Top riders gear up for CHI & CDI at Al Shaqab
Top riders are gearing up for Asia’s first CHI & CDI competition, which is being held at Al Shaqab’s state-of-the-art facilities in Doha, Qatar, from 27 to 30 March 2013.
Forty-two world class showjumping riders have declared their intention to compete in the CSI5* Big Tour and Grand Prix classes, including the reigning Olympic individual gold and silver medallists Steve Guerdat (Switzerland) and Gerco Schroder (Netherlands), plus the winner of the 2012 Global Champions Tour, Edwina Tops-Alexander (Australia). A further 42 participants will take part in the CSI3* Small Tour and Medium Tour classes.
Steve Guerdat from Switzerland and Gerco Schroder from The Netherlands, the reigning Olympic individual gold and silver medallists respectively, will be taking part in showjumping, as well as the Saudi equestrian team who won a bronze medal during the London 2012 Olympics. “This was an achievement for the region, not just Saudi Arabia, and we are all proud of it as Arabs,” he said.
Great Britain’s Olympic team gold medallist Scott Brash, who will be competing, commented: “I am really looking forward to jumping my top horse Hello Sanctos at a top, state-of-the art venue which is new to the circuit. It’s really exciting for the sport to have a fantastic new venue like this with great prize money at stake to jump for.”
Running concurrently will be CDI4* Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle dressage competitions. Fifteen starters are expected to come forward, including former European and World Championships gold medallist, Germany’s Imke Schellekens-Bartels, who said: “It's fantastic that we have a new, high profile CDI4* in the calendar. I have heard many good things about the show in Qatar and so I am very excited to travel to Doha together with my top horse, Toots, and experience the atmosphere for myself.”
Horses are expected to begin arriving this Saturday, while the media centre will open its doors to journalists starting Tuesday, and will remain open for 13 hours a day.
While entrance to the Spectator Plaza will be free, members of the public wishing to attend the competitions themselves must purchase tickets, which are on sale at Landmark and Villaggio malls. According to Al Mannai, ticket sales so far have shown high interest from the public.
Qatari Champion Yousef Al Rumaihi, said: “This is a great opportunity for me to compete in Doha, in front of my own crowd. It won’t be easy to compete with some of the best riders in the world – but I will try my best to bring in good results.”
Al Shaqab is Asia’s showcase equestrian festival. It is located within Qatar Foundation’s Education City and boasts 980,000 square metres of world class facilities. These include an outdoor 120 x 80 metre arena, where the showjumping will take place, and a 100 x 60 metre indoor arena, which will house the dressage.
An estimated 10,000 spectators will pass through the doors over the four days, while members of Qatar’s royal family and other royal guests of honour from the GCT are also expected to attend.