Riders from Saudi Arabia cornered a major share of the second day's glory in the Abu Dhabi International Show Jumping Championship with Khalid Al Eid displaying the kind of skills that won him an Olympic silver medal in Sydney in 2000.
The ace rider from Saudi Arabia won the Abu Dhabi leg of the World Cup qualifier edging out the UAE's Abdullah Humaid on the second day of the Dh300,000 championship being held here under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
Eid and his 8-year-old mare Hasna combined to complete a faultless jump-off in 41.05, knocking Humaid's 41.36 on Quatro H to second place. Saudi Arabia's Prince Abdullah Bin Metab Bin Abdul Aziz on The Krallah finished third with a time of 41.60 in the Dh50,000 event which is one of the many legs that will spot two qualifiers from the Arab World for the World Cup in Las Vegas in March.
The remaining two UAE rounds of the World Cup qualifier will be held in Sharjah (January 12-14) and Ajman (January 19-21).
Saudi Arabia's double delight was completed by Abdullah Al Sharhatli on 13-year-old gelding Gerry Copperfield when they won the International Event with Jump Off. Shaikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani of Qatar finished second while Kuwait's Noaf Al Eissa claimed another bronze. In the International Two Phases event for juniors, Kuwait's Ali Al Khorafi (28.26) emerged champion.
Results
Competition 4: Mini Derby, Dh20,000: 1. Noaf Al Eissa Kuwait (Nadine) 1:32.15; 2. Hamad Ali Al Kerbi UAE (Genial IV) 1:13.26 (4 faults). 3. Mufta Al Daheri UAE- (Ikea 3) 1:20.76 (4).
Competition 5: International with Jump-off, Dh30,000: 1. Abdullah Al Sharhatli Saudi Arabia (Gerry Copperfield) 41.67. 2. Shaikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani Qatar (Milena) 44.04. 3. Noaf Al Eissa Kuwait- (Omnia) 44.6.
Competition 6: International juniors-Two phases: 1. Ali Al Khorafi Kuwait (Maxim) 28.26 secs. 2. Abdulrahman M Al Habsi UAE (Family Du Montois) 29.09. 3. Khalid Al Hammad Kuwait- (Flayat Star Eccoli) 29.28.
Competition 7: Qualifier for the World Cup, Dh50,000: 1. Khalid Al Eid Saudi Arabia (Hasna) 41.05 secs. 2. Abdullah Humaid UAE (Quatro-H) 41.35. 3.Prince Abdullah Bin Metab- Saudi Arabia (The Krallah) 41.6.
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