Wednesday, November 12, 2008

LADY WINNER

Sunday November 9, 2008

Mercedes rides away with crown, UAE bag team title

SETIU: Spain’s Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton, astride Nobby, overcame thunderstorm, darkness and her male challengers to win the FEI-World Endurance Championship 2008 individual title at the Terengganu Inter-national Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong here yesterday.

The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile clinched the team title.

Ponton’s win underlined Spain’s supremacy in world endurance races as it was their second win in the individual category of the prestigious championship following Miguel Ubach’s triumph in Germany, in 2006. Ponton completed the 160km race in 8’48:06 to become the 10th woman to win the individual title in the 12 editions of the race since 1986.

Apart from Ubach, the only other man to have won the individual title was the UAE’s Ahmed Al Maktoum in Spain in 2002.

High-riding: Individual winner Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton of Spain in action during the World Endurance Championship in Terengganu yesterday. — Bernama

In yesterday’s race, Argentina’s Agustin Vita (Baraka Ibn Tamah) was second in 8’57:55 and the UAE’s Sultan Ahmed Sultan Sulayem (Tazoul El Parry) was third in 9’09:31.

Ponton, who started the 160km race at 5.30pm on Friday together with 126 other riders who competed in the individual and team events, completed the final loop (Loop 7) at 7.18 yesterday morning. The final rider made it home at 11.40am.

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Spanish rider wins World Endurance Championships

November 9, 2008


FEI World Endurance Champion, Spain's Maria Alvarez Ponton and Nobby. © Gilly Wheeler

Spanish rider Maria Mercedes Avarez Ponton and Nobby led almost from start to finish to win the World Endurance Championships in Terengganu, Malaysia, yesterday.

Ponton and Nobby, a 13-year-old French-bred arabian gelding, led the field of 126 in the 160km race all the loops except for the second to win in a time of 8:58:06.

She became the 10th woman to win the top title in the past 12 renewals of the event, since 1986.

Based in Dubai, she told Gulf news: "If I am standing here as the world endurance champion it is only because of the support of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai."

"He gave us everything. We owe everything we have or done in horses to him. This victory is his," she said. She first went to Dubai to work seven years ago.

In the silver medal position was Argentina's Augustin Vita riding Baraka Ibn Al Tamah in 9:07:55, and the bronze was won by UAE rider Sultan Ahmed Sultan Bin Sulayem, on Cal Ramon, in a time of 9:19:31.

The UAE team of Sh Mayed Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum (4th) Mohammed Ahmad Ali Subose (5th) Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya (6th) and Abdulla Thani Bin Huzaim (7th) also led from start to finish. They were unchallenged as they finished (27hr 57min 59sec) with almost an hour's advantage over second placed Qatar (28hr 47min17sec) who were two hours ahead of Bahrain (30hr 54min 22sec) which made a clean sweep for the Middle East in the Team Medals. There was disappointment for the home side, when their entire team was eliminated for a variety of reasons.

The best Australasian riders home were Penny Toft, riding the anglo-arab gelding Don, and Kristie McGaffin and Tierview Maverick. The Australians finished in 18th (10:17:44) and 19th (10:17:45) place, nearly 90 minutes behind the leader.

New Zealand's Andrea Smith and the anglo gelding Sierra Nevada were 31st, in 11:46:42 nearly three hours behind the winner.

The final rider home was Australia's Susanne Thumer, who finished the event four hours and 21 minutes after the winner, riding Galib.

The course was basically flat over sandy or fine quarry dust tracks. An enormous amount of work had been done on the surface since last November to eliminate the very boggy areas and provide a sound footing throughout. In addition 1200 LED lights, the same colour as the route, were used at night. The riders also wore these colour coded LED lights to assist the check points on course.

There was only one crew point on each loop but there were manned water points every 3.5km that offered iced-water for cooling, plus drinking water for horse and rider.

There was a heavy thunderstorm halfway through the race, and conditions took a huge toll on the field, with only 48 completing. More than half of the 78 horses who did not finish were vetted out through lameness.

At the 2006 trial event an above average completion rate was noted.

Among those who failed to finish were former world number one Datuk Kamaruddin Abdul Ghani, and the Australians Brook and George Sample.

The opening ceremony took place in the newly constructed Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium were the King of Malaysia, Yand di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin officially opened the event. The 48,000 enthusiastic spectators watched the teams parade before a spectacular light and sound show, fireworks, and a bareback riding performance by Lorenzo from France. The enthusiasm of the local population continued as 10,000 spectators watched the start at 5.30pm the next day.

The tab for two-way air freight for horses to and from Malaysia was picked up by the event's organising committee, as well as return tickets for riders and two grooms per horse, a chef d'equipe and a veterinarian per country. Accommodation, meals and transportation for all team officials, riders and grooms was also picked up by the committee.

The event offered a $US100,000 prize purse for the individual competition, and $US80,000 for the teams. The best conditioned horse will receive a $US20,000 prize, and all riders who completed were to receive a prize.

Today's prize giving ceremony - starting at 10am local time - is followed by a gala dinner tonight.

The event marked the first time a Far East country has hosted a senior FEI World Endurance Championship. It was also the first to be held in a tropical climate - and during the hours of darkness.

• There is a new "godfather" of endurance. The title of "Godfather of World Endurance Horse Race" has been bestowed upon Dubai ruler HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, by the King of Malaysia, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud. The title was granted by the King of Malaysia on behalf of all competitors in the competition, in recognition of Sheikh Mohammed's great contributions and support for world endurance horse racing.

Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum received the award on behalf of his father from Sultan Mohammed, the brother of the Malaysian King.

Individual - Top 5
1. Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton / Nobby (ESP) - 08:48:06 18.16kph
2. Augustin Vita / BarakaIbn Al Tamah (ARG) - 08:57:55 17.82kph
3. Sultan Ahmed Sultan Bin Sulayem / Tazoul El Parry (UAE) -09:09:31 17.45kph
4. Sh Mayed Bin Mohd Al Maktoum / Spenda Crest Kamouflage(UAE) - 09:14:42 17.29kph
5. Mohd Ahmad Ali Subose / Koum Des Jamets (UAE) - 09:21:38 17.07kph
Teams - Top 5

1. United Arab Emirates - 25:57:59
2. Qatar - 28:47: 17
3. Bahrain - 30:54:22
4. Portugal - 30:58:52
5. Spain - 31:25:25

6 comments:

RoyalTLady said...

Doctor Azhar,

So, you and family were there?

I was just watching on the air. I was held from going out since the night of the official opening which was so spectacular ... I did not mind being glued to my seat till the end of the show.

The next day, I was surprised, adamant and extremely proud to know Spain’s Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton, astride Nobby, overcame thunderstorm, darkness and her male challengers to win the FEI-World Endurance Championship 2008 individual title. Mercedes arrived so very early back to the finishing line.

It sent thrills down my spine to see this gorgeous rider, gallantly holding her country’s flag and get down, walking tall and waving to the crowd. She did not look tired or fatigue at all.

I was feeling low too when our HRH The King Tuanku Mizan reportedly saying
“ I am actually very disappointed….”

So was I. But I could imagine the rough and tough endurance with heavy torrential fall amidst storms through the event… That probably was not a hinder to any of them but the horses … we have not heard any complaints from any of the horses. Have you? Neither have I!

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