From Ramzy to Abdulrahman: Rabat stays green!
In Rabat, the individual crown is awarded on Friday: the Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Amina delivered its verdict – one Saudi succeeded another. Abdulrahman Alrajhi followed in the footsteps of Ramzy Al Duhami, winning a thrilling competition, as enjoyable to watch as so often with courses designed by Uliano Vezzani.
The thirteen obstacles, including a double and a treble, in the first round produced an initial cut: seven clear rounds earned their ticket to the second round, joined by Ukraine’s Anastasia Bondarieva with two time faults on Fedor V H Moeshof and the three fastest riders with four faults. In total, the line-up included three Saudis, two French riders, a Swiss, an Irish rider, an Italian, a Briton, a Moroccan and the Ukrainian – a fine international mix.
The shortened course of seven obstacles, including a double, had all the feel of a jump-off. That became clear as soon as the first clear round came in: Abdullah Alsharbatly set off at full speed with Alamo. The race was on, and his compatriot Abdulrahman Alrajhi quickly raised the bar with the experienced son of world champion Baloubet du Rouet, Heartbeat W, slicing 58 hundredths off the target time. Then Morocco’s El Ghali Boukaa entered the fray with his fabulous A Kyss: faster, but a late fault extinguished Moroccan hopes. Even World Cup finalist Edouard Schmitz could not outdo the Saudis, though he did climb onto the podium in third with Quno.
Today belonged to Abdulrahman Alrajhi: “When I saw Abdullah’s round, I thought: impossible. Heartbeat W is an incredible horse but not very quick, especially in tight turns, and he’s not the easiest to steer. But he has everything else, and that makes my life simpler. I try to use the qualities he really has and avoid asking him for what he doesn’t — namely agility. Perhaps Rabat’s big arena suited him perfectly.”
It was Alrajhi’s first Grand Prix win with Heartbeat W, who previously belonged to a British rider: “What makes the story even better is that I bought him right here a year ago, almost by chance. Talking to his former rider, Liz Bates, I heard she wanted to sell him. I was listening in, in the right place at the right time… and a year later, we’re winning our first Grand Prix together.”
At 30, Alrajhi could not hide his delight in a beaming interview: “I’m extremely proud of him and grateful to my whole team. People see me for ninety seconds in the ring, but behind that are the grooms, vets, caretakers, managers and partners who make it all possible. This success is theirs as well.”
Third place went to Switzerland’s Edouard Schmitz, who had not originally intended to bring out Quno. A last-minute instinct changed his mind, and he had no regrets: “Today we had a beautiful Grand Prix and I’m very pleased with my horse. It’s been a while since he jumped at this level, and he really delivered. Next time I hope the rider will also deliver! (smiles). It’s frustrating not to finish the job when the horses are in such good form, but I’m very happy with him. My other two horses are also going well and are having an excellent tour. Initially, I had planned to keep Quno fresh for El Jadida, but I felt so good with him in training that I thought it would be a shame not to bring him out here when he’s in such great shape.”
The 26-year-old rider from Geneva is discovering the Morocco Royal Tour for the first time – and surely not the last: “I’d been told it was a beautiful circuit, but I’m still pleasantly surprised compared to my expectations. The two shows I’ve done so far take place in magnificent settings, with an enthusiastic crowd: we really have the best conditions to practise our sport and to enjoy it.”
A morning in Rabat: two Moroccan victories
After the French quadruple yesterday in the CSI1* opener, today it was Morocco’s turn to deliver a similar triumph: four of the top five places! With a comfortable margin of 1.14 seconds, Mohammed Azoum, riding his 11-year-old Hanoverian Numax, won the Prix SNRT, ahead of his compatriot Badr Khiati with Iggy Pop d’Asschaut, a 7-year-old Selle Français.
Also in the top 10 were stalwarts of the Moroccan team such as Abdeslam Bennani Smires and Abdelkebir Ouaddar, who were preparing their 7-year-old horses for the future: the Belgian Sabatini Van’t Klavertje Vier and the Oldenburg Balou’s Son, both showing real promise at the start of their international careers.
The second Moroccan victory came in the 4* class preceding the Grand Prix, courtesy of Farid Amanzar and Elvis Van Overis Z – his own 16-year-old gelding – again with a comfortable lead: “I’m very happy with this win, especially with this horse,” said the 45-year-old rider, a familiar name on the winner’s lists. “Elvis is a gelding I took on when he was considered finished for the sport. Today he proves he still has all his qualities. I place him regularly at international shows – whether at the Sunshine Tour, the Global, or here at the MRT. This victory means a lot to me personally and also for my country. Even more as I had top riders right behind me who went flat out. My horse gave me everything and we managed to win with two seconds to spare (1.54 to be precise). I’m proud of him and of my whole team.”
Elvis Van Overis Z looked so comfortable that one might wonder whether he could be just as effective over bigger tracks: “He’s a true all-rounder. He’s a speed horse, but also capable of tackling the big classes. During the MRT, I prefer to keep him at 1.40m to prepare him for the Global in two weeks, where the goal will be to see my country’s flag flying again, Inshallah.” Amanzar relegated Italy’s Massimo Grossato, long-time leader with Legend, into second place.
And for Sunday’s Nations Cup, the bad news for the other teams is clear: again this year, Saudi Arabia is in formidable form with three riders in the Top 10. In the meantime, see you tomorrow for a third day of top-class sport, with the 1.50m Winning Round as the highlight.
Grand Prix SAR la Princesse Lalla Amina –
CSIO4*-W Two Rounds – 1.55m –
1) Abdulrahman Alrajhi, KSA – Heartbeat W 0-0/41.02, 2) Abdullah Alsharbatly, KSA – Alamo 0-0/41.60, 3) Edouard Schmitz, SUI – Quno 0-0/42.42, 4) Susan Fitzpatrick, IRL – Lovely Stassi PS 0-0/44.35, 5) Guillaume Batillat, FRA – Quistria du Bois 0-0/46.81,
Prix SNRT
CSI1* – Faults & Time – 1.25m
1) Mohammed Azoum, MAR – Numax 0/52.89, 2) Badr Khiati, MAR – Iggy Pop d’Asschaut 0/54.03, 3) Ezzoubeir Errhaimini, MAR – Brindille de Lairaud 0/55.95, 4) Abdeslam Bennani Smires, MAR – Sabatini Van’T Klavertje Vier 0/56.06, 5) Finn Boerekamp, NED – Non Fictie 0/56.53
Prix Administration des douanes et impôts indirects
CSIO4*-W – Faults & Time – 1.40m
1) Farid Amanzar, MAR – Elvis Van Overis Z 0/54.87, 2) Massimo Grossato, ITA – Legend 0/56.44, 3) Nicolas Deseuzes, FRA – Galoway Sunheup 0/56.65, 4) Sanne
Thijssen, NED – Lolandria Z 0/57.25, 5) Cyril Bouvard, FRA – Gangster d’Eifel 0/57.29