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UAE quartet rides high
As his grey gelding Almutawakel cleared the final fence, Mohammad Al Kumaiti dropped his reins and punched both hands in the air in jubilation.
- By Sarah Tregoning, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:35 May 3, 2009
- Image Credit: Karl Jeffs/Gulf News
- UAE showjumping team (from left) Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi, Mohammad Abdullah Al Merri, Shaikha Latifa Bint Ahmad Bin Jumaa Al Maktoum.
Doha: As his grey gelding Almutawakel cleared the final fence, Mohammad Al Kumaiti dropped his reins and punched both hands in the air in jubilation.
His clear round had just sealed the UAE's third-place position in the team showjumping competition at the Asian Games.
Receiving the bronze medals alongside the Koreans in silver position and the excellent team from Saudi Arabia in first, the UAE riders knew that they had earned the accolade.
Before the competition started, Shaikha Latifa Bint Ahmad Bin Jumaa Al Maktoum had said that they were only coming to the Asian Games for experience. But some sharp riding over two days had made them more than a match for accomplished equestrian powers Malaysia, Indonesia, Qatar and Japan.
A delighted Shaikha Latifa said later: "When we came, we just wanted to get some experience. We were not concentrating on getting medals because this is the Asian Games. We are very happy."
With just four points separating the UAE from hosts Qatar in fourth, it was essential that all the UAE riders put in good performances. And that is exactly what happened.
Watched by Shaikha Maitha Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who launches her assault on the karate competition today, the young UAE side looked like a far more experienced outfit in the ring.
It was afterwards when the prizes had been won that their youthful delight showed. Riding into the collecting ring, adorned with flowers and medals, their exuberance passed to their horses who refused to stand still for a group photograph.
Abdullah Al Muhairi, who rode a beautiful clear yesterday after accumulating eight faults the day before, said: "We are so happy, we can't believe it. It has been a great experience for us."
His teammate, Mohammad Abdullah Al Merri, who also improved on his first day score of 12 with just four faults, added: "We are only 21 or 22, so we are very inexperienced. We are so happy and we bond well as a team. We have achieved more than we set out to do."
Commenting after his horse, Secret d'Amour, almost unseated him in the collecting ring as Al Merri received a leg up after the victory ceremony, he laughed: "My horse doesn't like medal ceremonies and gets excited, but we won the bronze so he had no choice but to go in!"
While all four UAE riders qualified for the individual competition today, only the best two can enter.
Shaikha Latifa's clear on day one and four faults yesterday have guaranteed her a spot in the individual alongside Mohammad Al Kumaiti, who finished on the same score.
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