Dubai: Leading French show jumper Michel Hecart took the opening day’s honours at the Dubai Showjumping Championship 2014 CSI3*-W (World Cup Arab League), which opened at the Emirates Equestrian Centre (EEC) on Thursday.
The accomplished horseman, who runs a large breeding operation of more than 200 horses near Deauville in France, delivered a textbook performance aboard Nokia De Brekka to win the Emirates Airline Two Phases — the feature event of the opening day’s action that carried a purse of Dh100,000.
Hecart secured the win in 33.98 sec, with Ukraine’s Ferenc Szentirmai on Quickdiamond second in 38.04s and Jordanian rider Hani Kamal Bisharat third in 39.63s aboard Questina. The event was contested by a total of 57 riders.
Thursday’s opening class, the Dubai Equestrian Club Welcome Stakes, was contested by 68 and was won by Slovakia’s Luka Zaloznik. He cruised through the course in 44.14s on Gayatri Van’t Welthof. Khalid Mohammad Al Emadi of Qatar was second in 46.26s aboard Lucrate d’eau Genou and close behind was the combination of Frederic David of France with Lando Boy in 46.92s.
The competition continues on Friday with the Dh150,000 Gulf News Dubai Cup — a qualifier for the Dubai Grand Prix — and the adrenalin-charged Dh65,000 Longines Speed Stakes. On Saturday, the event’s final day, the Dh100,000 Longines Accumulator will serve as the opening event to the Dh245,000 Emirates Airline Dubai Grand Prix.
The annual competition features some of the world’s top showjumpers as they compete over three days for a share of the Dh750,000 in prize money. Regional riders also compete for points that could help earn them a spot in the 2014 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Finals in France.
This year’s show features Olympic-calibre rider and horse combinations led by last year’s champion, the internationally-successful UAE Olympian Shaikha Latifa Bint Ahmad Bin Juma Al Maktoum, and members of the Saudi Arabian 2012 Olympic bronze medal-winning team.
The renowned CSI3*-W show is part of the prominent Arab League and is supported by Emirates airline, Longines and Gulf News.
The first class on Friday is at 2.30pm, with gates open from 1pm. On Saturday the competition will begin at 12pm and the gates open at 11am. The EEC is located next to Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa and Dubai International Endurance City.
