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Saudis in the spotlight at CSI3* Accumulator jumping competition

The CSI3* Accumulator with Joker was a great opener for jumping competition and a real entertaining show for a near to capacity crowd on Day 5 at AL SHAQAB 2015.

32 riders representing 4 different countries lined up for a rather spectacular competition which featured nine obstacles with the bar raised at 1m30 and a twenty-point worth tenth one at 1m55.

Of all competitors only three were able to complete a flawless course and eventually earned the right to attend the post-event award ceremony. All came from Saudi Arabia with Fahad Al Eid being the fastest, finishing in 54:35 on 2001-born stallion Natal de St Martin. Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty with Aloha ranked second with a time of 55:27, while the winner’s elder and rather more famous brother Khaled El Eid and Dona Evita trailed in third with 59:12, to complete a clean Saudi sweep.

The best among the Qataris was fourth-ranked Mohammed Said A.m Haidan on Kingdom Come.

Kuwait’s Ali Al Khorafi, who had been real effective and excelled at almost all previous CSI3* jumping events at AL SHAQAB 2015, galloped on Ungarin 4 without hitting a single fence until he reached the “Joker”, but failed to clear it. Apparently his time of 52:13 came in vain as he had to settle for the tenth place.

RESULTS :

1. Fahad Al Eid (Saudi Arabia) – Natal St Martin 65/54:35
2. Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty (Saudi Arabia) – Aloha 65/55:17
3. Khaled Al Eid (Saudi Arabia) – Dona Evita – 65/59:12

QUOTES :

Fahad AL EID (KSA), winner

On his winning:
“I am very happy to win here. It feels great and I am extremely satisfied.”

On CHI AL SHAQAB:
“Amazing modern facilities which makes you perform even better.”


Khaled AL MOBTY (KSA), second

On his result:
“It wasn’t good for me. Not particularly happy as I could’ve won it. Will be working on what went wrong for me this time.”

On CHI AL SHAQAB:
“This is the best equestrian arena imaginable. The show is incredible so is the course design. It’s a real pleasure to compete here.”


Khaled AL EID (KSA), third

On his performance:
“I am only training this horse so everything is for the first time for my new horse here. However I am OK with the third spot under those circumstances.”

On the competition:
“The competition is very tough here at CHI AL SHAQAB 2015. The best riders are taking part which makes it even more exciting to compete here.”

On his brother’s victory:
“I am very happy my younger brother Fahad won today. Shows our family’s winning ways.”