It’s been a day of firsts for sixteen-year-old Mabkhout Alkarbi: his first trip to England, his first time riding in the prestigious Hickstead International Arena, and his first time competing on grass. Oh, and, of course, first place – a prize he handily won in the Fly Free Equine 1.25m Open Championship, riding the diminutive but evidently enormously talented Casscalina Z. He and the eight-year-old mare clinched the win by just two one-hundredths of a second, pushing Great Britain’s Molly Davies and Voyou des Rondets into runner-up position.
“I am too happy,” beams Mabkhout, who has had the ride on Casscalina for just three weeks and found himself getting to know her, as well as the new conditions, while in the arena.
“The feeling from her is very good – I hope to produce her to the two-star Grands Prix this year,” he says. “Riding on the grass today requires just a bit more leg and more gallop, but it was great.”
Mabkhout’s victory is a happy moment for the Al Shira’aa sponsored Hickstead Derby Meeting – the teenager is also part of Al Shira’aa’s own stable of riders, and Casscalina has been owned by the UAE-based enterprise since she was a foal.
The Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting takes place from 19-22 June at Hickstead in West Sussex. Tickets are available from www.hickstead.co.uk, while the action is being shown live on ClipMyHorse.TV.
ENDS
Al Shira’aa Stables – A Journey of Equine Excellence
Al Shira’aa Stables was founded from a love of horses and grew into a multi-faceted company, committed to the development of horsemanship across many disciplines. Al Shira’aa Stables was set in motion to develop and promote all aspects of equestrian sports and horse care, the remit of Al Shira’aa now extends far beyond our main base in Abu Dhabi to include equestrian development on a global scale.
