Qatar targets show jumping gold at 2016 Olympic Games

12/24/2015 1:08:58 AM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) A trainer with her horse is pictured at the outdoor arena at Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF) in Doha yesterday. The three-day Qatar International Show Jumping Championship starts at the same venue today. INSET: President of QEF Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al Attiyah. PICS LOTFI GARSI

By Rizwan Rehmat

DOHA: Qatar’s show jumping team will be targeting gold at the Olympic Games next year Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF) president said yesterday.

In February this year the Qatari team earned a place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with victory at the second leg of the Furusiyya 2015 series in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al Attiyah President of QEF yesterday said: “One of our targets was to qualify for the Olympic Games and we got that. The other target is that we must reach the podium at Rio Games. We are looking for the gold medal in Brazil and we will be working towards that target.”

Al Attiyah added: “Sure we are not going (to Rio) just to compete. We are going there to win the gold.”

Qatari riders Ali Yousef Al Rumaihi Khalid Al Emadi Ali bin Khalid Al Thani and Bassem Hassan Mohammed emerged as the top contestants as they topped the field in the UAE last February.

The famous quartet will feature at this week’s Qatar International Show Jumping Championship that will be held at QEF’s outdoor arena.

The three-day event starts today at 11:30am. A total of 11 competitions will be held over the course of three days.

Competition 11 will be an FEI World Cup Arab League Open class which is an Olympic Games qualifier (certificates capability).

Al Attiyah said this week’s championship was key to Qatari riders and other competitors who have already reached Doha.

“This edition of Qatar International Cup is the Arab League Open round as well as a qualifier for the Olympic Games” Al Attiyah said.

“It (Arab League Open) started from Morocco and it will end in the United Arab Emirates. Qatar International (Dec 24 to 26) and Rayyan International (Jan 1-3) are two separate events.

“The prize money (QR1685000) is high because we need to do top events for our riders. We have two riders - one is Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani and the other Bassem Hassan Mohammed - he is close to Ali. Maybe he is a bit far (in rankings) because his top horses were not available. You know this is a sport in which you have to take care of the horses” Al Attiyah said.

Al Attiyah said Qatar has increased the number of events held in Doha and overseas primarily because home riders need maximum exposure in their build-up to the Rio Games.

“This year we have a lot of events at the federation premises and at Al Shaqab. We have the Doha Tour and the final event in Katara” Al Attiyah explained.

“Our riders are also competing in Europe. They compete in five star events. After this event they will travel back to Europe to prepare for the Olympic Games.

“There’s a deadline for us to name the horses next month. We have to find one or two best horses. It is not easy to find the best horses but we are doing our best” Al Attiyah said.

“Then we will keep an eye on the horses and our riders. Our riders are well trained and in good shape.

“That will give us the chance to battle for the gold medal in Rio” Al Attiyah said.

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