Al Juniabi claims 160-km ride
abu dhabi — Rashid Hamoud Al Junaibi riding 8 Minute, a 12-yearold mare won the prestigious 160km HH The President of the UAE Endurance Cup ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba on Saturday.
The ride which attracted 270 riders, was held under the directives of the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the direct supervision of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, chairman of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, Major General Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi, chairman the General Authority for Sports and a number of officials and guests attended the ride.
The winner represented Al Wathba Stables owned by Sheikh Mansour. Sheikh Mohammed congratulated Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the victory.
Al Junaibi riding 8 Minute completed the 160-km distance in a time of 6 hours 12 minutes and 10 seconds and finished ahead of Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri on Faraan with Layla Al Marzooqi on AP Birmano was in third place.
The winner was awarded a Mercedes Benz S450, the secondplaced rider got a Range Rover Sport, and riders finishing third to tenth drove away with a Nissan Patrol 4WD car each. All those who completed the ride received Dh100,000 each.