Sheikh Ahmed creates history

Monday's World Endurance Championship at Garrapilos, about 17 kms from here, turned out to be more a battle for survival than one for supremacy. And fighting against odds heavily stacked against them, the UAE riders blitzed the field, with Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Maktoum taking the gold.

Right at the start, the UAE were marked as strong contenders and one of the outside favourites. Reducing the vet gate, though, was a factor which did not suit the fast-paced UAE riders. And coming from the deserts of the UAE, whatever little advantage they might have had was washed away in the pouring rain.

The dry and dusty route, winding up the predominantly hilly terrain of the region, turned into a slippery and treacherous path - a nightmare for the riders.

With visibility also at the barest minimum, the worst affected in the entire field were the UAE riders. Or so their rivals thought.

Once the race started, the UAE suffered their first blow when the horse of General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence, Fay, slipped and got injured.

"The horse had shoes for dry weather, but the rains came pouring and we could do nothing," said Ismaeel Mohammed, trainer of Sheikh Mohammed's endurance horses.

At the end of the second stage, after nearly half the ride was over, Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the European Open champion and in first place at that stage, was forced out.

His horse, Maradon, seemed to be in good shape in the trot up and never put one wrong step. However, the vets stood by their decision and the UAE's biggest hope and key member of the team was out.

At that stage the UAE team was leading the field and heading for the gold, but with Sheikh Rashid's exit the team's hopes were dashed.

All this while the youngest and most inexperienced member of the UAE team, Sheikh Ahmed, just kept going along with elder brother Sheikh Hamdan. Saeed Abdullah Al Ketbi was also in close range, while the other UAE rider, Saif Ali Al Ketbi, was further behind.

When the riders came in after the fourth stage, with just 19.3kms left, Sheikh Ahmed was leading, followed by Sheikh Hamdan in third place and Saeed Abdullah Al Ketbi in fourth.

The experienced duo of Antonio Rossi and Meg Wade were in second and fifth places respectively.
Sheikh Ahmed, who had company throughout the ride so far, suddenly found himself all alone in the final stage, as Sheikh Hamdan's horse was eliminated just before the start of the 19.3 kms.

The youngest rider in the field on Monday, Sheikh Ahmed entered the wrong route before he came back and went into the correct final loop.

Rossi, a former European medalist, made a strong bid at the end, but Sheikh Ahmed drew upon all the advice from Sheikh Mohammed to stay calm and just kept extending the lead.

Bowman, the big Australian horse, stood by the young champion and when the finish line was crossed history was made.

It was for the first time in 37 years since the World Equestrian Games were staged that a rider from the Arab or Asian countries had got into the medals tally.

Saeed Abdullah Al Ketbi came fifth while Saif Ali Al Ketbi's horse was eliminated after completing the ride in 15th position.

The UAE not only stormed the bastion of European Equestrianism, but did it with the gold and stood fourth in the medals tally among the 52 countries in the fray.

Whatever doubts the Europeans had about the UAE's mastery in endurance were dispelled, as Monday's win came in their own backyard and in the most unfriendly and unfamiliar of conditions.