Dubai: UAE quartet are ready for their historic maiden entry in the dressage competition, which is set to begin on Tuesday with the team competition and individual qualification.
UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, supported by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice-President and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, and Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, announced that its four-strong dressage team has passed the vet check for the dressage team competition, which made its debut at the ninth Asian Games 1982.
Four participants
Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri on Ecencka, a 14 year old KWPN mare by Jazz, Mohamed Jassim Al Serkal on Hermes V, an 11 year old KWPN gelding by Bretton Woods, Natalie Lankester on Cash DXB, a 16-year-old KWPN gelding by Hexagon’s Rubiquil and Bianca Schutz on Fearless WS, a nine-year-old Westfalen mare by Franziskus will be riding for UAE in Hanghou.
The horses arrived in Hangzhou last Thursday after quarantining in Aachen’s famous Deutsche Bank Stadium facilities, have been adjusting to their new temporary home at the stunning Tonglu Equestrian Centre and are ready to take to the centre stage and contend for a place on the podium.
Endurance gold medals
Back in 2006, the UAE secured team gold in endurance, along with individual gold and bronze in the same year, as well as individual bronze in show jumping. Four years later, the UAE’s show jumping team secured two silver medals, both team and individual.
On Wednesday, the riders will again take to the area to ride the complex FEI Intermediate I test to qualify for a place in Thursday’s freestyle, with the best 15 horses from the previous day’s competition competing for a medal.
Organised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Asian Games bring together the OCA’s 45-member countries to compete in a diverse range of 40 sports, including the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of dressage, show jumping and eventing.
