+ A
A -
Vinay Nayudu
Doha
The fifth edition of CHI AL SHAQAB (March 2-4, 2017) marking the 25th anniversary of the magnificent Al Shaqab Equestrian Centre in Doha has to be special. It is indeed, with around 160 riders from 32 countries lined up to show jump at the three-day event.
The top international riders, along with six Qatari riders in the CSI 5* events and 28 from Qatar and the GCC countries in the CSI 3* events of CHI Al Shaqab and members of the public will come together to celebrate Qatar's rich equine heritage at the Al Shaqab arena.
CHI AL SHAQAB 2017, sponsored by ExxonMobil Qatar, is one of only four international annual equestrian competitions that showcases three or more equestrian disciplines in one event.
Speaking at the pre-event launch, Omar al Mannai, Event Director of CHI AL SHAQAB, said,"In just five years, CHI AL SHAQAB has established itself as one of the top events on the international equestrian calendar, attracting equine enthusiasts from across the globe. The event attracts a great deal of international interest, which sheds light on Qatar as a nation with a sporting legacy we can be proud of."
About the fifth edition on the occasion of Al Shaqab's 25th anniversary, he said,"We look forward to hosting top riders, members of the business community and public, who will be given an opportunity to learn more about Qatari culture and traditions and the rich Arabian equine heritage."
Expressing delight at ExxonMobil Qatar's association with CHI Al Shaqab, Alistair Routledge, President and General Manager for ExxonMobil Qatar, said,"ExxonMobil Qatar is delighted to sponsor CHI Al Shaqab for the fifth year, and to help promote Qatar as a premier sports event destination with our partner Al Shaqab."
Besides, Qatar's Olympic show jumper Sheikh Ali al Thani, who also carried Qatar's flag at the Parade of Nations opening ceremony, other top-ranked riders who will be competing include World No. 1 Daniel Deusser (Germany), who finished second in last year's Grand Prix at CHI AL SHAQAB; second-ranked Christian Ahlmann (Germany), who finished third in the 2016 Grand Prix; and Simon Delestre (France), currently ranked fifth in the world among many others.
There are several ticketing options for spectators. Adult general admission is QR35, and QR15 for children. VIP tickets include VIP seating on the second floor of the arena, complimentary all-day 5-star catering, exclusive entrance, and VIP valet parking; single-day VIP tickets start from QAR1,000 for adults and QAR500 for children. Three-day packages are also available, at QAR2,500 for adults and QAR1,250 for children. For tickets, visit www.q-tickets.com.
Our aim is Tokyo 2020: Sheikh Ali
Having excelled at the 2016 Olympics for Qatar and one who’s led the team to the World Cup finals, star show jumper Sheikh Ali al Thani is one who knows what it takes to excel. Speaking about the Emir Cup and CHI Al Shaqab, the tall rider said he has been preparing a horse ‘Kareena’ for the last two years and would been riding with the same, but stressed that it will be more of a warm up and not necessarily aimed at winning. “We will go to Paris and finally to USA for the World Cup finals from here. As an equestrian team, we are happy but our goals are not just the World Cup and Nations Cup but more importantly the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. We do not rest on our laurels. We are focused on our work and hope things will go on smoothly on the road ahead of us.”
