Too Hot To Trot

Another busy weekend has just flown by with the normal flurry of hooves. The Dilmun Riding Stables staged its inaugural Open Dressage Show on Friday. There were three classes held across the morning, with 50 entries starting out in the Introductory A class.

In her first open dressage event Natalie Gunby on Magnum won the juniors, with Ali Nomdar riding Great Hawk securing the adults title.

In the next class, Preliminary 7, Luna Dreyer and Calypso took home first prize for juniors after an impressive display.

Elaine Galbraith riding Westwind produced a lovely round to claim first place in the adult section. In the final class of the day, Novice 27, Westwind again performed beautifully, ridden this time by the experienced Yvonne Addison. The pair performed a near perfect test to claim the top trophy of the day.

The event was altogether excellent, run smoothly and efficiently. The tests were judged by international judges Christine Khairallah and Oliver Walter, whose dressage training the previous week had proved beneficial  to riders.

Twin Palms Riding Centre held its In-House Dressage Event on Saturday, with three classes with a working equitation where competitors had to negotiate barrels and manoeuvre their ponies and horses in and out of areas whilst performing dressage movements.
 
This was a huge class with many entering their first competition. With ponies and riders exceptionally turned out, winning the class in style was Savanah Cruickshank with the colourful Lime. Making her winning debut in the Introductory B class was Zyta Glin-Conway with the handsome Shady. The final class of the day was Preliminary 1 and it was the turn of Maggie Andersson, with the fabulous Banjo, to steal the show. The pair performed beautifully to take top podium position. Best Turned Out was won for the adults by Kia Balet with Joker and for the juniors Audrey Maingot with Onyx.

Later, the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (BREEF) held a show jumping training session. Around 50 horses and riders amassed at the BDF Equestrian venue in Sakhir, where volunteers had assembled a course under the guidance of Mohammed Abdulla Dadulla. The fences started off at 80cm and rose to 140cm.

On the racetrack, Mlolshan ridden by Sabrina Gronback, of Denmark, owned by Safra, and trained by Alan Smith, won the richest race of the day – the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship Cup. Making it very much a ladies weekend, The Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship Endurance Race riders set off on Saturday morning. Bahraini rider Manal Fakhrawi with her mount Godasil Tehankorla, from Al Khalidiya Stables, claimed victory and will now participate in the next World Endurance Championships to be held in Italy in September.

Results
Dilmun Riding Stables Open Dressage Show
Introductory Junior: 1st Natalie Gunby/ Magnum.
Introductory Adult: 1st Ali Nomdar/ Great Hawk, 2nd Keisha Smith/ Breeze, 3rd Abdul Rahman/ Street Boy, 4th Kristen Rogers/ Dory.

Preliminary Junior: 1st Luna Dreyer/ Calypso, 2nd Aimee Keen/ Rio, 3rd Georgia Sim/ Casico, 4th Aimee Keen/ DJ Fleur, 5th Audrey Maingot/Fine Art, 6th Paula Madrid/ Comet.

Preliminary Adult: 1st Elaine Galbraith/ Westwind, 2nd Kat Rushton/ Duke, 3rd Elaine Galbraith/ Brave Knave, 4th Fouad Rayes/ Cortez, 5th Helen Blake/ Loki, 6th Cara Mattias/ Times.

Novice Mixed: 1st Yvonne Addison/ Westwind, 2nd Elaine Galbraith/ Brave Knave, 3rd Nadia Tsvetkova/ Bella, 4th Yvonne Addison/ The Chief, 5th Maher Lutfalla/ Romeo, 6th Helen Blake/ Loki.

Very First Open Dressage competitors: Kristen Rogers/ Dory, Natalie Gunby/ Magnum, Paula Madrid/ Comet, Grace Rodney/ Salwa.

Twin Palms Riding Centre In House Dressage
Working Equitation: 1st Savannah Cruikshank/ Lime, 2nd Madelline Mace/ Abba, 3rd Grace Halliday/ Master, 4th Lewis Dunlop/ Red, 5th Zyta Glin-Conway/ Shady, 6th Savanna Lokitt/ Yatzi.

Introductory: 1st Zyta Glin-Conway/ Shady, 2nd Grace Halliday/ Master.

Preliminary: 1st Maggie Andersson/ Banjo, 2nd Audrey Maingot/ Onyx, 3rd Pippa Fourie/ Soda, 4th Kia Balet/ Joker, 5th Virginie Dreyer/ Athos, 6th Maryam Al Khalifa The Chief.

Best Turned Out: Juniors – Audrey Maingot/ Onyx; Adults – Kia Balet/ Joker.

Competing for the first time ever: Hassan Al Ebrahim/ Dollar, Zara Pettit/ Bling, Hannah Khan/ Earl, Dhyan Mohan/ Earl, Yasmin Khonji/ Pearl, Tara Khonji/ Aramis, Emma Carminati/ Ruby, Maia McDonough/ Earl, Safia Nawaz/ Dollar, Emaline Crepin/ Red, Oliver Glin-Conway/ Aramis, Madeline Mace/ Abba.

* The BREEF Show Jumping Championship takes place on Saturday from 9am at the BDF Equestrian Centre, Sakhir.

There will be five classes, two for juniors and three for adults. Entries must be submitted to BREEF by 6pm today.