Doha: French rider Cyrine Cherif clinched the prestigious Grand Prix five-star title as the curtain fell on the Al Shaqab Cup at the Longines Arena in Doha on Sunday.
The five-day event, hosted by Al Shaqab, brought together more than 150 riders competing for a total prize purse of €784,000, showcasing top-tier international showjumping.
The highlight five-star Grand Prix, featuring jumps at CSI5* 1.60m, delivered a thrilling contest that went to a second jump-off between two riders. Cherif secured victory with a time of 42.51 seconds aboard Triple T. Qatar’s Faleh Suwaid Al Ajami finished second despite posting a faster time of 40.99 seconds on Wathnan Quattro, while American rider Christine Vanderveen took third place in 53.82 seconds on Belle Ranz Gerre.
The winners were crowned by Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al-Kuwari, Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and member of Al Shaqab’s Board of Directors.
Earlier, the final day opened with the junior CSI3* 1.30m class, where Mohammed Yousef Al Jaber of Qatar claimed top honours in 34.98 seconds. Bahrain’s Sultan Abdulaziz Al Rumaihi finished second, followed by Qatar’s Haya Khalid Al Hetmi in third.
In the CSI3* 1.40m class, Kuwait’s Hussein Al Kharafi secured first place, ahead of Qatar’s Saad Ahmed Al Saad and Mohammed Khalifa Al Baker.
Qatar’s Ghanem Nasser Al-Qadi topped the CSI3* 1.30m class, while Jordan’s Nasouh Kayali triumphed in the three-star Grand Prix (150cm), ahead of Austria’s Gerfried Backe and South Africa’s Matthew Morrison.
Qatari riders dominated the CSI1* 1.35m star class, with Khaled Jassim Al Suwaidi taking first place, followed by Hussein Saeed Haidan and Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani. In the 120cm class, Ahmed Jassim Al Suwaidi led the podium, ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Khaled Al Hadi and Qatar’s Sultan Salem Al Nuaimi.
In the CSI5* 1.50m class, Kristen Vanderveen secured victory, with Qatar’s Bassem Mohammed finishing second and Egypt’s Zein Shady third.
Speaking at the closing press conference, Sheikh Talal bin Khalid Al Thani, Assistant Tournament Director, described the event as a resounding success, highlighting Qatar’s capability to host world-class equestrian competitions.
He noted that the inaugural edition featured strong participation across all categories, enhancing the technical level and reinforcing Doha’s standing on the global equestrian calendar. He added that the tournament reflected meticulous planning and coordination, despite being held without spectators.
Sheikh Talal also confirmed that preparations are already underway for the upcoming Qatar Equestrian Federation Cup, with a focus on further elevating organisational and technical standards while expanding rider participation.
