Bahrain endurance horse ride Season kick-starts

Seventy-six riders have signed up for the 80km Qualifying Ride, the first event of the 2012/13 Endurance Horse Ride Season in Bahrain, kick-started today in Sakhir. The season opener is organised by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), and is being held under the patronage of its president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The race commenced at 5am at Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir. Stables taking part include the Royal Endurance Team, are represented by 22 riders, the highest number of participants from one stable in today's race. The Royal Endurance Team, one of the favourites, is spearheaded by some of Bahrain's most prominent riders. They include regular riders from the Bahrain national team like Abdulrahman Al Zayed, Jaafar Mirza, Fhad Bakheet, Abdelhak Kaddouri, Mohammed Abdulsamad, Raed Mahmood and Isa Al Hazza. Al Asayel Stable (19 riders) have the second highest number of participants. Other riders are from Ahmed Al Fateh Stable, Al Montasir, Khalid Al Rowaie, Al Muqheerat, Al Ajiyal, Al Shawamek and Saar Riding School. Featuring three stages, the ride is a warm-up event that aims to help participants gear up for the main championship that will be organised later this season. Today's event begins with 30 kms for the first stage, to be followed by another 30 kms for the second stage while the concluding stage will over 20 kms. As an incentive to participants, Shaikh Khalid has directed the organising committee to award BD100 for every rider successfully completing all three stages. Breef general secretary Ghalib Al Alawi has been named president of the ground jury. It also includes members Ali Ghuloom, Mahdi Al Kalaiti and Fahad Al Romaihi, besides foreign technical delegate Mohammed Dadulla, chief steward Haider Al Zu'bi and steward Abdulla Al Rumaihi. The veterinary commission is being headed by Abbas Al Haiki, with Mohammed Al Hammad of Saudi Arabia being the foreign veterinary delegate. Other commission members are Khalid Razaiqi and Hady Al Lawati, both of Oman, as well as Bahrain's Ebrahim Yousef, Ebrahim Yousif, Sabah Al Kabie, Abudlrahman Yaqoob, while Fareeda Abdulrazaq and Caonabo Melo of Domincan Republic are the veterinarians. Mir Ghani was appointed lab technician and Sudiq Sankar the show secretary.