Day two of the Dubai Show Jumping Championship 2019 was highlighted by Philipp Weishaupt of Germany aboard Belo Horizonte winning the AED 389,000 CSI5* Longines – FEI Jumping World Cup Qualifier Class, which is a qualifier for the grand finale -The Emirates Airline Dubai Grand Prix scheduled for 4pm on Saturday. The competition saw a total of 64 entries and 23 participating nations, adding flavour and variety.
The winner completed the course in a time of 59.06, while second-placed Mark Mcauley of Ireland riding Miebello was a close second. Kristaps Neretnieks of Latvia who led the field for a good while finished third also with an under sixty seconds timing of 59.96.
World no. 149 Ramzy Al Duhami of Saudi Arabia was in fifth place and the best-performing regional rider in the field.
Earlier the Emirates Airline Welcome Stakes – Special Two Phases Class was a closely fought affair, with the top three finishers all stopping the clock at 33 seconds, and just separated by a fractional margin. Germany’s Jorg Naeve aboard Be Aperle Va had a faultless second phase with a winning time of 33.66, followed by Ireland’s Mark Mcauley and Portuguese rider Luis Sabino Goncalves. The top twelve riders in this class also earned valuable Longines rankings points.
Speaking after the win Jorg Naeve said: “I am really happy we won, my horse performed really well, and I am really pleased to be here in Dubai. The five star events here are great, and superbly organised, and as riders we really enjoy this experience and are happy to start here. The footing is very good, the fences too, and in every single round the horses also do well. Looking ahead I hope to ride in the Grand Prix on Saturday and some classes tomorrow (Friday) as well.”
This 5* Class drew entries from 32 riders hailing from across 17 nations.
UAE’s Sheikh Ali Abdulla Al Qassimi riding 13-year-old Saga De La Roque continued his winning form to take the opening class of the day –The AED 46,000 Meydan Speed Stakes CSI2* on Day 2 of the Dubai Show Jumping Championship 2019, at the Emirates Equestrian Centre in Dubai.
The 2017 Dubai Grand Prix winner completed the course in 57.69 seconds, while compatriot Salim Ahmed Al Suwaidi stopped the clock at 58.84 for second place. The top five finished with timings of under 60 seconds. The pair led the standings on Day 1 as well in the Emirates Equestrian Centre – Two Phases Class on Wednesday giving UAE fans ample reason to celebrate.
The Meydan Speed Stakes had a total of 37 horse-rider pairings from 14 countries competing, but only 32 completed the course, five pairs were eliminated.
Next on the agenda was the AED 46,000 Azizi Developments – Two Phases Class, with a total of 31 riders competing from 14 countries, where 17 had penalty-free rounds to advance to the second phase. Kotayba Aldughli from Syria, a winner here last year in the Azizi Speed Stakes, led the charge with a winning time of 26.47 seconds in the second phase.
Speaking later the rider said: “It is a very important win for my country as well as me. This was a two-phase competition; in the first phase you had to be clear (penalty free) to enter the second round. In the second round you had to be fast as well without any faults. I had the win today and I am very happy. Last year I won the same course with another horse Gucci, and my horses in general are very speedy, and that makes all the difference. On Saturday I will participate in the Grand Prix and I hope I can win that too.”
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.
Apple 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, Longines, Azizi Developments and Gulf News return to support this prominent international competition.
Day 3 is highlighted by two CSI5* events the AED 111,000 Gulf News Cup – Jump Off and the AED 389,000 Azizi Developments Golden Cup. Both are expected to feature some of the best local and international riders.