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First women's endurance ride of the season
More than 30 endurance riders were expected to take part in the season's first endurance race for women, which was due to start this morning.
- Staff Report
- Published: 23:35 November 20, 2008
Abu Dhabi: More than 30 endurance riders were expected to take part in the season's first endurance race for women, which was due to start this morning.
The FEI, CEI Three-star ride is titled HH Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Challenge.
It is being run over a distance of 120km at the Al Asayel Endurance Village, Sweihan, Abu Dhabi.
The ride is being held under the patronage Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed, President, UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation.
It was being run over five phases of 30km, 30km, 24km, 20km and 16km. It will have a mass start at 6.15am.
Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim, CEO of event sponsors Hydra Properties, praised Shaikh Sultan's efforts to boost equestrian sports and endurance riding in particular.
Dr Fahim said his organisation was proud to be associated with this and any equestrian event in the future.
Encourage others
He said: "This is the first ride for ladies and some of the big names are taking part.
"We hope this event will encourage more lady riders to take to equestrian sport which is part of our culture and heritage."
Some of the UAE's top riders were due to be joined by Maria Alvarez Ponton, the reigning FEI World Champion.
Maria won the title after finishing first in the 160km FEI World Endurance Championship in Terengganu, Malaysia, earlier this month. She will be riding Hamlet El Indaio.
The world champion was expected to face competition for the title from Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi, who was last year's champion.
Shamsah Awad Al Otaiba, who finished first in last year's Round 3, was another favourite.
Contenders
Other contenders included Reem Shaban Ebrahim Hasan, Aliya Ali Mohd Yousuf Al Marzouqi, Sara Mohammad Al Jaber Al Merri, Nadia Mansoor Loudouna and Jameela Ahmad.
Nouf Mohammad Khamis Al Daheri, Bayan Abdullah Abbas Ahmad, Noora Mohammad Mubarak Al Merri, Mahra Yaqoob Yousuf Al Janabi and Martha Mary Mischeff, Brenda Cooke are also among possible challengers.
Prize money
A prize fund of Dh70,000 has been earmarked for the event with the first-placed rider set to take home Dh30,000 while the second-placed rider will get Dh25,000.
An amount of Dh10,000 will be given to the Best Conditioned Horse.
The Al Asayel Endurance Village in cooperation with the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation has organised the ride for the third consecutive year.
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