the Sultanate.

The festival began with the arrival of His Majesty the Sultan, when the Royal Anthem was played.

The festival included interesting shows for military procession, carriages, girl jockeys’ march and trotters, in addition to speed riding and rodeo sport.

After this, the horse race for His Majesty the Sultan Cup started. The race included six rounds namely, Al Akhdahar Fort for pure Arabian horses for 1,800 metres; Al Bustan Fort for pure Arabian horses for female riders for 1,100 metres; Al Shariq Fort for thoroughbred horses for 1,600 metres; Al Khandaq Fort for pure Arabian horses for 1,100 metres; Jibreen Fort for pure Arabian horses for 1,600 metres and Shamoukh Fort for pure Arabian horses for 2,100 metres.

The six rounds of the race included polo shows for male, female and young riders; beauty display of horse and young camels; foals for horses and other breeds shows; razha and music carriage show and endurance race show.

There were displays for horse-riding skills, fun race, carriage-riding by children, tent-pegging, hurdle race for children in addition to displays for sword, javelin, tent-pegging skills and arrow-shooting from a fast-moving carriage and cavalry display for the Olympic trilateral.

The festival also included a display for carriage race, common horse march, a carriage dragged by 20 horses, young foals programme at the grass field followed by the final plateau for the festival.

After this, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said handed over His Majesty’s Cup for the first winner of the sixth round of the Al Shamoukh Fort for pure Arabian horses and prizes for the first winners of the other rounds.

After this, the Royal Anthem was played signalling the conclusion of the horse race and then His Majesty the Sultan left the horse race track.

Around 2,533 participants took part at the festival, including 967 students and trotters in addition to 837 horses.


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2005 WEC Champion Lissarrague back in Dubai

World champion partners ‘family horse’ in Dh1.5 million HHSM Endurance Cup 2008
Tuesday, January 08, 2008

With Saturday’s Dh1.5 million HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup 2008 fast approaching, most of the international riders were out with their horses doing some light training in the desert tracks in Seih Assalam.

Raid De Bozouls, the horse which 2005 World Endurance Champion Barbara Lissarrague of France will be riding on Saturday, was also out having a workout yesterday morning.

Lissarrague, the winner of the 2005 World Endurance Championship held here at the Dubai International Endurance City, was expected to arrive today, so training the horse in the meantime was her husband-cum-trainer-cum rider Christian Lissarrague.

“Raid De Bozouls has been with us for over six years now and he is more a family horse as me, my wife as well as my daughter Nina have been riding him in competitions," said Christian, as he prepares the horse to compete against some of the best riders and horses in the world.

“Raid De Bozouls has adapted well since arriving here on January 4 but we will have to wait and see how he is on the eve of the ride”, said Christian.

The French horse will be one of the 26 international entries who take on a strong contingent of UAE riders in the six-loop FEI.CEI 3* ride sponsored by Omega.

“My daughter Nina, who is a junior national rider with the French team finished fifth on Raid De Bozouls in October and he is back after a good rest,” added the French trainer.


Christian was however not sure whether the European riders could keep pace with the hosts.

“Races here are very fast and Barbara did very well when she won the world championship in 2005. But it is a different race and a different horse,” he said.

“One thing for sure is that UAE’s progress in endurance has changed the sport. There are more breeders and more horses and overall it has benefited many. The facilities here are the best in the world and with such a strong field for Saturday’s ride it will be a great experience,” added Christian.

“We have 12 French riders and with the World Championship to be held in Malaysia later this year, the French Equestrian Federation will be monitoring the progress of the riders and horses.

“Being an annual affair, this HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup 2008 will help in international riders to come here, participate and prepare for the big championships.

“The UAE riders will be starting off as the favourites and the French have always been at the forefront. An interesting competition is in store on Saturday and the ride will be a fast-paced one,” concluded Christian.

Complete Event Coverage

Dubai to host world's richest ride

posted on 07/01/2008
The Dubai Equestrian Club on Sunday unveiled the world's richest-ever endurance ride - the His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup 2008 - to be held at the Dubai International Endurance City on January 12.
Addressing the press here at the Madinat Jumeirah, Saeed Al Tayer, vice-president of DEC, said 26 riders from all over the world have been invited for the Dh4 million ride with Omega as the title sponsor.
The January 12 ride is a FEI CEI three-star 160km event and will be run in six loops of 32kms, 32kms, 28kms, 28kms, 21kms and 19 kms. The 1.5 million cash prize will be distributed among the top 25 riders with the winner going home richer by Dh250,000.
"Apart from world class action on the tracks, a big screen will beam live the action at the ride venue while www.dubaiendurancecity.com will carry results live online. Entertainment for the family on the sidelines includes bouncy castles, clowns, stilt walkers, clowns, henna faces painters and a jazz band," added Al Tayer. – Gulf News

UAE Interact - full article

New Zealand: Jeffries & Rhan take S. Island Championship Title

By Endurance.Net
January 6, 2008

photo: Paul Jeffries at 2007 HOY

Paul Jeffries & Rhan won the South Island Championship CEI*** at Hawarden, New Zealand on January 5 in a time of 10:23. Rhan also won the Best Conditioned Award, having finished his 12th career 160km event.

Second and third place finishes went to Kylie Avery riding Silans Jasark and
Phillip Graham on Wolfgang Amadeus.

UAE: International Riders to compete in Al Maktoum Cup

World’s best in UAE

The world's leading riders descend upon the UAE this week for the inaugural AED1.5milllion HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup 2008 - the world's most valuable endurance event.

Omega is the title sponsor of the FEI CEI*** 160km event held at Dubai International Endurance City on Saturday, and it has attracted three of the world's top 10 riders, according to the FEI World Wide Rankings, including the second-ranked Frenchman Jack Begaud.

The ride is over six loops and starts at 6am and has enticed 26 overseas-based riders in total, as well as many of the top UAE riders.

The ride is organized by the Dubai Equestrian Club (DEC), whose General Manager Ali Moosa Al Khamiri, said: "The HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup is set to be one of the top sporting events taking place in the UAE, and we are indebted to the vision of His Highness for making it happen.

"Endurance has a huge profile in the UAE, where many of the best riders hail from, and it is fitting that the country hosts such a prestigious event, one which we hope will become the centerpiece of the endurance season worldwide.

"We are indebted also to Omega, our title sponsor, and are delighted that they have been rewarded with such a top-class line-up of riders. We wish everyone an enjoyable day, and wish all those taking part the best of luck."

Entrance is free and spectators can sample the action up close on the course as DEC will operate a fleet of 4x4 cars for desert drives. Alternatively, fans can keep in touch with the action via big screens.

There will be plenty of action off the track too with a variety of family entertainment and a jazz band that will play throughout the afternoon.
A full field of International riders will compete in the 2008 Shk Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum cup.

Riders from France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, Norway and Australia include:

Jack Begaud
Virgine Atger
Jean Philippe Frances
Sophie Arnaud
Philippe Tomas
Jean Michel Grimal
Philippe Benoit
Cecile Miletto
Larent Mosti
Elodie Le Labourier
Julie Lafaure
Barbara Lissarrague
Marianne Hahnel
Sabrina Arnold
Ander Mato Garcia
Yon Zabalua
Karin Boulanger
Anna Williams
Janice Cockley Adams
Liz Taylor
Patrizia Giacchero
Fausto Fiorucci
Gianluca Laliscia
Rui Pereira
Ellen Suhr
Meg Wade

Abu Dhabi: Khalid corners glory with fine show - Jan 5 2008

Gulfnews.com - Full story
By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
Published: January 05, 2008, 23:10

Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan rode Nemer to a fantastic victory in the gruelling three-day 240-km Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup, the feature event of the three-day endurance festival which ended on Saturday at the Boudtheib Endurance Village.

After his elder brother Shaikh Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the defending champion was eliminated on the second day, Shaikh Khalid paced himself well and made his move in the final 20-kms of the 240-km ride to score a great win on the 10-year-old chestnut gelding Nemer.

It was Mohammad Hamad Mohammad Saeed Al Junaibi on Ramalea Captain Starlight who went out on the final stage after being in the lead for the whole of the second day and also after the first two stages yesterday.

Al Junaibi took off on the final 20-km loop almost four minutes ahead of Shaikh Khalid with Ali Mohammad Al Muhairi on Akasha Sansation and Abdullah Khamis Ali Saeed on Risco Moreno in fourth place.

Al Junaibi's horse seemed to be tested to the limit as Shaikh Khalid on Nemer began to make his move.

Battle for supremacy

The two battled for supremacy and Shaikh Khalid's decision to hold back Nemer during the earlier stages seemed to pay off.

The two went on to finish first and then Nemer came tops in the final vet check despite doing a speed of 26.83 kmph on that final leg.

Al Junaibi's horse Ramalea Captain Starlight was found lame and had to be eliminated leaving Al Reef Stable's Risco Moreno, under Abdullah Khamis Ali Saeed, win the second place for the second time.

Last year Jesus Manuel Berna had won on Rico Moreno behind Shaikh Hazza.

Ali Mohammad Al Muhairi on Akasha Sansation did well to finish third after being in the top five from the second stage onwards in the nine-stage ride.

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Shaikh Zayed Bin Mohammad Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and Masoud Al Awar, Special Advisor to Chairman, Sorouh - the sponsors of the three-day festival which included a 120-km ride for Juniors, a 120-km ride for privately-owned stables, the 240-km three-day ride and two Federation Qualifiers-attended the prize distribution ceremony. "I have been preparing for this ride for some time now and am extremely happy to win it," said Shaikh Khalid.

Commenting on the tactics he used, Shaikh Khalid said, "Well, I did not go in with any fixed line of tactics.

"Most of it depended on how my horse was faring and also on how the other riders were progressing."

"However after two days and 160kms, I though I had a good chance today as my horse looked in top form," said the winner.

Well, I did not go in with any fixed line of tactics. Most of it depended on how my horse was faring and also on how the other riders were progressing."

Gulfnews.com

Bahrain: Manal clinches women's title - Jan 5 2008

Gulf-daily-news.com - Full story

MANAL Fakhrawi was crowned champion of the women's race while Ali Busaffar won the men's event in the National Guard Open Endurance Horseride Championship yesterday at the Bahrain International Endurance Village premises in Sakhir. The championship, organised by the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), featured the first women's race in the season besides a men's race, both over 100 kms.

The races were divided into four stages as 30 kms are set for the first two stages, 25 kms for the third and 15 kms for the fourth.

Riding Chronic Milky Way from the Royal Endurance Team, Manal emerged winner with a total time of four hours, 14 minutes and two seconds.

Behind her was Latifa Al Shaikh (4:14:31) from Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Stable while Qatari rider Khadija Al Bastaki (4:18:55) was third in.

Busaffar, representing Al Asayel Stable, steered Hemrick to a first-place finish in five hours, two minutes and seven seconds.

He was followed by Isa Al Dossary (5:03:31) of Al Fateh Stable in second place with Al Asayel Stable rider Nisar Hassan (5:07:36) third.

The event also comprised two qualifying races over 85-kgs and 60-kgs which will be open to new riders and horses.

The 85-km race were split into three stages, including 30 kms for the first two stages and 25 kms for the third while the 60-km event consists of two stages, each over 30 kms.

The event was held under the patronage of National Guard commander Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa who honoured the winners in each race at the prize-distribution ceremony.

The event was also attended by Breef president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Breef second vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and other officials.

Shaikh Mohammed congratulated the winners and thanked the riders from Bahrain and other GCC countries for taking part.

Shaikh Mohammed also praised the federation board and committee members for their efforts in organising the race, wishing them further success and progress.

Results (horse, total ride time):

Women: 1 Manal Fakhrawi (Chronic Milky Way, 4:14:02); 2 Latifa Al Shaikh (Anwar Al Mammlakah, 4:14:31); 3 Khadija Al Bastaki (4:18:55); 4 Sara Baban (Falah Ohood, 4:20:12)l 5 Shaikh Najla bint Salman Al Khalifa (Lalik Du Parc, 4:38:20); 6 Caisha Smith (Cedar Ridge Independence, 5:31:34); 7 Hannan Al Dawadi (Al Arem, 6:17:47); 8 Esther Ghuloom (Kabyle Armor, 6:22:34).

Men: 1 Ali Busaffar (Hemrick, 5:02:07); 2 Isa Al Dossary (Bedouin De Piboul, 5:03:31); 3 Jaffar Al Alawi (R S Iman, 5:55:38); 4 Mubarak Al Rowaie (Swoop, 6:08:19); 5 Baqer Ali (Shahhar, 6:20:02).

Gulf-daily-news.com