UAE: Hassan Bin Ali swoops late to win

Gulf News

By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
Published: March 14, 2009, 23:03

Abu Dhabi: The experienced Hassan Bin Ali unleashed terrific pace in the final loop astride Wer Krass to win the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) Emirates Championship endurance ride on Saturday.

A well-known sportsman of the UAE, the former car-racer who has won many an endurance ride in the UAE and abroad, was third going into the final loop of 16kms in the 119-km event, which attracted 85 riders to Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba.

Leading from the start, Dhahi Abdullah Khamis Al Dhahi on Omani Iman topped the first four stages and went into the final stage almost a minute ahead of Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri in the second place while Bin Ali was two and a half minutes behind.

Bin Ali and his 9-year-old horse had until the final stage registered an average speed of 25.59km/h which was commendable under the dusty conditions.

However he seemed to have paced his horse well as Wer Krass moved from 13th in the first stage to third in the penultimate and was still in good shape.

Wer Krass obliged his rider with an amazing average speed of 30.51km/h on the final 16km, sealing victory.

Al Dhahi on Omani Iman finished second only ten seconds behind the winner.

"This horse is owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, and I have to thank him for all the support he gives us. Though I did come close a few times, today's win is the first for this season," said Bin Ali.

"Last year I won the Sorouh Cup here and for today's win I have to give full credit to my horse Wer Krass," said Bin Ali, who received the keys to a 4WD car for his win.

Rashid Salem Mohammad Al Faresi on Lienka finished third.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Hamdan and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, watched the event.

Bahrain: Hamdan scores big victory

Gulf News
By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
Published: March 14, 2009, 23:03

Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, scored a remarkable win in Bahrain's 120km endurance championship on Saturday to lift the prestigious His Majesty The King's Cup.

Riding Sas Alexis, Shaikh Hamdan led a 1-2-3 finish for the UAE in the ride organised by the Royal Jordanian Equestrian Federation at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

Shaikh Hamdan and Sas Alexis completed the 120km distance in 5 hours 3 minutes and 23 seconds

The UAE's Salem Bin Ghadayer finished second on Dell Hama, just seven seconds behind. Completing the UAE sweep was Butti Mohammad on Drumslin Moonshine in 5:16.23.

More than 40 riders took part in the ride, held annually. Some of the top riders from Jordan and Kuwait were in the starting line-up.

It was Shaikh Hamdan's second consecutive podium finish in Bahrain. Recently, he finished third behind His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Bahrain's Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the 120km Endurance Giants Body Weight ride.

Bahrain: Top riders set for His Majesty race

ROYAL Jordanian Equestrian Federation president Princess Alia bint Al Hussein arrived in Bahrain last night to attend His Majesty King Hamad's Endurance Horseride Championship scheduled for tomorrow at 6am at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

Princess Alia was welcomed by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation's (Breef) second vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and other federation officials.

Princess Alia thanked Breef, especially its president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, for inviting her to witness this prestigious event which is the biggest endurance horseride competition on the federation's calendar.

Shaikh Khalid also welcomed the chief guest who attended last year's event too. He thanked the Jordanian federation for sending its finest riders to Bahrain to compete in the race.

Meanwhile, Dubai Crown Prince Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum is due to reach the Kingdom today to lead prominent UAE riders in the championship.

The 26-year-old Shaikh Hamdan, son of UAE Vice-President and Ruler of Dubai Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is one of top riders in the region and a strong contender for a place on the podium tomorrow.

Shaikh Hamdan, who won the gold medal in equestrian at the 15th Asian Games in Doha three years ago, will be accompanied by compatriots Salem bin Ghadir, Khalifa bin Jalayta and Abdulla Al Buziri who will all take part in the 120-km senior race.

The championship will also feature a junior race over the same distance. UAE riders to compete in the junior race are Ali Al Mirri, Khalifa Al Mirri and Abdulla Al Mirri.

A six-member Royal Jordanian team will only take part in the senior race. The team members are Jehad Shehaltog, Abdulhamid Al Saleh, Sobhi Khalil, Farah Abu Na'amea, Atalla Hamad and Lawrence Al Fayez.

Kuwait will be represented in the championship by two riders - Abdulla Al Eibani and Turki Al Mutairi.

Both the senior and junior races will be divided into five equal stages. The senior race will kick off at 6am while the junior race will commence 30 minutes later.

The first two stages will be over 30 kms while the next three are over 25, 20 and 15 kms each.

Veterinary examination is scheduled for today from 3pm to 5.30pm.

The event, sponsored by Marsa Al Seef, follows the remarkable achievement of Breef president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa who finished second overall in the first-ever Endurance Grand Prix series which concluded in Dubai a few weeks ago.

The championship was originally due to take place last Saturday, but was postponed to give all stables and riders the opportunity to prepare for this prestigious event.

Australia: Meg proves tough enough in the UAE

Weeklytimesnow.com.au



Fran Cleland

March 13, 2009

MEG Wade - Australia's best known endurance rider and four-time Tom Quilty Cup winner - placed second of the visiting riders in the United Arab Emirates President's Cup.

The race, which was first staged in 2000, covers 160km and is held each year in mid-February.

It is one of the toughest in the world.

Each year selected horses and riders from around the world are invited to participate based on their current world ranking and recent performances, so it is for the world's best and toughest horses.

Entries range from 80 to 120 with a completion rate usually from 30 to 40 per cent.

The President's Cup has always been won by a rider and horse from the UAE.

Those from the UAE are passionate competitors in endurance and won team gold at the Endurance World Championships in Malaysia last November.

This year the event was won in just six hours and 30 minutes by Abu Dhabi rider Yousef Al Baloushi on Charlandre El Sharif of Al Reef Stables, the current 160km world record holder (6:28:28 in last year's Sheik Mohammed Cup), crossing the finish line hand-in-hand with his cousin, Omair Husain Abdulla Al Bloushi.

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UAE: Over 100 riders to battle it out for honours

Gulfnews.com

By M Satya Narayan
March 11, 2009

Abu Dhabi: Over 100 riders are expected to take part in Saturday's ADIHEX Emirates Championship 119-km endurance ride to be held at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, director general of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, said the ride was being supported by the Abu Dhabi International Hunting & Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX), Sorouh Real Estate, and the Breeding Stables in Normandy of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

"More than 100 riders have entered and the winner will drive away with a 4WD car. From the second-placed rider onwards those who finish in the top will get a slice of Dh400,000 on offer as prize money," Al Nuaimi said.

Abdullah Al Qubaisi of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, who will be staging ADIHEX later this year, said, "Horse sport is an important part of the UAE's culture and we are glad to be involved in this event."

Al Qubaisi also introduced Captain Edward Olver, who will command The Musical Ride by Household Cavalry, making their Middle East debut in Abu Dhabi ADIHEX to be held between September 30 and October 3, this year. "It is a bridge between two cultures," he said.

Also speaking at the press conference was Sorouh's executive director of projects, Fahad Al Katbi, who said: "Sorouh's sponsorship of equestrian events in the UAE is part of its responsibility to the community. Through our broad range of sponsorship programmes we are working to support activities that contribute to the welfare of the community."

Abu Dhabi Sports Council's secretary general, Mohammad Al Mahmoud, said: "The ADSC is playing an active role in bring various domestic and international events under one umbrella to ensure better co-ordination and cooperation."

"We take this opportunity to announce that the Breeding Stables in Normandy owned by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has emerged as the leading stables for Purebred Arabian horses in Europe for the fourth consecutive year," said Lara Sawaya of Tasweeq Management.

Australia: Heat took its toll at Oberon ride

Mudgee Guardian
0/03/2009 3:32:00 PM

The heat took its toll on riders during the Oberon endurance ride on March 1, with hot and dry conditions proving different from previous rides.

There were 107 entries received on the day, and participants tackled the deceptive, up and down, course over four events.

Three entrants started at 2am in the FEI 20km event while 31 entrants tackled the FEI 80km and 60 entrants participated in the 80km ERA event at 5am.

Thirteen entrants were ready to go at daylight with the start of the 40km trainer.

Mudgee was well represented with five riders competing successfully in the different events.

Mette Sutton riding Tuldar the Magician and Paddy Smith riding Jamaal elected to tackle the FEI 80km. Mette and The Magician finished fifth in the middleweight while Paddy and Jamaal were successful in the heavyweight division.

Sutton’s time was five hours, six minutes.

Sutton commented that it was very dark at the start of the race and it seemed to take forever for daylight to appear.

“It was a bit of a scramble strapping the horses after the first 30km leg, as there was only a 30 minute hold time and the horses didn’t have much opportunity to recover, eat and drink,” Sutton said.

“It was a little better after the second 30km as there was a 40 minute hold and after the final 20km leg there was a 60 minute hold in which to present to the vets.”

Garry Bennett and Karabil Yanigi, Bernice King and Noble Navaar Destiny and Haydn Fisher and Silky entered the ERA 80km.

Bennett and Yaningi repeated their previous success again, taking home the ride winner and first in the middleweight division in only four hours and 50 minutes. Yaningi was also awarded the best-conditioned horse prize.

King and Destiny completed successfully in a time of six hours, 53 minutes, while Fisher and Silky were third in the heavy weight competition in seven hours and 24 minutes. Silky was also awarded the best-conditioned horse.

Following the third ride at Oberon at the end of the month, the next zone ride will be at Tooraweenah on April 19.

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Malaysia: Shuaib Ishak Wins ISN-RTES-PENN Endurance Race

Bernama.com

SETIU, March 8 (Bernama) -- A rider from the Ar-Raudhah Equine Centre, Mohd Shuaib Ishak emerged as champion in the 100km event of the ISN-RTES-PENN Endurance Race while Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin ended in sixth place in the competition held at the Lembah Bidong, here today.

Riding the horse "Martika", Mohd Shuaib clocked six hours, eight minutes and 27 seconds to walk away with the cash prize of RM3,000.

In second place was Amir Ghani Ahmad, also from the Ar-Raudhah Equine Centre, who clocked six hours, 23 minutes and 10 seconds while Abdul Rahman Mohd from the Terengganu Endurance team was third with a time of six hours, 32 minutes and 13 seconds.

The runner-up walked away with a cash prize of RM2,000 and the third-placed winner received RM1,500.

Tuanku Mizan, who represented the Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable (RTES), completed the race in six hours, 59 minutes and 41 seconds. Meanwhile, eight riders failed to complete the race.

In the 80km event, Mohd Nizam Muda from RTES emerged as champion clocking five hours, 26 minutes and seven seconds.

In second place was Zainuddin Yusof from the Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club (5 hours, 48 minutes and 33 seconds) while Raja Adib Hariz was third (5 hours, 52 minutes and 32 seconds).

In the 40km event, Nik Azmi Daud from Kelantan won with a time of two hours, 17 minutes and 56 seconds while Sabidi Ismail from Terengganu was second (2 hours, 20 minutes and 38 seconds) and Mohd Ramkli Abdul Wahab from Elmina Equestrian Centre was third (2 hours, 53 minutes and 49 seconds).

The Regent of Terengganu, Tengku Muhammad Ismail, also took part in the race.

Fifty-eight participants from throughout the country competed in the three categories.

Chairman of the State Committee on Youth and Sports Datuk Rahin Mohd Said gave away the prizes.