Saeed Nasser Al Qadi guiding Best Of Des Forets during yesterday's Medium Tour competition.
Doha: Qatari riders Nasser Al Ghazali and Saeed Nasser Al Qadi clinched victories in the individual events as the third round of season 4 of the Longines Qatar Equestrian Tour Hathab kicked off yesterday.
At Qatar Equestrian Federation's (QEF) Indoor Arena, Al Ghazali stormed to victory astride Hurry Up, to win the top individual prize of the day. Al Ghazali and his eight-year-old gelding completed the round in the 130cm event in 55.88 secs to win QR7,500 in prize money.
SIEC Lonnie, with last season’s Big Tour champion Hamad Nasser Al Qadi in the saddle, completed the round in 56.50 to finish second as the Qatari rider got richer by QR6,000. Sheikha Fatima Jabor Al Thani and Eddie completed a flawless routine which lasted for 56.88 secs to book the remaining spot on the podium as she won QR4,500. Ghanim Nasser Al Qadi (Happy Tina,57.61) and Rashid Towaim Al Marri (Lamm Addiction Z, 60.69) rounded up the top five in the event which saw 37 competitors.
Meanwhile, Business Trading Company (BTC) won the Medium Tour team event following a brilliant effort by Hamad Nasser Al Qadi (S I E C Lonnie, 56.50 secs), Ghanim Nasser Al Qadi (Happy Tina, 57.61) and Saeed Nasser (Andreas SPB Z/64.00) as they bagged QR15,000 in prize money. Team ExxonMobil finished second as Team Qatar Equestrian Federation completed the podium.
Earlier, in the Small Tour, Saeed Nasser guided Best Of Des Forets to victory ahead of points leader Khalifa Abdulla Al Khaldi. Saeed and his nine-year-old mare completed an error-free routine in 53.22 secs to top the win the 48-strong field as the popular Qatari rider won QR5,000 in prize money.
Al Khaldi, astride QEF-owned Graffiti De Lully CH, completed the round in 53.54 secs to win QR4,000 as
Jumbo, with Faleh Suwead Al Ajami in the saddle, spent a time of 54.31 secs to book the remaining spot on the podium.
Al Ajami got richer by QR3,000 after completing the routine without conceding any faults, same way as Al Khaldi did.
Hamad Towaim Al Marri (Deon-Diego) finished fourth with a time of 54.46 secs to win QR2,000 as Al Khaldi added further QR1,400 to his prize bag after placing himself in the fifth spot with Dusty (55.25 secs) in the 100/110cm event which gave away a total of QR20,000 in prize money.
Manager of Future Riders Riding School at QEF, Abdullah Mohammed Al Marri, and the Vice-Chairman of the Tour Organising Committee, Omar Al Mannai, presented the awards to the winners.
The event continues today.
