26 December, Abu Dhabi, UAE ~ Saeed Mohammed Khalifa Al Mehairi rode 7-year-old Esraar to a narrow win over Uruguay’s Jonatan Rivera Iriarte on HH Ciabu in the four-stage 100km Al Wathba Cup for Private Owners Endurance Ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday, 26 December. With this win, Al Mehariri, winner of the 160-km 3* HH President’s Cup ride in February, 2015, served notice of his intentions to defend his title in the upcoming 2016 HH President’s Cup ride.
The Ride
Al Mehairi was 17th after the first 40kms and then moved into 7th place after the next 25 kms. The young UAE ace then took the lead after the next 19kms with the Uruguayan Iriarte serving up a steady pace in third place. At the end it was a close tussle and the UAE rider on Esraar finished 34 seconds ahead of his rival to score another emphatic win.
Rashed Ahmed Al Bloushi on Dakar Al Oasis finished third for the UAE while the next three spots were taken by riders from India, Pakistan, and Uruguay, before the UAE’s lady rider Shathra Al Hajjaj on Rafaela took the 7th place.
HH Sheikh Shakhbout Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Emirates Equestrian Federation attended Saturday’s ride along with three other Qualifier rides held along with the 100km Al Wathba Cup for Private Owners Endurance Ride. Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director general of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Head of the Ride’s Organising Committee gave away the trophies and keys to three cars for the top three riders.
The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC as associate sponsors, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2015, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Yas Channel, Omeir Travels, Racing Post, Paris Turf and Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics.
Results (top 7) of the 100km Al Wathba Cup for Private Owners Endurance Ride:
1. Saeed Mohd Khalifa Al Mehairi-UAE- (Esraar) 3 hrs 45 mins 29 secs
2. Jonatan Rivera Iriarte-URU- (HH Ciabu) 3:46.03
3. Rashed Ahmed Al Bloushi-UAE- (Dakar Al Oasis) 3:56.01
4. Nouman Ishaq Hafizuddine Shaikh-IND- (Ghirak Ma Fi) 4:03.10
5. Ansar Mehmood Muhammad Ali –PAK- (Shayelle Memphis) 4:06.14
6. Ferber Perez Federico Francisco –URU- (Shagya Tunder) 4:10.55
7. Shathra Ahmed Murad Al Hajjaj –UAE-(Rafaela) 4:17.20
~ end