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CHI AL SHAQAB 2016 GETS UNDERWAY

A world-class field competed in the first two rounds of CSI 5* competition on the opening day of CHI AL SHAQAB 2016, giving riders a chance to familiarise their horses with the splendid arena at Al Shaqab.

Bertram Allen brought two horses to Doha with the objective of trying to amass points to improve his world ranking, in the hope of securing one of the last remaining Olympic places. And the Irish rider did his chances no harm with a strong win in the first CSI5* competition. No one could match the 21-year-old’s double clear in the fastest time of 26:53. Meanwhile, Qatari team stalwart Bassem Hassan Mohammed delighted the home crowd by picking up second place on his horse Argelith Squid.

The course consisted of 13 fences, each measuring around 1m 45. The riders get the chance to walk the course on foot before the competition begins to plan how they will ride each fence during their round. However, such is the testing nature of the course that even the best laid plans can go awry.

It was all eyes on World Number One Scott Brash when he entered on the spring heeled Hello M’Lady. But one time fault in the first phase put the Scottish rider out of contention. The 30-year-old Brash was part of the British team that won gold in the 2012 London Olympics, as well as the European Championships. He remains the first and only winner of the prestigious Rolex Grand Slam Series, Show Jumping’s richest prize.

Brash’s ambition is now to win individual gold in Rio, during this summer’s Olympic Games, and he feels that CHI AL SHAQAB offers the ideal preparation. “It’s a wonderful venue here in Doha,” he said. “All riders always enjoy coming here. It’s great for the horses, great working-in areas, great stables, great arenas to ride in.“

Earlier in the day, the event opened with the first leg of the Doha Tour, where 47 riders from six nations competed to score points towards the Doha Tour Series around a two-phase course of 1m 30 fences.

Qatari rider Saeed Nasser S.A Al Qadi triumphed on Jessico in the first competition of the day. The spirited Irish-bred horse and his courageous rider set a strong challenge halfway through the competition with some tight turns and a display of speed that no other riders could match. Al Qadi’s success showed that, even at the lower levels of the sport, Qatari riders are gaining prominence in the sport of Jumping, and their training and commitment is clearly paying off.

In the second CSI 3* competition, a different course was set by the same course designer, one of five present in Doha for CHI AL SHAQAB, including the renowned expert Stefan Wirth, who had flown in from Mexico the night before. Ali Al Khorafi took the top spot riding Cheril in the second competition. Al Khorafi was perhaps the standout rider of the day in the CSI3* category, having finished second in the opening competition.