A test of endurance skills

Endurance riding is one of the toughest challenges in the equine world for all involved in competition.

It’s the ultimate test of the riders and their teams’ ability to safely manage the stamina and fitness of their horses over a course taking into account distance, climate, terrain and the clock.

To be successful, in my opinion, each competitor must have full knowledge of pace and the efficient and safe use of the horse in cross-country conditions.

And, national endurance racing at its best was witnessed last weekend.

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, deputised Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, president of Bahrain Olympic Committee and honorary president of Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation, to attend the Endurance Championship over 120km and local and qualifying races over 40km and 80km distances and present the prizes.

Like many other high endurance sports, endurance racing has a rich history and remains popular in many countries.

Bahrain’s Equestrian Village was commissioned in 2005 to host the kingdom’s first FEI World Endurance Championships for juniors and young riders and attracted participants from 32 countries.

The success of the event acted as a catalyst for an amazing growth in the sport’s popularity here.

Last Saturday was a prime example of how endurance racing in the kingdom has developed.

It was an amazing morning for the riders getting started at 6am. The weather was cool and breezy and had a promise to be that way all day.

The competitors and their horses were adorned in matching team racing colours and the event marked a chance for participants to gain qualification into future races.

Some people were there to take up the challenge of the longest distance of 120km while others were hoping to make their mark in qualifying rounds of 40km-80km.

With horses kitted with heart monitors and riders with watches that tracked their horses’ pace and distance, the race was off to a grand start.

At the end of the first stage, finishing with a time of one hour 13 minutes 22 seconds and an average speed of 26mph, found Fahad Hilal Al Khatery in the lead.

In the second stage, everyone watched as Rashid Al Rowai’ee overtook Al Khatery to steal the lead in a time of 1:13:24.

Khalid Yousif Al Khalaf then took the lead in the third stage with a time of 1:08:45 and an average speed of 25mph.

Maintaining the same average speed of 25mph, Al Khalaf also steered across the finishing line in the fourth and final stage with a time of 00:41:06.

As a result Al Khalaf was overall victorious in the 120km race on his beautiful and strong champion horse Makawi from the aptly-named Victorious Stables in an impressive time of 04:35.25 and an overall average speed of 26mph.

Al Rowai’ee was close on his heels with a time of 04:37:40 and an average speed of 25mph. Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Hassan came third with a time of 04:42:08 and an overall average speed of 25mph.

Shaikh Nasser was on hand to honour the top three with beautiful trophies and words of appreciation to all the riders and their teams.