DUBAI SHOW JUMPING TEAM COACH ALICE DEBANY RECORDS INSPIRATIONAL WIN IN GULF NEWS CUP ON DAY 3 OF DUBAI SHOW JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIP 2019
Luis Sabino Goncalves of Portugal completed an impressive victory in the AED 389,000 CSI 5* Azizi Developments Golden Cup aboard his horse Dominka Van De Lucashoeve. The competition was tight and featured some big hitters including World number 8 Henrik Von Eckermann of Sweden. A total field of 33 riders from 17 countries competed in the first round, following which just the 12 who were fault-free progressed to round two.
Goncalves looked back at the win and said: “It is a great experience here in Dubai, the show is great, the organisers here are very kind and have treated us very well. Before going in a lot of people were saying there are just two clear rounds to be attempted. I said I am a winner, and I won’t accept going in just get two clear rounds. I decided to go for the win, and I succeeded, so I am very happy. The next challenge now is the Dubai Grand Prix, where I will be competing with a different horse.”
The pairing of Linda Heed and Jarvis Van D Abelendreef from Sweden came in a close second, while William Funnell, ranked 107 in the world completed the podium.
Speaking later Funnell said: “We have some of the best riders in world here, and the organisers have looked after us really well. It is nice to have a chunk of the prize money. My horse is a big slow horse, and when there were 12 clears, I was thinking there were too many clears and the best I was going to be was a fifth or sixth, because I was very early to go in the draw. It is funny how classes turn out, and this is the same horse I will be riding in the Grand Prix tomorrow.”
Crowd favourite Alice Debany Clero aboard Amareusa S pulled off an extraordinary win in the AED 112,000 Gulf News Cup CSI5*-W Class on Friday afternoon before a packed house of local supporters. Debany is the Dubai Show Jumping team coach, a role she has been in for 14 years, while continuing to compete. The American rider was one of only five to move into the jump-off after a fault-free first round. She completed the win in a time of 38.6 seconds four seconds ahead of second-placed Jorg Naeve of Germany aboard HH Fleur. Tina Lund of Denmark was in third riding 14-year-old Freestyle 39.
This event was especially significant for the riders as it offered valuable Longines ranking points.
Alice Debany was very pleased with her win and said: “It is unbelievable to win at home. This is our home grounds, I got to ride in front of all the crew members, all the ladies that take care of the stables, all of my bosses at the Equestrian Club, and all of my riders my students who have been with me for fourteen years. I am very proud of my horse, for finding the heart to win that class. I believe winning breeds winning, and I hope to show by example and it is what I have always tried to do. I show my students my work ethic, my routines with the horses to keep them fit and happy and wanting to job for them.”
Debany explained the win was extra-special as it was achieved under testing circumstances: “I broke my leg catastrophically in May 2017, and I will always walk improperly on that leg, and I was attacked by a sciatica nerve pain last week and I was on crutches, and the only time I am not feeling pain is when I am riding.”
Apart from the outstanding show jumping action on display, the venue offers a fun day out for the family at the purpose-built Emirates Equestrian Centre. A range of food trucks and stalls can be spotted offering a variety of local and international cuisine. An excellent entertainment program has been arranged including a thrilling horse show from Z7 and much more.
Watches, iPhones and iPads, along with a meal for two at the Al Hadheerah restaurant are just some of a range of attractive gifts to be won through daily raffle draw.
Meydan Pillar Partners Emirates Airline, Longines, Azizi Developments and Gulf News return to support this prominent international competition.
The newly introduced CSI2* Meydan Grand Prix—prize money of AED 126,000—opens the final day of competition, while The Emirates Airline Dubai Grand Prix brings the curtain down on the festival. The finale is an intense affair across two rounds and with only the top-25 percent of riders advancing. Challengers successful at the Dubai Grand Prix can earn valuable points towards qualifying for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Jumping. Also on the agenda is the Longines Accumulator.
