Awad wins feature event on day two

Qatari show jumper Awad Alqahtani sealed the top prize on the second day of the Amir’s Golden Sword Championships yesterday with a flawless routine astride Cassander Van Het Bremhof.

Alqahtani completed the error-free routine in 64.18 seconds to win the Big Tour (One round against the clock, 140/150 cm) event at the Outdoor Arena of the Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF) to bag QR8,250 in prize money, outclassing his in-form opponent Mubarak Yousuf Al Rumaihi.

Al Rumaihi, looking for a repeat success after winning the feature event on the opening day, yesterday guided Vivaldi K to complete the same task without any faults in a time of 68.18 seconds to finish second. He won QR6,750.

Carport, with Faleh Suwead Al Ajami in the saddle, secured the remaining spot on the podium with a ride that took 68.38 secs to complete. He got richer by QR5,250.

Thursday’s podium winner, Nasser Al Ghazali finished fourth on Colibri 19  (74.06 secs, one error) as Chin Van de Kranenburg, ridden by Hamad Towaim Al Marri (74.55 secs, one error) rounded up the top five in the QR30,000 feature event that saw 12 riders in action.

Al Ghazali won QR3,000 while Al Marri picked up QR2,100.

Earlier, in the Small Tour (110/120cm, one round against the clock) that carried prizes worth QR10,000, Qatrai riders Abdulaziz Ghanim Al Nuaimi and Abdulla Rashid Al Amri clocked identical times to be judged as joint winners.

Al Nuaimi excelled on Jalieny Diamant Z while Al Amri guided What A Lady Van De Smis in two flawless rides in 52.20 secs to grab QR2,250 each in prize money.

Rashid showed his efficiency again in the same event with another flawless ride in 53.62, this time with Cindarella B, to seal the third spot on the podium to add QR1,500 more to his winnings.

Belucci Van ‘T Vleminkhof, guided by Hussain Saeed Haidan, who won the second place in the same class on the opening day of the championships, missed out on a podium spot yesterday after a ride that took 56.67 secs to complete.

He added QR1,000 to his championship pouch. Fito R, with Saad Ahmed Alsaad completed the top five of the QR10,000 event.

The Medium Tour (125/125cm one round against the clock) was worth QR20,000 and it was the French star Cyrine Cherif who grabbed major honours in yesterday’s event.

The seasoned rider with more than 18 years of experience in the mainstream show jumping scene, yesterday guided the Al Shaqab-owned Bay Stallion Gerlin Vd Waterkant to complete the round in 66.65 secs. Cherif got richer by QR5,000.

Le Premier K, with Sultan Rashid Al Marri in the saddle, clocked a time of 76.99 secs to win the second place which also offered QR4,000 in prize money.

Mohammed Khalifa Albaker sealed the third spot on Arselina (77.86 secs) and won QR3,000.

Salman Mohammed Al Emadi (Best Of Des Forets, 78.86 secs) and Mohammed Saeed Haidan (Quick Step, 81.60 secs) were the other riders who made up the top five.

Today, the final day of the championships, a couple of dressage competitions will be held followed by the Big Tour (140/150cm, one round against the clock) which is worth QR 50,000. The winner will also  receive a brand new car in addition to the individual prize money.

The Big Tour event will start at 2:30pm. The Small Tour (110/120cm, one round against the clock, QR20,000) will start at 4:00pm while the Medium Tour (125/135cm, one round against the clock, QR35,000) will kick off at 6:00pm.