Al Shaqab Endurance Junior Team are seen at the FEI World Endurance Championship for Young Riders and Juniors. The team finished fifth.
Tarbes, France: Al Shaqab Endurance Junior Team ended the FEI World Endurance Championship for Young Riders and Juniors in fifth-place, in Tarbes, France.
Prominent riders took part at the World Endurance Championship which saw a large participation from many Arab countries.
With the presence of mountain road, hills and trees among the obstacles, the riders were tested, with only 49 athletes of 91 concluding the race.
Al Shaqab ended the first loop in ninth place but finished in fifth place on the last loop.
The winner of the competition was Khalifa Ali Khalif Al Jahouri from the UAE who finished the race in 6 hours and 34 seconds. Marijke Visser from the Netherlands took the second place of the individual competition followed by the Australian rider, Erin Krahnen.
The winner of the Team race was the host-country France followed by Belgium in second place, while Spain finished in third spot.
Malaysia and Qatar finished fourth and fifth respectively.
The team was represented by Sheikh Abdulla Mishal Hamad Al Thani with the stallion Quoka’in de L’Auronce, Khulood Mohammed Al Khori with the mare Quesbel du Vergnet, Abdul Hadi Hamad Al Marri with Oscar du Guide, Nasser Jumah Al Mohannadi with Halte a Tout and Ali Mohammed Al Hammadi with the mare, Odyssee de Cruz.
A special Al Shaqab prize were awarded to the Australian rider, Erin Krahnen for the horse’s best condition.
Fahad Al Qatani, Al Shaqab director was pleased with the results.
He said after the event: “The qualification and participation of this youth team at the World junior Championship 2013 is only the beginning of what we have planned for the future.”
He added: “Where it is important to care about the first place, the benefit and experience gained by crossing the finishing line of a world championship is a great and valuable achievement by itself.”
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