Saudi-owned Baanderos and Eks Alihandro sweep top honours

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Baanderos and Eks Alihandro stole the show at the 10th Dubai International Arabian Horse Championships winning the prestigious Senior Male and Junior Males titles on a glittering final day’s competition at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Owned by Prince Khaled Bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the owner, creator and the master mind of Al Khalediah Stud, Baanderos comfortably beat-off competition from the Abdullah Al Subaie and Sons-owned Revolution and stable-companion IM Bayard Cathare to add the coveted prize to his long list of honours.

The glorious eight-year-old colt by Marwan Al Shaqab out of HB Bessolea, who was bred by Tylor Hickman Arabians, in Texas, has won every major horse show from England to the UAE including the World Championship in Paris.

Eks Alihandro denied stable-companion Ascot DD impressing judges with his superior type and movement at the Dubai International Convention Centre Auditorium before a packed audience that included His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, who is the chief patron of the event.

The Senior Female Championship was claimed by the Ajman Stud’s Emandoria who is a former World Junior and European Junior Champion.

Showcasing her perfect head and body and strong Egyptian lines, the Polish-bred nine-year-old impressed the six judges to outscore F.M. Gloria, owned by Shaikha Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al Thani, while former champion FT Shaella, representing the Dubai Arabian Horse Stud, took third place in the category.

Emandoria was bred at the Michałów State Stud which has been breeding Purebred Arabian horses for sixty years. With over 100 broodmares and 400 Arabians at the stud, Michałów is the largest Arabian facility in Poland, and is considered one of the largest and most prestigious farms in Europe.

Meanwhile, Ajman Stud’s AJ Asyad was a unanimous winner of the Junior Female Championship accumulating high scores on type and movement.

AJ Siyadah was runner-up while Inspired Najla took the bronze.

AJ Asyad is a multiple Gold champion having won titles in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the All Nations Cup, where she was crowned Champion Yearling.

The newly introduced Yearling Female Championship was claimed by Shaikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Ali Al Thani’s Njdiya Al Zobair, who comfortably outscored Ajmaniah and bronze winner Basma Al Mohamadia.

The winner was bred locally at the Al Zobair Stud Set which is set in the midst of a desert wildlife park, in the emirate of Sharjah.

Shaikh Abdullah’s close and personally involved in the development and progress of the stud has led to Njdiya Al Zobair’s previous victories in the UAE National Championship and the Ajman Arabian Horse Show.

The Team that puts Shaikh Abdullah’s ideas into action and supervises the day-to-day care of the Stud is spearheaded by Farm Manager Michael Van den Elsken.

The Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship, which was celebrating its 10th Anniversary, helped showcase the beauty, agility and heritage of the Purebred Arabian. It was held over three days of competition culminating in the Championship classes for the most exquisite horses.