Young rider, Ali Hamad Al Kirbi, from the Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club won first place in the Division 1, UAE riders only, class, which consisted of One Round with Jump-Off at 140cm during the weekend’s championship, sponsored by Longines and under the supervision of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation (UAEERF).
The championship, held at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, consisted of six rounds in the outdoor sand arena. The league competitions will continue at equestrian centres and clubs across the UAE, before wrapping up with the finals at the Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club in April.
Al Remeithi and Al Kirbi Take Turns Coming Out Ahead
During the One Round Against the Clock competition for Division 1, UAE riders only, jumps were placed at 135cm. 24 male and female riders compete, six of whom succeeded in finishing the jump-off without faults. First place went to the Emirates Heritage Club’s Moh’d Shafi M. Al Remeithi and ‘Puck’, while in second place came Ali Abdalla Al Khadim riding ‘Doxanne B’ from the Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club and Ali Hamad Al Kirbi with ‘Baloucenta’ came in third.
During the second competition of One Round Against the Clock for Division 1, UAE riders only, where jumps were placed at 140cm, Al Kirbi leaped forward into first place with a time of 38.95 sections. 13 out of 23 riders succeeded in making it to the jump-off round without any faults, out of which nine riders rode without faults. Al Kirbi’s fellow club member, Salim Khamis Al Suwaidi, won second place with ‘Espresso’ as he finished the jump-off in 39.17 seconds. Al Remeithi came in third with a time of 39.18 seconds.
Great ride: Tina Lund
Tina Lund Wins 145cm Jump-Off
The first round kicked off with a Two Phase competition at 135cm for Division 1 riders. 16 male and female riders competed in this round but only four riders succeeded in finishing the two phases without faults. Sustainable City Equestrian Club’s Farhang Sadeghi came in first with ‘W Piccolini’ when they completed the second phase in 26.80 seconds.
The second round for Division 1 riders wrapped up with a One Round with Jump-off competition at 145cm. 14 male and female riders competed in this round and four of them succeeded in finishing it without faults. Three riders went on to finish the jump-off without faults, led by Tina Lund with ‘Freestyle’ from the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club as she finished it in 40.09 seconds. Frederic David with ‘Saxo De La Roque’ from Al Asayl Stables won second place, as he finished the jump-off in 42.17 seconds and Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club’s Hadi Nizam and his horse ‘Dollar Van Het Polderhof’ came in third.
Three Classes Compete Over Two Rounds
Riders participating in three classes competed in two rounds – Division 2 riders, juniors and young horses (5-6 years old). The first was a Two Phase competition, which had jumps placed at 125cm for Juniors, Young Horses (5 year-olds) and Division 2 riders with the young 6 year-old horses jumping 130cm. The second round for each of the three classes consisted of a One Round with Jump-off with jumps set at the same height for each division.
14 riders competed in the Two Phase competition for Division 2 riders, in which only two rode without faults. Youssef Sawas and ‘Elton’ from Al Ali Stables were the only ones to complete the jump-off without faults as he finished in 32.01 seconds. Second place went to Shaikh Nehayan bin Khalefa Al Nahyan from Al Bahiya Club riding ‘Pacha Du Fort’. In the second competition of One Round with Jump Off for Division 2, Sawas and ‘Elton’ came in first with Mohammed Bakheet Al Qubaisi with ‘Sanara Du Lozon’ from the Mandara Equestrian Club placing second.
