Miami: Qatar’s Bassem Hassan Mohammed took silver in the Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach Grand Prix aboard his ride Palloubet D Halong.
He won a prize money worth €110,000 after a fine performance.
H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani attended competition where Mohammed sealed second place.
World No.1 Scott Brash came first and won the prize money worth €181,000.
President of the Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF) Hamad Bin Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah congratulated Mohammed for his achievement, which he earned after strong competition with the top riders in the world.
Al Attiyah also said that Mohammed’s achievement added to a big list of Qatari equestrian’s achievement.
He also praised H E Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Thani, who came second in the five star category.
Brash was victorious for the second night in a row on Miami Beach on Sunday as he galloped away with the inaugural Longinestitle aboard Hello Sanctos. This was the two-time Longines GCT champ’s fifth Grand Prix win in the last three seasons as he continues to dominate the Tour in spectacular fashion.
Bassem and his relatively new ride put in the performance of their young partnership to take silver.
While 2014 Longines GCT of Shanghai Grand Prix winner Pieter Devos (BEL) and Candy finished with a worthy Bronze medal.
From the VIP Lounge, Michael Bloomberg, Bruce Springsteen, H E Sheikh Joaan and Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine watched world-class sport at it’s very best.
Speaking from the VIP Hospitality Lounge Bloomberg said: “I think this is a wonderful thing for Miami and for the economy of Miami.”
He added: “This could become like the Formula 1 is to Monaco and places like that not just the people who come to watch the show, the people who support it, the people who work in the hotels where we all stay, the restaurants. It is amazing the hard work that goes into this.”
Having claimed a strong victory with his new mount Hello Forever in 42nd American Invitational, Brash went into the Grand Prix a firm favourite, but facing hot competition from a stellar line-up of world-class riders from around the globe.
The first round of the Grand Prix was a testing and technical course which caught out many an experienced combination.
Of the 50 Grand Prix starters, 12 clears proceeded to the 2nd round, including Katie Dinan (USA) and Stakorado, Margie Goldstein-Engle (USA) and Royce, Denis Lynch (IRE) and Ho Go van de Padenborre, Luciana Diniz (POR) and Apollonia, Beezie Madden (USA) and Simon, Kent Farrington (USA) and Voyeur, and Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Rosana du Park.
The top 18 riders came back to try their talents against another Uliano Vezzani course, including four on 4 faults.
Meanwhile, Bassem set the standard first to go in the jump-off, clear in a time of 39.74s. Second to go, Bosty risked a tight turn back to a tall upright and picked up a refusal, leaving him in 4th place.
Brash knew what he had to do and executed his plan with foot-perfect precision to stop the clock in 38.57s.
Last to go, Pieter Devos pushed his mare, recently returned from a long break from competition, but lowered an early fence in the tricky jump-off course leaving Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos once more unbeatable.
Scott will be back in action in Antwerp in a few weeks once again hot on the trail on the Longines GCT Championship, which if he wins once again this season, will be his 3rd in a row - a truly incredible feat.
THE PENINSULA
