Spanish Maria is champion again

LADIES 120KM - CEI2*_120KM_KINGS - CEIYJ 120KM - CEI 80KM - CEN 80KM

Clinches 120-km ladies endurance ride in Madrid

Spain's María Alvarez won the 120-km ladies endurance cup with aplomb on May 20, 2017, Saturday, partnering JM Bucefala. She had won the 160-km event the previous lady.

The two-star FEI ladies ride saw a good participation from several European countries and was part of the HH Shiekh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival (Abu Dhabi-Madrid-Brussels series),  which was held at Carmara Esteruelas suburb in Madrid, Spain.

The experienced María finished the 120-km distance in 5:34:56 seconds riding on an average speed of 22.03 kmph.

Second place in the ladies championship went to Sylvia Yebra, who finished in 5:50:30 seconds with an average speed of 21.05 kmph, whereas Maria Garcia was content to finish in the third place clocking 6:32:03 seconds with a speed of 18.82 kmph.

King's Cup
Prince Bernat Casals won the120-km Spanish King's Cup covering the distance in 5:34:57 seconds riding on an average speed of 22.03 kmph. Second place went to Juan Carlos Panchame, who took 5:54:28 seconds maintaining an average speed of 20.82 kmph. In third place was Javier Garcia Cuervo who covered the distance in 5:59:02 seconds with an average speed of 20.55kmph.

Junior and young riders
Slovakian rider Lucia Supekova won the 120-km ride for Junior and Young Riders clocking 6:07:33 seconds at a speed of 20.07 kmph. Laura Fernandez Piña came in second place in 6:11:26 seconds with a speed of 19.86 kmph. Maite Pradera Ledo came in third with a timing of 6:11:27 seconds and a speed of 19.86 kmph.

In the One-Star 80-km ride, Rocio Diaz Corton won the first place in a timing 3:42:32 seconds at a speed of 21.83 kmph. In second place was Alejandro Conradi Monteiro, who finished in 3:44:29 seconds while third-place went to Andrea Trujillo Ruiz.

An elated winner of the ladies cup Maria thanked the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival for giving her an opportunity to ride in her home country. “It was a tough challenge following the extensive hot and humid weather conditions and the strong contenders from local and European countries posed a greater competition.”

Dr. Hessa Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to Spain, the Vatican and Andalus and Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the Int’l Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committee and Princess Terese de Bourbon presented the prizes to the winners of different categories.

Dr Otaiba thanked His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, President of the General Women's Union, the Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation and the President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, for their relentless efforts to promote equestrian sports in general and women's sport in particular. He further added that such sport events further boost the bilateral relations between the countries apart from exchange of culture and heritage and hoped more such events will be seen in Spain in the future.

Ms Lara Sawaya congratulated all the winners and said that the Spanish edition of the Festival was a huge achievement. “We had so many participants from different European countries who braved the heat and participated just for the love and passion for the Purebred Arabians. The Festival under the guidance of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed and HH Sheikha Bint Mubarak will continue to pursue the goals of preserving the heritage and nobility of the Purebred Arabians all over the globe,” she added.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC as associate sponsors, IPIC as Strategic Partner, The  National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare  and sponsored by Al Aweer Stables, Ayadii LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Wathba Stallions, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club,  Mohamed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Omeir Travels, Dr Nader Saab Switzerland, Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics, YAS Channel, Racing Post, Paris Turf,  Al Wathba Centre, the UAE's General Women's Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2016, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival / Satya Narayan
Photo: Morhaf Al Assaf