Bratislava, Slovakia: Emirati rider Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi hopes to bolster what has been a fine season by giving a good account of herself in the 2014 FEI World Endurance Championship for Young Horses at Samorin, Slovakia, on Saturday.
The event is sponsored by the HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.
Al Suwaidi led the UAE ladies endurance team to a double gold medal success in the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup in Verona, Italy, in July and is now targeting Saturday’s 120km CEI 4* star ride to further establish her credentials.
“Obviously I’m pleased with what I achieved in Italy, but it doesn’t stop there,” she told Gulf News. “My goals are to win at the highest level and I think this ride offers me the chance to really test my skills against top riders from Europe and South America.
“It’s the first time that I will be competing at this level, but I’m ready for the challenge. I’ve trained hard and have a good horse, Ainhoa Tidjor. Everything is going according to plan.”
Al Suwaidi, who broke into endurance riding in 2006 as part of the team developed by former champion Shaikha Alyazia Bint Sultan Al Nahyan, says she feels the pressure as a result of her Italian success, but is prepared to deal with it.
“Everybody expects you to perform well and to stay at the top, but it’s not easy,” she said. “It can be a bit scary when you know people have high expectations. But that also drives you to raise the bar and to aspire for higher successes.”
While accepting that the European riders will have a big advantage, Al Suwaidi also believes that the horses prepared by world endurance champion trainer Esmail Mohammad could be a force to be reckoned with.
“Esmail is an established trainer and he will not bring a horse to an event like this unless he is confident that it will be competitive,” she said. “I think he has set a high standard for all other horse trainers, so it will be interesting to see how they perform on Saturday.”
Mohammad has entered a four-strong field of horses, with Shaikh Hamed Dalmouk Al Maktoum likely to partner the highly-regarded Normandy.
Mansour Saeed Mohammed Al Faresi is set to team up with Tiswan Fageole, while Mohammad Saeed Mohammad Al Faresi rides Caramel Do Silva.
Saeed Mohammad Saeed Al Khayari completes the UAE quintet aboard the UAE-bred gelding Ostro Di Chai.
The Emirati riders will come up against strong rivals representing Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, Slovakia and Sweden.
France is well represented with a potential 11-strong field, while hosts Slovakia have entered four horses.
Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, thanked Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, for his continued support for endurance and Purebred Arabian racing.
“His Highness, through his support of events like the FEI World Endurance Championship for Young Horses, has helped the sport to reach a higher level, both in terms of participation and importance,” Al Nuaimi said.
“Endurance, in particular, is flourishing and getting more noticed in Europe and around the world thanks to the support of the Shaikh Mansour Festival, which has worked together with the local authorities in Slovakia to put on a top class competition. We wish all the competitors the best of luck on Saturday.”
