ABU DHABI // Khaled Al Eid, the Saudi Olympic team member, believes the UAE will not be able to compete with the world's best showjumping teams unless they invest in the best horses.
"There are no substitutes for good horses if you want to be successful at the top-flight competitions," Al Eid said, shortly after winning the silver medal at the Global Championship Tour (GCT) at Al Forsan International Sports Resort in Abu Dhabi last month.
The Saudi team are emerging as a force in world showjumping - they won the 2010 Asian Games and recorded a top-10 finish at the 2010 World Equestrian Games.
They highlighted their strength - and a reported US$500 million (Dh1.84 billion) budget - by purchasing two of the world's best horses - Sultan V and Talan - from the Great Britain team just before the December 31 deadline for acquiring horses for the London Olympics in the summer.
"The Saudi Federation has invested well on quality horses and that reflects on the success we have had at the top-level competitions around the globe," Al Eid said.
"It is not easy to select the right horses because you need to make the right choice at the right time. Sometimes it may not work the way you plan but you need to take a chance."
Al Eid believes the UAE need to invest in quality horses.
"The Emirati riders are not far behind the rest of the world when it comes to skills and abilities, yet they can't compete without quality horses at the top-flight competitions," he said.
"The UAE have excellent facilities, they host top-class events and some of their riders take part regularly in regional and international competitions.
"So I don't see any reason why they won't be successful on the back of a quality horse.
"I guess it won't be too long because some of their own horses may mature and improve. The easier option is to purchase some quality horses and possibly success will encourage them to invest on the horses."
Adnan Al Nuaimi, the secretary general of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC), acknowledged the need to invest in quality horses but said prices of more than €1 million (Dh4.8m), the cost of a top horse, was too much of on investment for the Emirati riders.
"Although the equestrian industry has grown significantly over the years, showjumping doesn't enjoy the same popularity as flat racing and endurance," he said.
"It is true the Emirati riders lack the same quality horses to compete at the highest level but I believe these things may change with the number of top-class events the country will be hosting in the coming years.
"And hosting such competitions as the GCT, which is a five star event, provides the Emirati riders to compete against some of the world's best.
"Even if they don't win at this level, the experience would matter. Most of our riders are young and have time on their side to achieve better results in the future.
"And we have a lot of young horses and even they are bound to improve over a period of time.
"We have had some success at the regional level and I believe it is only a matter of time before the Emirati riders will achieve better results at the top-level competitions."
Today until Saturday, the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club hosts the latest leg of qualifying for the World Cup to be held in Holland in April.
Abdullah Al Sharbatly, the Saudi rider who won the Dubai leg of the World Cup qualifier last weekend, heads the list of competitors for an event that has a total purse of more than Dh1m.
There are two more competitions after Abu Dhabi. Sharjah will host the penultimate event from January 19 to 21 and Al Ain will stage the final leg of the qualifier from February 9 to 11.
apassela@thenational.ae
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Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
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Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
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World Cup warm up matches
May 24 Pakistan v Afghanistan, Bristol; Sri Lanka v South Africa, Cardiff
May 25 England v Australia, Southampton; India v New Zealand, The Oval
May 26 South Africa v West Indies, Bristol; Pakistan v Bangladesh, Cardiff
May 27 Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton; England v Afghanistan, The Oval
May 28 West Indies v New Zealand, Bristol; Bangladesh v India, Cardiff
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
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The specs
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- Torque: 760nm
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- Price: Not announced yet
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Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
The%20specs
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The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
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The biog
Hobbies: Writing and running
Favourite sport: beach volleyball
Favourite holiday destinations: Turkey and Puerto Rico
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
THE RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Alnawar, Connor Beasley (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Raniah, Noel Garbutt, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Saarookh, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Rated Conditions Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: RB Torch, Tadhg O’Shea, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: MH Wari, Antonio Fresu, Elise Jeane
7.30pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m
Winner: Mailshot, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company%20Profile
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