Sheikh Ali gets dream finish for the UAE
dubai — The UAE’s Sheikh Ali Abdulla Al Qassimi landed the showpiece Emirates Airline Dubai Grand Prix FEI World Cup Qualifier at Dubai Show Jumping Championship on Saturday afternoon, staving off competition from a field of 32, including 24 international rider-horse combinations from 16 countries.
The Dubai Grand Prix is competed across two rounds, with the top 25 per cent of riders from the first advancing to the second, for a battle against time and penalties. Al Qassimi clocked a winning 47.68sec aboard Cacharel to take home Dh80,000 and said he was pleased to have given the home country a significant victory especially since he was riding a young mare. “It took me a few minutes to realize I had won this,” he said. “It is a big show for me and a world cup qualification with a new mare, and we have just been preparing regularly for a few months, and following our normal routine and I am very thankful for this win.”
Second place went to Anita Sande of Norway who was very close behind Ali Qassimi. She finished the course in 47.70sec with her horse Cash 2. David Frederic of France aboard Equador Van’T Roosakker took third position, and was over three seconds behind the leaders.
The final day of the event opened with the Dh98,0000 Longines Accumulator a class won by local star Abdullah Al Marri of the UAE on board Narcissist Fbh with a maximum score of 65, in a winning time of 53.91. Saudi Arabia secured second through the rider and horse combination of Khaled Abdulaziz Al Eid and Aasthir, in a time of 54.37, while five-time Olympian Ramzy Hamad Al Duhami also of Saudi Arabia came in third aboard his horse Ted.