Al Shaqab Successful in 2009 French Endurance Riding Debut

Second in CEI**130km Competition and Top Three Finishes in CEI*90 km

13-year-old Khalid Faleh Al Subaey Takes 2nd in CEI*90 Competition

Tarbes, France - The Al Shaqab Endurance Team launched their 2009 French riding schedule on August 1 with impressive results from the competition held in Tarbes, located in the south of France near the border with Spain in foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains.

Represented in two events that marked Al Shaqab's first European competition of 2009, the team signaled they are ready for their French campaign. They dominated the CEI* 90KM race by sweeping the top three finishes and were equally impressive in the grueling CEI** 130 KM Qatar Challenge event with a hard-fought second place effort.

Hamad Rashid Al Marri led the team to the impressive silver-medal finish in the prominent 130 km competition. The 20-year-old, aboard Muse du Real, covered the course in 7:19.52. The competition featured riders from France, Spain and Switzerland. The hilly course was an obvious challenge as 48 riders began the event and only 22 completing the race. Hamad used a strategy of a slow early pace to tactfully move up during the competition and secure second. Seventh after the first loop, Hamad gradually moved up to fifth at the next loop and was second by the third a position he held to the finish.  
The team was phenomenal sweeping the top finishes in the CEI* 90KM competition. Hassan Tahous Al Nuaimi, a 21-year-old led the charge to register his first win of the year. Aboard Bahia Cathare, Hassan covered the distance in 4:53.21. He was followed by the rising talent of 13-year-old Faleh Al Subaey, who guided his mount Alhoa Zelus to a finish in 5:05.59. Close behind was Faleh Nasser Abugnaim, who piloted his mount Koheilan Bonita to third in 5:06.04. The 19-year-old Abughenaim has been extremely consistent this year with a string of second place finishes in competitions held in Qatar.  

The event attracted 38 international riders with the majority, 27, able to complete the entire race.         

Coming off a highly successfully 2008 campaign, highlighted by a second-place, silver-medal finish in the World Endurance Championship in Terengganu, Malaysia, the team is preparing for the prestigious European Endurance Championships. Viewed as the most important compeition of the year, the event will be held Assisi, Italy, September 26. The event attract the top riders and teams from five continents and will serve as a major prep for the 2010 World Endurnace Championship to be held in Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

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