Too Hot To Trot

The weekend marked the beginning of the new show jumping season, held at the beautiful BDF Equestrian Centre, located in Sahkir.

It was a sunny day on Saturday and at 9am the juniors were gearing up to get started for the first two classes. Everyone was dressed to impress.

The height of the fences measured 80-95cm for the opening event and it was a one round with jump-off class. With 15 entries, we watched nine riders achieve clear rounds to go on to compete in the next stage.

Three top junior riders ended up battling it out for the prizes. Maayof Al Romaihi on his seasoned horse, Granus, came out victorious with a speedy clear round in a time of 25.13. Fast on his heels was Hussain Dadulla on Dilmun Sky with a time of 26.09. Ahmed Al Hashili on Horse Pride Thunderbolt, was a true contender with a lovely clear fast round and a time of 26.79 to claim third place. It was a very close competition.

Class two, proved to be just as exciting. The fences went up to 95-105cm and the contest was technically difficult being a two-phase class consisting of 13 challenges.

Out of 11 junior riders, only two made it clear. The junior star of the day proved to be Al Hashili on the beautiful chestnut gelding, Horse Pride Thunderbolt, securing his title in a time of 30.75, giving him his second trophy of the day.

Aimee Keen showed she wasn’t a girl to be messed with when she secured not only second place but third as well. Firstly, she steered her stunning bay gelding, DJ Fleur, around the 13 fences with a time of 31.2 and then rode her seasoned horse, Rio, to an impressive time of 30.1, but eight faults dropped her down the ranking.

Class 3, the first of the adult classes, was a two-phase class with heights of 80-95cm and 13 fences. With more than 30 entries the competition was tough. However, Saleem Ali, on the lovely mare Emily, emerged victorious claiming first place with a time of 25.28.

Close behind was Ahmed Al Alawi on Tyson 2 with a time of 25.73. In third place, veteran rider, Bassim Mahdi, on young Estrella, managed a time of 26.81.

Class 4, the most popular class of the day, was an accumulator with heights of 100-110cm. To add excitement to the challenge riders were offered the opportunity to jump a 120cm fence for extra points.

With 36 entries an impressive 11 went clear. Abbas Yousif and his fiercely competitive gelding, Indorado, claimed first place in style with the fastest time of 41.75. Mahdi with Estrella saw the podium again with second place in a time of 42.52. In third place was Saleem Ali, on Pascal, with a time of 42.76.

The air filled with excitement as we moved on to the finale of the day – Class 5 – a one round with jump-off. BREEF officials raised fences up to 115-125cm.

With 18 entries we watched as only seven made the jump-off. But at the end, BDF rider, Ahmed Mansoor on Edward Du Sud, rose to the top and claimed first place with the only clear round and a time of 38.55.

With the fastest jump-off time of 33.89 but an unfortunate four faults, Sami Ghazwan on Fayroz took second place while Shaikh Abudulla Al Khalifa, on Venus, secured third.

It proved to be memorable start to the show jumping season featuring several new horses and a few new riders too.

Results
Junior 1
1. Maayof Al Romaihi/ Granus
2. Hussain Dadulla/ Sky Dilmun
3. Ahmed Al Hashili/ Thunderbolt HorsePride
4. Maayof Al Romaihi/ Mashallah
5. Ali Hani Al Yabis/ Ajzal
6. Aimee Keen/ DJ Fleur

Junior 2
1. Ahmed Al Hashili/ Thunderbolt HorsePride
2. Aimee Keen/ DJ Fleur
3. Aimee Keen/ Rio
4. Ahmed Essa/ Alaska
5. Ali Hani Al Yabis/ Ajzal
6. Ahmed Essa/ Kalalambo

Adult 1
1. Saleem Ali/ Emily
2. Ahmed Al Alawi/ Tayson 2
3. Bassim Mahdi/ Estrella
4. Saber Salman Faraj/ Bashar BDF
5. Taleb Al Alawi/ wanted
6. Ali Abdul Rasool Ashoor/ Chili

Adult 2
1. Abbas Yousif/ Indorado
2. Bassim Mahdi/ Estrella
3. Saleem Ali/ Pascal
4. Mohammad Saif/ Bahrain BDF
5. Saleem Ali/ Emily
6. Salman Faraj/ My Precious

Adult 3
1. Ahmed Mansoor/ Edward Du Sud
2. Sami Ghazwan/ Fayroz
3. Shaikh Abdulla Al Khalifa/ Venus
4. Shaikh Abdulla Al Khalifa/ Salah El Dine
5. Bassim Mahdi/ Vivika
6. Basel Al Dosari/ Cantacino