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FIRST-EVER ENDURANCE RIDE FOR LADIES AT AL WATHBA
Afra grabs the first place |
Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi from Al Reef Stables won the first
place in the Sheikha Fatima bint Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Endurance Cup for Ladies held on Friday, January 29, 2009, at
the Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, Abu
Dhabi. This was the first-ever endurance ride exclusive for
ladies at the Al Wathba which attracted as many as 67 riders.
As many as 29 riders finished the ride successfully.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of
Dubai, attended the ride.
The 90-km UAE CEN 90-km ride, sponsored by UAE Realtors
Sorouh, was run in four phases of 30 km, 24km, 20km and 16 km
respectively. Afra was riding Al Reef horse 14-year-old
Part-Arab chestnut gelding Kassalo and covered the distance in
three hours, 14 minutes and 29 seconds riding on an average
speed of 27.77 km per hour.
Veteran endurance rider from Australia Margaret Wade came in
second riding 12-year-old Anglo-Arab Grey Gelding Bantu De
Zamaglia from Emirates Stables. She clocked three hours, 16
minutes and 13 seconds maintaining an average speed of 27.52
km per hour.
Afra's horse Kassalo is trained by champion Yousuf Ahmed Al
Beloushi. "Last year I won at the Al Asayel Ladies
championship series and this is the first win for me this
season. It was a tough ride indeed" she told the media later.
Both she and Margaret were given away keys 4 WD cars by young
Sheikha Fatima bint Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Sheikha Asma Taleb Al Qassimi, riding nine-year-old grey
gelding Mitsouko De Sauvetere, finished third in three hours,
36 minutes and 11 seconds riding on an average speed of 24.98
kmph.
However reigning world endurance champion Spanish rider Maria
Alvarez Ponton could only finish in the 28th place riding
Nadja de L Ardus. Pure-Arabian grey mare and she clocked five
hours, two minutes and 32 seconds riding on an average speed
of 17.85 kmph. |
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