Release date: 13/05/2011 |    

The advancing performances of the riders from the Middle East region were highlighted once again over the weekend of the Global Champions Tour in Valencia. (May 6-8), attracting the media’s attention and drawing compliments from across the show jumping community.

The second leg of the Global Champions Tour has come seven weeks after the successful running of the first leg of the Tour in Doha, Qatar by the Qatar Equestrian Federation. The Gulf region is certainly taking the show jumping spotlight as two rounds of the Global Champions Tour are positioned there in 2011.

Photo above: Sheikh Ali bin Khalid Al Thani (Qatar)riding Adolfo FRH in the GCT Grand Prix of Spain

The Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Spain, held at the magnificent venue of City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia attracted 29 of the top 34 FEI ranked riders and the competition was always going to be one of the most challenging. Of the 50 starters 19 world-class riders jumped clear in the first round to proceed to the next course, designed by international course designer Frank Rothenberger (GER). Irish rider Billy Twomey claimed victory with the stallion J’Taime Flamenco.

United Arab Emirates rider Sheikh Shakhboot Al Nahayan was seventh to ride in the competition producing a well executed third round clear of the class on his bay stallion Muscaris D’Ariel. Eight horses later Kamal Abdullah Bahamdan, from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, completed a meritable 9 fault round with the big grey Cezanne 30.

Leading Qatari show jumping rider Sheikh Ali Bin Al Thani was the 21st competitor listed to go and he furnished the sixth clear round of the competition.

Syrian competitor Ahmed Saber Hamcho, who was the first rider to start over the very big track, had just two rails down with the talented Wonderboy II. Sheikh Shakboot provided a super finish to his weekend in Valencia, placing 4th with his other top horse Vitesse Green Field ahead of 30 other starters in the Trofeo Repsol CSI4* 1.45m.

Sheikh Shakhboot now stands 8th on the Global Champions Tour Ranking just behind Irish rider Billy Twomey, the winner of the Global Champions Tour in Valencia. German rider Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum follows Shakhboot on the ranking list. Sheikh Ali bin Khalid Al Thani sits in 30th in the ranking, just behind current World Cup Champion Christian Ahlmann.

Kamal Abdullah Bahamdan and Ahmed Saber Hamcho are both in =38th position along with 2010 World Cup winner Irish rider Jessica Kurten and the 2009 Global Champions Tour winner Michel Robert (FRA).

Sheikh Shakhboot commented on his successful start to the Global Champions Tour season. “Firstly I thank and owe my success to my very supportive father Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, the first and last person who always motivates and inspires me with his unlimited support. Success in the past and the coming achievements all come firstly from him.I would also like to thank the President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Gen Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahayan for their unlimited support.”

“I am also very attentive to the fact that success in this sport of show jumping is a complete team effort. I have good trainers in the very experienced rider Herve Godignon and Abdulaziz Al Marzooqi. David Demon and his partner Sophie and the grooms manage everything. Success is a team effort and I congratulate them before myself.”

“Eighth of the top ten in the GCT Rankings is a great achievement for me and for the Arab world. We are getting through in the right way now in this sport. I believe that it is the experience of the European professionals that sets us apart, and this is the only difference. Our horses and trainers are European and we just lack the time of experience … you cannot buy time. The training, competing and riding continually make for experience.”

“The challenge is not just to get there, it is to stay there! I hope that the coming Global Champions Tour shows are not so much pressure on myself and I can continue to build for the Arab nation.”

“I have blind confidence in my horse. He will jump, he has a lot of potential and he is clever. So if there is any mistake coming it is from me normally. No one is perfect but we go on.”

“The sport is very good and has so much to thank Mr Jan Tops, President of the Global Champions Tour. I wish he and his team success in continuing the good work in what they do to develop the sport.”

The Al Forsan International Sports Resort in Abu Dhabi will accommodate the concluding round from the 10th until the 12th November, the same weekend as the Formula 1 car racing Grand Prix.

The third round of the Global Champions Tour heads to Hamburg, Germany, (June 1-5) where all of the mentioned Gulf riders will mix it with the best of the best. Eurosport will capture the show jumping of the Grand Prix of Hamburg on Saturday 4th June.

Live streaming of the feature classes can also be viewed on the dedicated website at www.globalchampionstour.com. June will be a very busy month for the Global Champions Tour with three major legs of the tour in Hamburg, Cannes and Monte Carlo. The circuit moves next to Hamburg, Germany (June 1-5th) with the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Germany set to take place on Saturday 4thJune, 2011.

Live television coverage of the Grand Prix will be broadcast on Eurosport on the Saturday evening, while the event will be relayed on National German channels. Live streaming of all the Global Champions Tour main events each day will be available on the dedicated website. www.globalchampionstour.com.

The latest news and information can also be obtained online. Join the Global Champions Tour on their designated Facebook and Twitter social media platforms.

Global Champions Tour Rankings – top 18 riders after 2nd leg (Valencia) 1. Alvaro De Miranda Neto (BRA), 66 2. Dennis Lynch (IRE), 64 - 3.Lars Nieberg (GER), 58 – 4. Ludger Beerbaum (GER), 56.50 - 5= Edwina Alexander (AUS), 55 – 5= Gerco Schroeder (NED), 55 – 7. Billy Twomey (IRE), 51 – 8. Sh Shakboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan (UAE), 49 – 9. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, 46 – 10. Kevin Staut (FRA) 44 – 11.Simon Delestre (FRA), 42 – Pius Schwizer (SUI), 37 – 13. Maikel van der Vleuten (NED), 35 – 14=. Luciana Diniz (POR), 33 – 14=. Laura Kraut (USA), 33 – 16=. Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), 31 – 16=. Marcus Ehning (GER), 31 – 18. Werner Muff (SUI), 29

The Global Champions Tour ranking is updated after each leg of the tour based on the scores derived from the rider’s performances.

The Global Champions Tour 2011 Events Doha, Qatar March 17-19 Valencia, Spain May 6-8 Hamburg, Germany June 1-5 Cannes, France June 9-11 Monte Carlo, Monaco June 23-25 Estoril, Portugal July 1-2 Chantilly, France July 22-24 Valkenswaard, The Netherlands August 12-14 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil September 2-4 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, November 10-12