Sharjah International Show Jumping Championship begins today

The CSI3* Show Jumping Championship, organised by the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club in cooperation with the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, UAEERF, and under the supervision of the International Equestrian Federation, FEI, begins today.

The second edition of the Cup of Nations for different age groups is the first championship organised in the region and includes a young horses category for horses aged between 6 and 7 years (CSIYH1*); young riders category for 15 to 18-year-olds (CSIOY); junior riders category for 18 to 21-year-olds (CSIOJ); and children’s category for 10 to 14-year-olds (CSIOCH).

Male and female riders from 42 countries will participate in the 19th Sharjah International Show Jumping Championship with an estimated 400 horses participating. The riders are competing for 20 titles in the championship that runs over three days from today till Saturday evening in the indoor and outdoor equestrian fields at the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club. They will be competing for a purse worth 175,000 Euros (AED750,000) in total.

The Sharjah Championship comes just a week before the start of the FEI Jumping World Cup - Arab League - H.H. Ruler of Sharjah Cup International Show Jumping Championship, presented by Longines, which is the largest and the highest jumping event being held for the second time in a row in the covered arena at the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club. This championship is the first of its kind at this level in the region and the Middle East in general.

The championship programme consists of 20 rounds in the covered arena and outer field, with nine of them ranked at CSI3*. The championship was inaugurated today at 9:00 as three CSI3* which consisted of one CSIOY, one CSIOJ, and one CSIOCH competitions kicked-off.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Majid Al Qassimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club, presides over the committee as the Honorary Chairman, with the event being presided over by Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Foundation. The championship is managed by Sultan Mohammed Khalifa Al Yahyai, General Manager of the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club, with the assistance of Ashraf Al Leithi, Deputy Director of the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club. The ground jury is led by Ground Jury President, Khalil Ibrahim of the UAE, with the help of nine other ground jury members and a representative of the FEI. Italian international course designer, Uliano Vezzani, has designed the course with the help of six other international course designers.

The championship will also consist of a variety of non-equestrian events catering to the wider community and their families, including an equestrian exhibition with the latest in equine equipment and apparel, a heritage village, a kids’ corner with children's games, free pony rides, various restaurants that cater to all tastes, and other entertainment programmes.

The 19th Sharjah International Show Jumping Championship is sponsored by Longines, the Official Partner and Official Timekeeper; the Sharjah Sports Council, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, Al Shira’aa Stables, Sharjah Islamic Bank, Sharjah Equine Hospital, Sharjah Sports Channel, Kafalur Company, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sharjah University City and Al Sakab Stables.

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