His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa won the big tour CSI1* 140m class as he led the charge of all Bahraini riders competing in the Sharjah Rulers Cup in the UAE.
The Bahraini rider was untouchable as he guided his own mare, ZamZam, around the two-phase class in a time of 58.69. Highly regarded and successful Danish international, Tina Lund, finished a close second but could not beat the pace set by one of the Kingdom's up-and-coming rising stars, Shaikh Isa.
The Bahraini showjumping team member won convincingly as he left the field behind and raced through the finish.
Shaikh Isa made history by being the first Bahraini rider to win and top the podium in the state-of-the-art indoor arena of the Sharjah Equestrian Centre, where the Kingdom's flag was raised and the national anthem played for the first time.
The win topped the successful results achieved by all Bahraini riders throughout the two-week Sharjah showjumping festival.
Bahrain showjumping team captain, Shaikh Hassan bin Rashid Al Khalifa, added to the success as he rode his sponsor's horse, Stacal, to a fast and error free sixth place finish in the small tour CSI1* 125m two phase class. Shaikh Hassan also placed in the money, riding his horse HBR Versace, as he finished 11th in the CSI3* 140m speed class in a field that included many world-ranked showjumpers.
Shaikh Isa said: "I’m very happy with the result. I have been working very hard to achieve this success. I’ve been very close on a few occasions and finished second. I feel that I have broken the seal and hope that this is the beginning of many wins to come."
Team captain Shaikh Hassan added: "It’s been a fantastic week for Bahraini riders. Khalid was second last week, Shaikh Isa won today, and I was sixth. Three podium finishes for Bahrain. It’s a pretty good start to 2015 by any standard."
The Bahrain riders are based in the UAE where they train and compete throughout the winter season. The riders are in the middle of a tough six-week schedule where they will be competing in all remaining Arab League events, as they chase FEI Longines World Ranking and World Cup points. The next event for the team will be the CSI-W Dubai Showjumping Championship.
The riders thanked Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation Chairman HH Shaikh Faisal bin Rashid Al Khalifa, showjumping committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, and the BDF for their continued support.