Qatar’s Salman Mohammed AS al-Emadi, riding Zorro Z, won the Doha Tour CSI3* Two Phases, 1.45m, event yesterday.
Coming off after a three-week break due to a thigh injury, Hans-Dieter Dreher would not have expected to hit the ground running straightaway. But the rest seemed to have done wonders for the German.
Dreher and his 14-year-old stallion, Colore, had finished third in the 1.45m Class on the opening night of the CHI Al Shaqab, and the pair went two steps further yesterday.
In the CSI5* Table A (238.2.1a) 1.50m, the main class of yesterday’s competition, Dreher guided Colore to a clinical display, pulling out long strides with ease to stop the clock at 65.65 seconds. Dreher took home 16000 Euros for his effort.
Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet (Oh d’Eole) was second, ahead of Global Champions Tour winner Luciana Diniz (Fit For Fun) of Portugal.
Dreher said he was feeling good after recovering from the injury. “I had a three-week break, because I had a problem with my adductor. Yesterday, I rode for the first time after three weeks and I was good on the course with my horse. I feel good overall,” he said after last night’s victory.
“I had a great round, good momentum and my horse kept constantly jumping. I am very happy. My horse has one of the biggest strides and that helped. I could let him go all through the course. It was very fast on obstacles 3 and 4 and again fast on 7 and 8, and a very good last turn as well,” he added.
The 44-year-old, whose ambition is to compete at Olympics, said, “We will wait and see”, when asked if he had booked his spot for 2016 Rio Games after an impressive show on the first two days of CHI Al Shaqab.
Great Britain’s Laura Renwick, riding Rembrandt Blue, won the CSI5* Table C, 1.45m, event at CHI Al Shaqab yesterday.
Earlier, Great-Britain’s Laura Renwick and her 11-year-old gelding, Rembrandt Blue, finished on top in CSI5* Table C (263) 1.45m. The pair stopped the clock stopped at 59.89 seconds to scoop home 16000 Euros.
Renwick lived up to her reputation as the ‘speed queen’ of the jumping circuit, as the gutsy rider pulled off a sterling performance of pace and precision to overcome 23 other riders around a course set against the clock. Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano jumped one rail down with Corbanus, finishing in 64.47 seconds, to come seconds. Saudi Arabia’s veteran rider Abdullah Alsharbatly and Wasabi finished third in 65.26 seconds.
Renwick has been knocking on the door of British team selection for several years, and in 2015 she racked up an impressive 60 wins in Jumping classes around the world. She will be hoping her performance at CHI Al Shaqab will be strong enough to impress selectors ahead of the Rio Olympics.
QATAR’S AL-EMADI IMPRESSES
In the Doha Tour, the first of three legs which is being run concurrently with the other international competitions at Al Shaqab, Qatar’s Salman Mohammed A S al-Emadi had an impressive day.
Al-Emadi and Ali al-Khorafi of Kuwait went neck-and-neck in two competitions, with both emerging winners in an event each.
The Qatari triumphed in the Two Phases (274.5.3) 1.45m, the fancied 3-star event of the day, which carried more points for the Doha Tour. Al-Emadi partnered Zorro Z to come home clean in 45.06 seconds for a purse of 6250 Euros. Al-Khorafi (Cheril) was second, followed by Saudi Arabia’s Khaled Abdulaziz al-Eid (Old Chap Tame) in third.
Earlier, al-Emadi (Lucky Lady) had come third in CSI3* Table A (238.2.1a) 1.30m, which was won by al-Khorafi riding his trusted eight-year-old mare Ungarin 4. Saudi Arabia’s Abdelkarim Abbar (Ziezo) came third.
Finishing outside the placings, despite showing great promise, was Qatari rider Maryam Mubarak A al-Ali. Maryam committed eight faults, but looked forward to improving her performance in today’s competition.
As one of the few female Qatari Jumping riders, al-Ali could be the first woman to make a national team in one of the very few sports where men and women compete on an equal basis. She already has two horses capable of 5-star level, and it is her ambition to compete at World Equestrian Games and Olympic Games in the future.
Results
Show Jumping
CSI5* Table A (238.2.1a) 1.50m
1. Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) Colore. Time: 65.65 seconds. Prize money: 16000 Euros
2. Gregory Wathelet (BEL) Oh d’Eole. 66.99 secs. 12800 Euros
3. Luciana Diniz (POR) Fit For Fun 13. 67.68 secs. 9600 Euros
CSI5* Table C (263) 1.45m
1. Laura Renwick (GBR) Rembrandt Blue. Time: 59.89 secs. Prize money: 6250 Euros
2. Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) Corbanus. 64.47 secs. 5000 Euros
3. Abdullah Alsharbatly (KSA) Wasabi. 65.26 secs. 3750 Euros
Doha Tour first leg
CSI3* Table A (238.2.1a) 1.30m
1. Ali al Khorafi (KUW) Ungarin 4. Time: 54.89 secs. Prize money: 3000 Euros
2. Abdelkarim Abbar (KSA) Ziezo. 55.46 secs. 2400 Euros
3. Salman Mohammed A S al-Emadi (QAT) Lucky Lady. 56.08 secs, 1800 Euros
CSI3* Two Phases (274.5.3) 1.45m
1. Salman Mohammed A S al-Emadi (QAT) Zorro Z. Time: 45.06 secs. Prize money: 6250 Euros
2. Ali al-Khorafi (KUW) Cheril. 40.32 secs. 5000 Euros
3. Khaled Abdulaziz al-Eid (KSA) Old Chap Tame. 42.27 secs. 3750 Euros
Dressage
CPEDI3* Team Ia (Ia Team)
1. Jens Lasse Dokkan, Norway (Cypres) Time: 10:09secs 71.522pts
2. Rihards Snikus, Latvia (King of The Dance) 10:01secs 71.014pts
3. Elke Philipp, Germany (Finnbar) 9:45secs 69.275pts
4. Ana Isabel Mota Veiga, Portugal (Convicto) 09:53secs 65.000pts
CPEDI3* Team Ib (Ib Team)
1. Pepo Puch, Austria (Fontainenoir) 10.30 secs 74.533
2. Nicole den Dulk, The Netherlands (Faust) 10:46secs 70.667
3. Celine Gerny, France (Flint) 10:22secs 68.600
4. Jaana Kivimaki, Finland (Bellilene) 10:38secs 65.067
5. Anne Frederique Royon, France (J’Adore) 10:54secs 64.733
CPEDI3* Team II (II Team)
1. Demi Vermeulen, NED (Burberry) 11:07secs 73.480
2. Caroline Cecilie Nielsen, DEN (Leon) 11:31secs 70.245
3. Rixt van der Horst, NED (Caraat) 11:39secs 70.049
4. Angelika Trabert, GER (First Lady Melody) 11:23secs 65.784
5. Annemarieke Roling - Nobel (Ricochet) 11:15secs 65.686
CPEDI3* Team III (III Team 20x60)
1. Sanne Voets, NED (Vedet Pb N.O.P.) 12:05secs 73.596
2. Ann Cathrin Lubbe, NOR (Porsborggaardens Donatello) 12:29secs 70.789
3. Philippa Johnson-Dwyer, RSA (Lord Louis) 12:21secs 67.368
4. Susanne Jensby Sunesen, DEN (Thy’s Que Faire) 12:37secs 67.061
5. Lotte Krijnsen, NED (Zarienta) 11:57secs 66.974
6. Bernd Brugger, AUT (Denigo) 12:13secs 61.404
CPEDI3* Team IV (IV Team 20x60)
1. Carolin Schnarre, GER (del Rusch) 12:50secs 67.579
2. Camilla Christensen, DEN (Oestergaardens Deleight) 13:14secs 67.302
3. James Dwyer, IRL (Fleurette van de Kreungel) 13:06 secs 66.905
4. Ahmed Sharbatly, KSA (Whitney) 12:58secs 56.944
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
8:45am: CPEDI3* Individual para-dressage
1:45pm: CDI5* Grand Prix Dressage
4:20pm: Doha Tour CSI3* Accumulator (269a) 1.30m jumping
6:30 pm: CSI5* Table A (238.2.2a) 1.55m jumping
CHI Al Shaqab is one of the top events: Groung Jury prez Ellenbruch
As president of the Ground Jury, Stephan Ellenbruch plays a crucial role in the orchestration of CHI Al Shaqab. Together with five other members of the jury, he will preside over the technical judging of the competitions. Alongside a stewards’ team, Ellenbruch will also be responsible for overseeing horse welfare during the competition, and for making sure that all riders and grooms are adhering to the official rules set by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).
As a key member of the FEI’s international committee, Ellenbruch has extensive knowledge of the technical elements of this event, as well as the rules of equestrian sports. He travels all around the world administering these regulations, so is more than qualified to comment on the significance of CHI Al Shaqab from an international perspective.
“This is one of the top events we have on the FEI equestrian calendar,” Ellenbruch says. “First of all, this is one of the top events of the region and it brings together the top riders from all over the world in Jumping especially, and also the local riders who are becoming better and better. There are a number of Qatari riders among the world’s top ranking now and it is always good to go to places to bring all these riders together.”
CHI Al Shaqab is globally renowned for its facilities, organisation and – from the competitors’ point of view – its challenges. “This is really a show at the highest possible level,” Ellenbruch enthuses, “with the Grand Prix that has an Olympic format, with two rounds and a jump off. So this is really challenging for the riders and the horses. They all come because they enjoy the hospitality of the place, but also the conditions, which are really some of the best you can find all over the world. It will be a 1.60 metre competition, and this is the maximum level of difficulty you can have at horse shows.”
Ellenbruch confesses that he was very impressed with Al Shaqab’s offering to the world of equestrian sport.
“I am travelling all over the world and this is really one of the most fantastic places I have ever been to,” he reveals. “This is a place that has been made for the future, so it is really up to date and it has all the technical details. The arena is super big, the warm up and stable facilities is really perfect, so all the athletes competing here - the horses as well as the riders - can be really happy.”
CHI Al Shaqab’s reputation is clearly well established on an international scale, and is vividly demonstrated by the illustrious roll call of the world’s leading riders who are competing this year.
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“The entry list is the best you can have,” Ellenbruch confirms. “We have the Longines’ World Number One and a lot of the top ten riders competing here. The list is really something you can show to everybody to impress.”