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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Like father, like sons
By Nashwa Abdel-TawabHe's better known as Dubai's crown prince and defence minister but Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum has also branded a name for himself on the saddle.
In Egypt's first Al-Ahram Al-Arabi international horse endurance race, Sheikh Mohamed, riding on Falah, finished first in the 100-kilometre desert course near the pyramids. Following closely on his horse's hoofs came his son, 18-year-old Sheikh Hamdan, riding on Jiddah. His 13-year-old, Sheikh Ahmed came a respectable fifth while on Beau Diddly.
Third and fourth place went to two more riders from the Emirates, Abdullah Bilhab on Fergie and Abdullah Khamis on Mora Machado. Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, son of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) president, came seventh on Faiza. In all, seven UAE riders finished in the top 10. Only riders from Jordan and the US broke the stranglehold.
Sheikh Mohamed's time of five hours, 34 minutes and 15 seconds was only three seconds faster than Sheikh Hamdan and just four seconds quicker than Bilhab, evidence enough of the close competition. The first Egyptian rider to cross the finish line was Gomaa Mahmoud, on Mayhoub, at No 12.
"I did not compete for the prize," said Sheikh Mohamed, referring to the LE1 million total purse. "I came here to compete and have a good race." Backing words with deeds, Sheikh Mohamed donated his purse to the Egyptian Horse Breeding Club. "This is a new type of sport in Egypt so I came to encourage and support the Egyptian riders," said Sheikh Mohamed, one of the world's leading racehorse owners and breeders with stables in Britain, France and the United States.
UAE domination of the race, while near total, was not surprising. "We look after them well," Sheikh Mohamed said of his horses. "We also improved their breeding starting from the early 1970s until we had our own pure Arabians and thoroughbreds.
"An Arabian will take care of its owner as no other horse will, for it has been raised not only to a level of physical perfection, but has been instilled with a spirit of loyalty unparalleled by that of any other breed. So we take care of it," Sheikh Mohamed added. "I always think of the problems facing my country. New ideas come to mind but this time I couldn't but wonder how beautiful the combination is of the Pyramids, Sphinx, sand dunes, pebble-ridden turf and Arabian horses. I ran in so many places but not with this rich air of history. I was surrounded by the Pharaohs' history. I wonder if there is still more underneath the land I raced on."
Sheikh Mohamed, riding on Falah, in the lead as the contestants head for the finish line. Right: Al-Ahram Editor-in-Chief and Board Chairman Ibrahim Nafie presents Sheikh Mohamed with a gift, courtesy of Al-Ahram Organisation
photos: Khaled El-Fiqi & Moussa Mahmoud
On the ground, the event began at dawn in Sakkara, just south of Cairo. The 200 contestants-- from Egypt, the UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, France and the United States -- looped around a hilly course overlooking the pyramids of Giza, Dahshour and Sakkara.
The 100-kilometre race was divided into four stages: A 36-kilometre run, followed by a 30-minute rest period, then 30 more kilometres of running, a 40-minute break, 20 additional kilometres of racing, a 40-minute breather followed by a final 14-kilometre stretch and a final check-up -- for the horses.
The horses, pure-blooded Arabians, thoroughbreds and mixed breeds, were routinely checked during their mandatory stops for blood pressure, dehydration and injuries. If they were adjudged unsound or metabolically unfit, they were disqualified for their own sake.
Horses ran in temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius but had a chance to quench their thirst at watering stations every five kilometres. Sheikh Mohamed's horse was travelling at an average speed of 18 kilometres an hour,
"We vetted around 160 horses the day before the race and lots of them were disqualified for being under six years of age or for health reasons," said Dr Bobby Surendra, one of the race's senior veterinarians from the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation. "During the race, out of 200 horses, 54 were eliminated, mostly because they were lame," Surendra said. Most of the horses which were forced to quit were from Egypt, 39 to be exact. Eight from the UAE, five from Jordan and one each from Kuwait and France also had to call it a day.
"It was very well organised, from the availability of water, to referees, to resting stations, to vets," said Jordanian contestant Hussein Shabab who came sixth while riding Alajdal.
Endurance riding is defined as an athletic event with the horse and rider covering a measured course within a specified maximum time. "To Finish is to Win," is their motto. Discipline, dedication and a sense of adventure are the most important ingredients for success. It is by any measure a highly competitive and challenging endeavour.
Endurance races are meant to be a test of many things; a horse's stamina and condition, a jockey's intelligence and horsemanship, and an overall team effort under veterinary supervision. Horses must meet a 'fit to continue' criterion as determined by a veterinary staff.
Although endurance rides are technically 'races' many (if not most) riders enter just for the fun of competing -- and completing the event. To them, just being able to cover the distance is in itself an achievement.
Al-Ahram Al-Arabi magazine, which was behind the idea, organised the event, the first in Egypt, in coordination with the Horse Breeding Club, the Jockey Club and the experienced UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation. "It's an attempt to promote an Arab sport in Egypt," said Ossama Saraya, editor-in-chief of the Al-Ahram Al-Arabi magazine. "It's an attempt to unite the Arabs more through the history of horse racing, a sport which has unified people throughout the ages."
