Abu Dhabi (Aletihad)

Two weeks of world-class equestrian sport at Al Shira'aa Horse Show came to an end in Abu Dhabi with the UAE talent showing great promise in the near future. On the final day, in the main event, Abdullah Al Muhairi narrowly missed out on the top prize while a triplet of riders swept the podium in the preceding CSIYH1* 6-Year-Old Young Horses Final, presented by Al Shira'aa Farms.

Italy's Guido Grimaldi won the main prize, the FEI Jumping World Cup Grand Prix, for his career's first such title with a marginally better performance than Al Muhairi. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and CoExistence, honoured the winners along with Mohamed Al Harbi, Director General of the Emirates Arabian Horse Society, at the improved Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

The 1.55m track, devised by Italian course designer Elio Travagliati, proved challenging for many, seeing only five jump clear in the first round. With 11 riders through to the nail-biting jump-off, spectators were treated to a masterful display as Grimaldi, a business owner by profession, took his first-ever Grand Prix win aboard the horse Gentleman, with a double clear in 39.67 seconds.

Al Muhairi also rode two faultless rounds to secure second place with a time of 40.63 seconds. Germany's Christian Ahlmann, no stranger to the podium, settled on third place following a single penalty in the first round and a quick clear in the jump-off aboard D'Aganix 2000 Z.

"This is my first time here at the Al Shira'aa Show, and it's a moment I will never forget. To be on the podium with such fantastic sportsmen and athletes, for me, is an honour. And considering riding is not my full-time job, this is just like I'm living in a dream. I always try to do my best, and this is such a special night," said Grimaldi of this win.

When asked about his preparations for the show, he added, "From Monday to Wednesday last week, I was in Istanbul for business, so I have to thank Luiz Filho for preparing the horses over the past few days. He's been training me for many months, and I consider their team a second family. More than anyone, I have to thank my wife for always supporting me."

Earlier in the day, the future stars of show jumping took centre stage in the CSIYH1* final for six-year-olds. Emirari superstar Omar Al Marzouqi and King Leon Z delivered a flawless performance, topping the class with a quick and precise clear in 30.05 seconds on the Al Shira'aa Farms-owned stallion.

The talent and potential on display underscored the bright future of equestrian sport. The second and third places also went to riders from the UAE, with Sultan Al Tabali and J'Mapelle Bogota clear in 33.35 seconds and Mohamed Al Remeithi following behind in 34.29 seconds.

The excitement continued in the Shira'aa Farms CSIYH1* 7-Year-Old Young Horses Final. With less than 0.5 seconds separating the top three, Syria's Sabri Badenjki, riding Salyska Ab-St, secured the win, jumping an impressive clear in 32.17 seconds. Abdalla Al Kirbi rode NN Contre Attack MQ clear, stopping the clock in 32.35 seconds to clinch second place. Al Marzouqi finished third riding his own Billy Martini in 32.62 seconds.

The afternoon saw the highly competitive CSI4*-W event, where British rider Lily Attwood and Karibou Horta emerged victorious in this 1.45m accumulator class. The combination put in a remarkable performance to jump clear and collect the maximum points in a time of 49.44 seconds. Ireland's Michael Pender and HHS Cyprus followed in a time of 49.88 seconds to take second place, with Egyptian rider Abdelrahman Ikram rounding up the top three, riding Graduate HBC clear in 51.67 seconds.

Al Shira'aa Tour continues through 2025 under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and Owner of Al Shira'aa Farms.

New locations include Umbria in Italy and Hamburg in Germany, as well as returning venues of Bolesworth Castle and Hickstead in the United Kingdom. Al Shira'aa's vision to preserve the sport's rich history through support of legacy shows and create an equitable and accessible playing field remains steadfast, as is evident in the tour's structure.