Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

With participation from finest show jumping horses and riders alike, the 8th edition of the FBMA International Show Jumping Cup ended on a successful note.

The Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club played host to top equestrian local and international talent as 131 competitors from 26 different countries faced off across three-days of competition.

The event which began on Feb.18 featured female nationals and novice show jumping talent among the 12 different categories that spread over three days and offered a prize purse of more than Dhs500,000.

The cup was held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and under the guidance of Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and the President of the Abu Dhabi and the Al Ain Ladies Clubs.

The first-place winners announced on the first day were Emirati national Eisa Omran Al Owais for the CSI Junior’s class (CSIJ-A), Chadi Ghraib from Syria for the CSI young horses (CSIYH1*) and Victoria Jade Laing representing Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club for the (NATIONALS) UAE’s Mabkhout Owaida Al Kirbi UAE bagged top honours in CSI Children’s class (CSICH-A); Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi from the UAE dominated CSIU25-A while Maryam Ahmed Abdulmalik from Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club emerged winner in the nationals category.

Tina Lund from Denmark won the (CSIL2*) and Amelia Moscicka claimed CSIL2* Commenting on her win, Sande from Denmark, winner of the (CSIL2*) Grand Prix, said: “I compete in all the eight editions of the FBMA Hose Jumping Cup and this is the third time I got first place.

“It’s a special show to my heart, and even more special that it was organised in these special circumstances. A big thank you for the organizing committee to have put in the extra effort to make it happen.”

The annual competition achieved its underlying goals in encouraging youth and Emirati nationals to take part in sports, equestrian sports in particular, the sport of our ancestors and the legacy they left for us.

The eighth FBMA International Show Jumping Cup was supported by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, International Federation for Equestrian Sports, Longines, Al Shira’aa Stables, Abu Dhabi Media Company, YAS TV, Zahrat Al Khaleej, in addition to; Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Burjeel Hospital and Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority.