Dubai: The future of show jumping in the UAE looks bright after a four-member team won the Nations Cup for Youngsters at the HH Sharjah Ruler Cup International Show Jumping Championship at the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club.
Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzouqi, Mohammad Sultan Al Yahyaie, Sultan Majid Al Awani and Ali Mohammad Al Kitby teamed up to score a competitive win over a strong field of riders representing Saudi Arabia, Egytp, Jordan, UK and Palestine.
Saudi Arabia finished in second place ahead of Egypt, while Jordan finished fourth.
The UAE’s Mohammad Ganem Al Hajri qualified for the International Grand Prix with an impressive performance in the CSI2* event.
Al Hajri won in a category that featured 58 riders, where 16 of them completed the course without committing a mistake.
He clocked a winning time of 28.68 secs.
Saudi Arabia’s Khalid Abdul Rahman Al Mobty, riding Dona Event, won the opening round of the CSI5* event completing the course, featuring 1.45 metre high obstacles, in a time of 23.92 seconds.
Celine Schoonroodt, aboard Venus De L’Eyre, was second and Italy’s Natale Chlaudani, riding Barcelona, third.
The H.H Sharjah Ruler Cup features competitions in several classes including CSI5*W, CSI2*, CSIO CH, CSIO J, CSIO Y & CSI YH
The three-day championship is being held under the patronage of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.
The CSI5*W event carries a total of Dh4.1 million in prize and is the top most category of competition in show jumping worldwide.
The championship, sponsored by Longines, also serves as qualifier for the Longines FEI World Cup.
The CSI5*W status means the very best and top-ranking riders are competing at Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club’s state — of-the-art facility.
More than 100 international rides from Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Libia, Morocco, Netherlands, Oman, Portugal, Russia, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine and the US will compete in Sharjah Ruler Cup International Show Jumping Championship.
