Vaulting for the first time in the Middle East

Fahad Al Qahtani, Director of AL SHAQAB and the President of CHI AL SHAQAB welcomed all riders, with their horses and teams as well as all guests to witness the second edition of CHI AL SHAQAB at the extraordinary facilities of AL SHAQAB in Doha, Qatar. Her Excellency Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad Khalifa Al Thani, one of the patrons of CHI AL SHAQAB honoured the 62 vaulters from 10 nations with her attendance. She was very excited to host Vaulting as a new discipline for the first time in the Middle East being performed in her home country Qatar at CHI AL SHAQAB.

Barbara Torok the Discipline Manager of Vaulting was excited to witness the first competitions today at CHI AL SHAQAB. She said “I am proud to be part of this wonderful and exciting event, as well as making history by introducing this discipline into this region for the first time ever.”

Barbara also said that she was happy to welcome Team Neuss again to Qatar. Last year they put on an exciting show and this year they came to CHI AL SHAQAB to actually compete in their discipline. Today Team Neuss finished in first place in CVI 3* Squad Compulsory Test .

Sabine Kuntner of Austria, placed 11th in the compulsory test of the individual female competition however she explained “I’ve been working very hard for the competition, but unfortunately my lunge horse was unable to compete. I have had to borrow a horse in order to take part, but I have only been on it three times.” She went on to explain that it’s very difficult to adjust to a new animal as the canter varies from horse to horse but she planned to do her best.

Team Svea Voliteklubb of Switzerland had to make a last minute substitution last week when a vaulter became unable to compete. However, Coach Daniellea Fiskbeak, who is a mother of two, came to the team’s rescue, literally jumping in to the saddle and becoming a part of the team.

Competitor Facts:

Female vaulters: 12 female vaulters from 6 countries

Male vaulters: 13 male vaulters from 5 countries

Squad vaulters: 4 squads of vaulters from 3 countries

Results:

CVI 3* Squad Compulsory Test – Vaulting:

1st place Team Neuss Grimlinghausen from Germany, on Delia 99, with Lunger Jessica Schmitz scored 7.616
2nd place VV Köln Dünnwald I from Germany, on Holiday on Ice e, with Lunger Alexander Knauf scored 6.999
3rd place Harlekin from Switzerland, on Pady de Jean Bel, with Lunger Rita Blieske scored 6.270

CVI 3* Individual Female Compulsory Test – Vaulting:

1st place Corinna Knauf from Germany, on Fabiola W, with Lunger Alexandra Knauf scored 7.869
2nd place Simone Jäiser from Switzerland, on Luk with Lunger Rita Blieske scored 7.745
3rd place Kristina Boe from Germany, on Don de la Mar with Lunger Winnie Schlüter scored 7.664

CVI 3* Individual Male Compulsory Test – Vaulting:

1st place Thomas Brüsewitz from Germany, on Airbus 1, with Lunger Irina Lenkeit scored 8.059
2nd place Viktor Brüsewitz from Germany, on Sir Bernhard RS VD Wintermuhle, with Lunger Nina Vorberg scored 8.019
3rd place Stefan Csandl from Austria, on KCM Vaultinghorses Zygo with Lunger Mauritz de Vries scored 7.954