Abdulla Al Marri hailed the inaugural Her Highness Sheikha Maryam bint Mohammed Al Maktoum Festival of the Horse after the UAE rider won the showjumping competition in stellar fashion on Friday evening.
The Festival of the Horse drew in a large crowd as some of the country’s best riders competed across three disciplines – cross country, dressage and showjumping at the Emirates Equestrian Centre (EEC), all on the same day, in a unique setup that was the brain child of Sheikha Maryam.
“I have created this event as an introduction to something that will grow to be a world-wide championship,” said Sheikha Maryam.
“This is the opportunity for our society to be a part of this Festival. The successful staging of an event of this nature reflects the modern face of our growing city. I am determined that this Festival will expand, grow and progress with constant development and improvement.”
Watched on by Sheikha Maryam alongside her father, His Higness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, 35 of the UAE’s best showjumpers took to the arena at the EEC and it was Al Marri, atop Alaska, who went clear in the fastest time of 59.57 seconds and took the Dh50,000 prize.
Al Marri was riding Alaska for the first time since he sold the mare a couple of months ago and he was thrilled that their reunion was a victorious one.
The EEC rider said: “I sold her to Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed a few months ago and she gave her a gift to one of my young riders. She was second in the Young Riders division last weekend with my student Maitha Al Hajri and today we’re reunited after two months and I won. The last time I rode her I also won, so the magic is still there.”
The 28-year-old, who also designed the course for the showjumping competition, believes the festival was a huge success.
Al Marri added: “I think the festival is a great idea. The best of the best in the country, competing against each other, with very good prize money, audience, the people here added to the atmosphere.”
“The Maktoum family are the biggest supporters of UAE sport. Look at His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, he was in the UK a mere few days ago winning a race with one of his horses, and today he is here in Dubai watching the showjumping, and supporting his daughter Sheikha Maryam for this amazing festival.
“It’s a great honour to have them here. And I hope that we can have more and more of these great events.”
Earlier in the day, Mohammed Al Nakhi won the cross country event along with a Dh8,000 cheque while Australian Tracy Wyngard-Gill scored 70.06 with Erkan to take top honours in the dressage competition.
“This is amazing, it’s such a good opportunity and a really exciting prospect in the future. This is only the second year competing with this horse so I’m really happy with him,” said Wyngard-Gill.
“It’s been a really nice atmosphere to have all of the disciplines here together and seeing each other doing their own respective sport is great. And to see other riders from EEC also winning in the jumping was brilliant to see. Such a good feeling here tonight.”
