ABU DHABI // Kamal Bahamdan received a timely boost for next month's President's Cup Five-Star show jumping competition at the Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club.
The 38-year-old Saudi rider held off a sustained challenge from the Emirati pair Mohammed Ghanem al Hajri and Ahmed al Juneibi to claim the Abu Dhabi World Cup qualifier, the showpiece event of the three-day championship, at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
"This was only my second competition since August and it has been a good one," said Bahamdan, the most experienced participant in the Abu Dhabi event with four Olympic Games and heading for his fourth FEI World Championship in Kentucky, USA, in October.
"My participation was purely to prepare for the Ghantoot competition and not to qualify for the World Cup in Geneva later in the year.
"However, next in my itinerary is the five-star competition from February 2. There are not many events with five-star status.
"So I'm looking forward for this competition more than anything else at this time of the year. It will bring some of the best riders and horses from around the world."
Bahamdan rode the 11-year-old gelding Mashalla Rivaal to claim the prize on a better time from al Hajri on Shakira 94. Al Juneibi clocked the fastest time on Picobello Wodeina but a couple of faults put paid to his chances.
@Email:apassela@thenational.ae
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
