AL AIN: Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, (The Mother of the Nation), Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), the events of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA) International Show Jumping Cup at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting, and Golf Club concluded.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, honoured the winners in the presence of Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi, Patrick Aoun, Regional Brand Manager for the Middle East and South East Asia, Longines Watch Co., Dr. Omniyat Mohammed Al-Hajri, Vice-Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Naema Abdulrahman Al Mansouri, and Amal Abdul Qadir Al-Afifi, both members of the Academy.
The championship, with a total prize pool of AED 700,000, witnessed the p
articipation of 233 riders, including 44 male and 53 female riders representing the UAE, across six different categories.
The event categories included: CSICH-A, CSIJ-A, CSIY-A,* Nationals Special, CSIYH1* and the main showpiece CSIL2*.
Thirty-nine countries were represented across the four days of competition, an increase of five from last year’s edition, offering a special platform for local and international riders and showjumpers.
The final day’s biggest prize was won by Chloe Vranken who took first place in the CSIL2* (One Horse per Rider) – One Round with Jump Off over the 140cm fences. The Belgian national recorded a time of 38.35 in the second round to claim the 8,750 euro prize (AED35,000) on Emir De Vy ahead of a strong 26-rider field.
On board Jacarta Equigenne, Spain’s Maria Gonzalez laguillo finished in second, 0.57 seconds behind the leader, while Celine Schoonbroodt De Azevedo made it a second Belgian national in the top-three on Conseno Blue PS.
Eve McCoy, a UK national, was victorious in
CSIL2* (One Horse per Rider) one round with jump off, adding to her first place accumulator finish. On board Cocktail D’Azur, Eve McCoy produced two rounds over the 120cm fences to push the UAE’s Maryam Ahmed Abdulmalik Ahli on Don Juan 111 Z into second place – a time of 40.28 seconds in the jump off was just 0.22 ahead of the local rider. Greece’s Anna-Sophia Danalis took third on Coconut 53.
In the CSIY-A (Two Horses Per rider) one round with jump off, Syria’s Boushra Al Assad took first place with two rounds to claim the 1,200 Euro (AED4,800) top prize. Riding Cento Du Rouet, Al Assad registered a time of 36.49 seconds in the second round – 0.26 seconds faster than the UAE’s Omar Abdulaziz Almarzooqi on Concordia who claimed second place. Syria Sham Al Assad was third on Urtimack Des Abbayes in 37.10 seconds.
Source: Emirates News Agency