August 26, 2012, UK ~Spectacular UAE result at Longines FEI World Endurance Championships 2012
Full Results below
A gold medal double for the UAE which took both the team and individual World Endurance Championships at the weekend will be difficult to better, a team spokesman said after the ride.
Speaking at today’s post-ride press conference, Mohammed Esse Al Adhab of the Dubai Equestrian Club said: “We are very pleased with the result. We reached our target – where can we go from here?”
He added that the individual win for HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who had just previously paraded with his winning ride Madji Du Pont at an emotional closing ceremony, had been of great personal achievement for the Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
“It is well-known that HH Sheikh Mohammed is a horse lover. From his first introduction to endurance he started to love the sport. He is an endurance man – he has kept going with his target until he achieved it.”Christophe Pelissier, team vet for second placed France said that the result had been a good one for the squad now under the charge of chef d’equipe Benedicte Emon-Bon.
“This was a strong team. Silver was our target and we will be aiming higher next time,” he said adding, “This was one of the best world Championships we have seen and our thanks go to the organising committee.”
For Oman, somewhat the surprise winner of the bronze medal, chef d’equipe Sinan Al Abri said competing at the championships had been “a dream come true”.
“We have been trying to for nearly eight years to get here and it was fantastic for us.” He described how the agony of a series of departures for squad members had made a team completion look unlikely at one point.
“We thought we were not going to do it but we decided to learn from the expertise of the French on the trail and followed them.”
With French-bred horses and a French trainer as part of the team, it was a strategy that paid off.
143 riders started at the Euston Park venue on August 25 and 73 riders finished.
The USA, fielding a team of experienced riders, finished four riders, putting the USA team in fourth place.
Margaret Sleeper on Syrocco Reveille, was first of the USA over the line in 11th place, one hour behind the leader. Valerie Kanavy riding Reach for the Gold and Jeremy Reynolds riding A Kutt Above finished 20 and 21st, within minutes of each other. Heather Reynolds on Riverwatch, completed the team with her finish 45 minutes later.
The last rider to finish the course was Japan’s Seiichi Hasumi riding Kareem PJ, arriving at 7:43 PM.
Full Results:WEC_Result_Final
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