The QEF’s Indoor Arena will play host to opening round of Hathab Series Season 2 commencing today.
DOHA: The hugely popular Hathab Series kicks off today with organisers allocating QR 100,000 for the winners in four classes of competition in the first round at QEF’s Indoor Arena.
The 12-round show jumping and dressage series - an initiative of H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) - will also have competitions for teams from this season.
This season’s battles will be worth a staggering QR1m, organisers have announced.
The series - broadcast live on Al Kass Sports Channel - runs from October until April. The Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF) and Al Shaqab have joined hands to launch the series and to boost homegrown interest in show jumping.
Besides competitions for individuals, team slots have been reserved by Salam International, ExxonMobil, Al Kass, Al Shaqab, Qatar National Bank, Al Waseel and Power Steel, it was confirmed by Ali Al Rumaihi, Tournament Director.
Hathab series is aimed at improving the standard of horse riding among Qatari youth while encouraging the involvement of private stables and individual horse owners to spread awareness of horsemanship as part of Qatar’s history and tradition, Al Rumaihi said.
Every round will feature competitions in Small Tour, Medium Tour and the Big Tour. Al Rumaihi said young riders will also get to feel the sense competition when they compete in the 70/85cm class.
The Small Tour at 3:00pm today will kick off the new season with a round against the clock (100/115cm). The overall prize is worth QR 10,000. The Medium Tour, a two-phased competition in the 120/130cm class, will start at 5:30pm.
Tomorrow, the competitions kick off at 9:00am with young riders going through their paces in the 70/85cm class. The all-important Big Tour will start at 5:30pm. The round against the clock (130/145cm) offers a total prize bag of QR 35,000. Riders above the age of 21 can feature in this event.
