His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, has honoured the winners of the 11th edition of the FBMA International Show Jumping Cup following four days of competition.
The awards ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development; Patrick Aoun, Regional Brand Manager – Longines; Her Excellency Dr Omniyat Al-Hajri, Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy; Her Excellency Naema Abdulrahman Al Mansouri, Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy board member and Her Excellency Amal Abdul Qadir Al-Afifi Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy board member.
The 11th edition of the event saw 233 of the world’s best riders compete across four days in one of showjumping’s showpiece occasions, held this year at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club.
More than 300 horses competed across 19 classes in 6 different categories, with a total prize fund of AED 700,000 given out.
The UAE was well represented across the course of the competition with 97 riders, 44 male and 53 female.
The event categories included: CSICH-A, CSIJ-A, CSIY-A,* Nationals Special, CSIYH1* and the main showpiece CSIL2*.
Thirty-nine countries were represented across the four days of competition, an increase of five from last year’s edition, offering a special platform for local and international riders and showjumpers.
The final day’s biggest prize was won by Chloe Vranken who took first place in the CSIL2* (One Horse per Rider) - One Round with Jump Off over the 140cm fences. The Belgian national recorded a time of 38.35 in the second round to claim the 8,750 euro prize (AED35,000) on Emir De Vy ahead of a strong 26-rider field.
On board Jacarta Equigenne, Spain’s Maria Gonzalez laguillo finished in second, 0.57 seconds behind the leader, while Celine Schoonbroodt De Azevedo made it a second Belgian national in the top-three on Conseno Blue PS.
Eve McCoy, a UK national, was victorious in CSIL2* (One Horse per Rider) one round with jump off, adding to her first place accumulator finish. On board Cocktail D’Azur, Eve McCoy produced two rounds over the 120cm fences to push the UAE’s Maryam Ahmed Abdulmalik Ahli on Don Juan 111 Z into second place – a time of 40.28 seconds in the jump off was just 0.22 ahead of the local rider. Greece’s Anna-Sophia Danalis took third on Coconut 53.
In the CSIY-A (Two Horses Per rider) one round with jump off, Syria’s Boushra Al Assad took first place with two rounds to claim the 1,200 Euro (AED4,800) top prize. Riding Cento Du Rouet, Al Assad registered a time of 36.49 seconds in the second round – 0.26 seconds faster than the UAE’s Omar Abdulaziz Almarzooqi on Concordia who claimed second place. Syria Sham Al Assad was third on Urtimack Des Abbayes in 37.10 seconds.
