Moving on

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Al Reef Stables will once again aim to dominate the domestic endurance season, which starts Saturday.

Shaikh Mohammad emerged as the top owner with a total of 5,840 points during the 2005-06 season, while Al Reef Stables, which sent out most of the winners, emerged as the leading endurance stable.

Ro Fabiola of Al Wathba Stables garnered the maximum points to finish as the top horse of last season while the top rider was Marzooq Salem Al Merri with 999 points.

Yousuf Ahmad Al Bloushi had a great season when he emerged as the top individual trainer representing Al Reef Stables while also finishing second in the rider's category.

Today's opening ride and two other qualifier rides are being held at Bouthib Endurance Stables and the season will soon enter the big stage when some of the top riders from all over the world come here to compete.

The UAE has over the last few years been a major training ground for some of the top riders who prepare for both their own national as well as continental and world championships.

The UAE's national team riders, who had an average domestic season, raised expectations with a fine display in the run-up to the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum and Sultan Bin Sulayem, who did well in Europe before the world championships, however, faced disappointment in the big event. The UAE will now be preparing for the European Championship, in which they have been a dominant force over the last four editions.

The UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation have announced the calendar for the season and rides will be held at the Dubai International Endurance City in Seih Assalam, the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Bouthib and a few ladies' rides at Al Asayl.

Hussain Mohammad Hussain, Secretary General of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, said the new season will once again bring the UAE to the forefront as a leading endurance nation.

"The quality of the competitions and the high organisational level of the events held here in the UAE has always been hailed by the international endurance fraternity. WE will continue to ensure that the rides which are held according to the FEI rules and regulations are of the highest level.

"Every year, the number of UAE riders has been on the increase and it is this universal nature of this sport which has made it one of the fastest growing in the world," Hussain said.

Calendar: UAE Endurance Season 2006-07

NOVEMBER 2006

Sat 04
Wathba
Qualifiers 40 & 80 only

Sat 11
EHC Cup
Bou Thib 100J&Y FEI
& Qualifiers 40 & 80

Sat 18
Al Wathba Cup
Wathba 120 FEI

Sat 25
DEC Cup
Dubai 120 FEI

DECEMBER 2006

Sat 02
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid
Al Maktoum Cup
Bou Thib 120 & 100J&Y FEI

Sat 09
Bou Thib
Qualifiers 40 & 80 only

Sat 16
National Day Cup
Wathba 120 FEI

Sat 23
Shaikh Rashid Bin Hamdan
Al Maktoum Cup
Dubai 120 FEI
& Qualifiers 40 & 80

JANUARY 2007

Sat 06
Bou Thib Cup
Bou Thib 100J&Y FEI
& Qualifiers 40 & 80

Sat 13
GCC Endurance Event
Dubai 120 FEI