Abu Dhabi: For the first time in the UAE's domestic endurance history, three foreign riders finished on top in the President's Cup for Junior Riders, the President's Cup for Ladies and the President's Cup for horses privately owned.
The Bouthieb Endurance Village in Al Khatem saw over six endurance races over the last three days including Qualifier rides.
Achille Donnais of France on Queops des Aubepines finished ahead of the UAE's Khalifa Ganem Al Merri on Ridasa Brinda with just 26 seconds separating the two riders in the President's Cup for Juniors and Young Riders which was a Two-Star ride over 120 km.
Donnais and Queops des Aubepines completed the five stage race over 120 km in a ride time of 4hrs 32 mins and 44 seconds with the UAE rider in second place and Fatima Jasem Al Merri, the National Day Cup winner in third place on Razoeback Wildfire in 4:39.20. A total of 47 riders took part in this ride And five UAE riders finished behind the French rider.
In the President's Cup for Ladies, which was run over 90 km, Poland's Kamila Kart emerged winner in a close contest with the UAE's Noora Abdullah Ahmad Mahmoud.
Superb win
Kart, who did well in the recent Ladies Ride held at the Emirates International Endurance Village with a 6th place finish, rode Kandjar El Zadie to a superb win in the One-Star ride.
It was Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi on Al Galahn who led going out into the final loop with Kart on Kandjar El Zadie in second place and Noora on Rob's Roy in third but the lead changed as they approached the final kilometres and in the end Kart managed to finish ahead of Noora by just three seconds and Afra was pushed to fourth place by another Emirati Reem Mohammad Obaid Al Marzouqi with less than a minute separating the first four riders. Kart and Kandjar Al Zadie completed the 90-km ride in 3 hrs 14 mins and 26 seconds. In the President's Cup for Private Owners, Indian rider Narayan Singh Dungar Singh on Nisr Dimashq won in a time of 3:36.36. The UAE's Saif Mubarak Obaid Al Khaili on Maioro Nakita and Hamdan Mousa on Farandula finished second and third respectively.
All rides are under the patronage of Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the Emirates Heritage Club.
