Al Jahouri family in UAE win second car in three days

Abu Dhabi: Winning two cars in three days, including a Bentley, left the Al Jahouri family elated after the third and final endurance ride was held at the Emirates International Endurance Village.

While 14-year-old Khalifa Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri was given a car for topping the 100-kilometre Shaikh Mohammad Bin Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup for private-owned horses on Friday, his father Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri revealed his class with a victory in Sunday’s Giants Endurance Challenge to win a Bentley.

The European Open champion and UAE national team rider, who also trains endurance horses at Al Wathba Stables, was involved in a close duel with another top rider from Al Reef Stables, Yousuf Ahmad Al Beloushi, and Spanish rider Diego Bellon Santos before prevailing at the end.

Riding seven-year-old mare GM Navidad, Al Jahouri first had to make up a lot of ground in the third loop, which he started in 14th place, while Al Beloushi on Rivergun Drifter was in fourth place.

At the end of that loop he moved up five places, while Al Beloushi finished second just ahead of Santos on Sirco El Kaiser.

The fourth loop saw Al Beloushi drop to seventh place, while Al Jahouri in third was within striking distance of the Spanish rider in second. With the then leader Saif Sultan Abdullah Dhahi Al Buamim on Seerseri eliminated, GM Navidad moved into first place, while Al Beloushi rallied to take second to leave Bellon Santos in third.

Both Al Beloushi and Santos were also rewarded with cars for their efforts, while a total prize fund of Dh500,000 was distributed among all riders who completed the 120km ride.

“After the second stage I was nearly seven minutes off the leader and it was a very strong field today,” said Al Jahouri. “And as the ride progressed the heat was also rising. Conditions became tough.

“But my horse, which is relatively a young mare, did very well to finish in style.”

Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, also took part on nine-year-old chestnut Quadfolie but retired after two stages in the five-stage ride.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor, and Shaikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan also attended yesterday’s ride.