Abu Dhabi: The young rider Ibrahim Ali of Al Wathba Stables claimed the title in the 120-km main race, held as part of the Abu Dhabi Endurance Festival at the Emirates International Endurance Village on Sunday.
A total of 127 riders took part in race, held as part of the season-end festival, which started on Friday.
Ibrahim Ali, riding Sha Shahem, managed to cover the total distance with a time of 4:07:17 hours and an average speed of 29.27km/h. He is closely followed by Khalfan Juma’a, riding Avenir Le Maggiore, came in second place for MRM Stables in a time of 4:07:18, while the F3 stables’ Rashid Mohammed Al Muhairi, riding Vulcani Violi, finished third in a time of 4:17:50.
After the end of the race, Major General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, President of the Equestrian Federation, and Musallam Al Ameri, Director General of the Emirates International Endurance Village, crowned the winners, in the presence of Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Equestrian Federation, Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the Racing Festival of Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Mohammed Al Hadrami, Director of Events in the village, and Abdul Rahman Al Rumaithi, the village supervisor.
Musallam Al Ameri thanked Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, for his unlimited support for endurance sports in general, and for the Emirates Global Endurance Village races in Al Wathba in particular.
Hamid Khalil Al Hosani, on Bedouina Christina, of Al Azm Stables was crowned the champion of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Private Stables race for a distance of 100km, which was held on Friday.
Four-stage ride
Al Hosani covered the total distance of the four-stage ride in a time of 3:21:04 hours, with an average speed of 29.84km/h. Ahmed Saleh Al Shehhi of Al Kamda Stables, riding Catch Me Hippolite, finished second in 3:21:13, while his stablemate Argentinian Diana Jupita, on SMF Junita, third in 3:24:09 hours.
Afnan Ibrahim, riding Baraka Eligido, clinched the women’s race after she managed to cover the total distance in 3:17:54 hours for Commandos Stables, while Mira Al Bawadi’s Jassim Al Ansari, on Chelsea de Luc and Shamma Mubarak Al Mansoori, riding Aramis, clinched the second and third positions respectively.
