Doha: The fourth round of the 9th Longines Hathab Equestrian Tour concluded Saturday in Doha. The event is organized by the Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF) in partnership with Al Shaqab, a member of Qatar Foundation, at the outdoor arena of QEF, featuring the Diamond Round, the Silver Round, and the Future Riders competition at a height of 90 cm.
According to Qatar News Agency, the results of today's competitions saw rider Khaled Jassim Al Suwaidi clinch first place in the Future Riders category, clocking 16.26 seconds aboard Violet. Khalifa bin Jamaan Al-Thani secured second place with 16.32 seconds on Zion, while Al Qaqaa bin Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani finished third in 18.03 seconds riding Bon Suwayla. The winners were crowned by championship Director, Abdullah Al Merri.
In the Silver Round, Hussein Saeed Haidan emerged first with a time of 53.56 seconds on Vihibi, followed by Khaled Al Hadi in second place at 56.33 seconds aboard Cartlon, and Rondo Jean Francois in third place with 56.34 seconds riding Lucky Wally. The award ceremony for this round was conducted by Ali bin Yousef Al Rumaihi, Board Member of QEF.
In the Diamond Round, Santiago Lambre snagged the title with 35.71 seconds on Ketsun, while Mohamed Saeed Haidan followed in second place with 40.61 seconds riding Quick Nick, and Khaled Mohamed Al Emadi finished third in 42.4 seconds on Tour Ter Wulgen. The winners were crowned by Director of the National Equestrian Team, Fahad Rashid Al Amri.
Abdullah Al Merri lavished praise on the remarkable displays by the riders across the first four rounds of this tour, emphasizing that the high coaching standards in show jumping and dressage reflect the significant advancement in riders' readiness for upcoming global tournaments. The consistent strong performances over the four rounds underscore the immense dedication and effort of the riders, demonstrating that Qatar's equestrian system is advancing in the right direction toward achieving international accomplishments, Al Merri underlined. He further highlighted that this preparedness serves as a clear indicator of the riders' capability to represent the nation in regional and global championships and compete for top positions.