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Harrie Smolders of The Netherlands guided Exquis Powerfee with speed and precision to win the CSI 5* Big Tour 150cm against the clock in CHI Al Shaqab here at the Al Shaqab arena yesterday night. |
Such was the Dutchman’s control that he cleared the jump-off with zero faults in 33.56s and in the process brushed off the challenges of Britain’s Scott Brash and Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer, who finished on the second and the third spots, respectively.
The world number 28 hit the accelerator and cleared the round almost one second before Brash, who also had the clear round in 35.07s.
Schwizer also had the clear round with a timing of 35.23.
It was a tough round as all the big guns were out in force, with the start-list including the reigning Olympic, World and European champions, but only 14th made it through to the jump-off round.
“Yes it was a tough round. My horse was very fast on the turns. I think he knows the game well,” Smolders said.
In the day’s second event, Medium Tour (CSI 3*), a two-phase competition with an integrated jump-off against the clock, World Number 4 jumper Schwizer finished the course in 25.48 on Ulysse to claim first position.
He was followed by Britain’s highest ranked lady rider Laura Renwick, who clocked 25.64 on Parvati de Breve. The third place was claimed by Italian Emanuele Gaudian in 25.64s, who was riding Admara 2.
Frenchman Roger-Vyes Bost, who won two events yesterday, finished ninth with a timing of 26.56s.
“Al SHAQAB is the Hollywood of the equestrian world. It’s unbelievable – easily the best I’ve ever seen,” Schwizer said after his victory. “The conditions here are perfect, especially when it gets to 6.00pm. The facilities are out-of-this-world, I’d be quite happy to jump here all the time. It’s also nice to ride in such a big arena – I’m used to smaller, indoor circuits,” Laura said.
“It was a very, very tight competition – the times were all really close. My mare is bigger, so her strides were bigger, and she’s a little slower. But she jumped better today than she did yesterday,” she said.
Earlier in the day, leading Qatari riders took the opportunity to gain valuable experience at the top level in front of an enthusiastic home crowd and put in some impressive performances on the course which was designed to challenge both the horse and the rider.
Christa Heibach, course designer for the CSI3* enthused, “This is an amazing venue and with a new set of obstacles we have been able to make the course look even more impressive.”
Qatar’s Hamada Ali al-Attiyah claimed the first position in the Small Tour (CSI 3*) event by finishing the course in 62.79s. Al-Attiyah, who was riding Levicci, said, “I am delighted I won first place – what a fantastic achievement. And the Qataris are the youngest competitors at CHI AL SHAQAB.”
With three Qataris placed in this particular competition, it demonstrates the depth of talent emerging, proof that AL SHAQAB has built on its founding vision to ensure the nation’s equestrian heritage be preserved and promoted.
The second position was bagged by Abdulrahman al-Saaq Marri of Qatar. He finished in 63.35 on Siec Cosmos. The third position went to France’s David Frederic, who clocked 66.57s on his Domina Van’t Merelsnest.