Kirbi triumphs at inaugural Al Shira’aa Derby
Abudhabi:theregion’sirstderby class was won in sensational style by UAE rider, Hamad Al Kirbi on Uxmal d’ysieux at the CSI4* Al Shira’aa International Horse Show on Friday.
Thenewadditiontothealshira’aa International Horse Show schedule was inspired by the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby, which is held at the All England Jumping Course in England each June and is sponsored by Al Shira’aa.
A Derby class is designed with fences that mimic the types of obstaclesahorseandridermightencounter if they were in open countryside. The 135cm Emirates Motor Company Al Shira’aa Derby course, built by Portugal’s Bernardo Costa Cabral, consisted of 14 fences including a wall, water, Hickstead planks and gates.
The 750m course proved a tough test of horse and rider, with the first 15 competitors failing to go fault or time penalty free until Jordan’s Nasouh Kayali and new mount, Adette entered the arena.
Adette and Kayali had already proven their credentials against the clock when winning the Z7 Speed Stakes on Thursday. A relatively new partnership at only their second show together, the pair made short work of the course to stop the clock in a time of 85.32sec. William Funnell, winner of the 2018 Al Shira’aa Hicksteadderby,pilotedbillymccain to a smooth, fast clear in 82.92sec to overtake him.
The standings didn’t change until the UAE’S Mohammed Al Hajri jumped clear to storm into the lead on Doklahoma in a time of 82.73sec. As the class progressed it seemed unlikelythathistimewouldbebeaten but then Kirbi, 48thon the starting order, rode a fearless round on Uxmal d’ysieux to win in a time of 81.09sec.
In the process Kirbi beat Funnell, with whom he had been training in the summer, into third place.
“I feel like William when he won the Hickstead Derby,” joked Kirbi, who has also competed in the famous class. Kirbi won a Mercedes GLA 220 which he drove away from the prize giving.
Earlier in the day the show had featured the finals of the young rider and young horse classes.
Salim Ahmed Al Suwaidi of the UAE and his bay stallion, Diamond Way shone in the opening class with their second Cavalor Young Horse International Stakes victory of the Al Shira’aa International Horse Show.
“This stallion is amazing,” said Suwaidi. “I have to be honest, I was expecting it, he just can’t stop winning. I’m so happy to have this horse.”