Please enjoy part two of our coverage of Alrubatiya International Arabian Horse Championships 2023 held in Oman in January. Photography by HH Photography and Design and Alessio Azzali.
Colts
With the conclusion of the mare classes, the first day of the show continued with the colt classes.
Assaf Akmal
The yearling colt class was split into two sections, and there was a tie for the top spot in the first class with both scoring 91.25 points. It came down to movement, and so taking first place was the smooth and typey bay Rasheeq al E’zz (FA el Rasheem x A.Z. Houranah), bred and owned by Al E’zz Arabian Horse Stud in the UAE. Settling for second was Jalmood al Hawajer (Nashmi al Hawajer x Durah al Hawajer), bred and owned by Al Hawajer Stud. This was also a striking bay colt, and there really wasn’t much to choose between them. There was another tie for third, this time with the type score being the decider, and taking the place was the fancy bay Assaf Akmal (Excalibur EA x HHC Ali-K), bred and owned by Akmal Stud. In fourth was MK Ghali (ES Rasheeq x Ajastrig Moniscione), bred and owned by Mohsen Hussein Hussein Emara. Both colts scored 91.13 points. Completing the Top Five with 87.5 points was Badi’ al Zaman (Badiea al Nasser x Reem al Khor), bred by Alghania Stud and owned by Ali Sultan al Hashmi of Oman.
D Faher
Shaalan al Zobair (Raud al Zobair x Nawader el Zobair) won the second yearling colt class with a score of 92.75, including two 20s – one for type and one for movement. Bred and owned by Al Zobair Stud, this classy colt finished 0.25 points ahead of D Faher (D Shakhat x D Fannanah) in second place. Bred and owned by Dubai Arabian Stud, D Faher put on a good show to earn two 20s for movement. In third was Kenzo SCAH (Picasso di Mar x El Dorenna), bred by SACH Arabians and owned by Knooz al Khaleej Stud, with 87.75 points. Completing the Top Five was stablemate Etro SACH (Excalibur EA x Creola LC) with 87.13 points.
Hama Mudhar MP
On to the two-year-old colts, and Mudhar Stud won with Hama Mudhar HP (Dominic M x Baraka MP), bred by Mindy Peters. This bay colt powered around the ring to score 91.88 points. Just behind in second was another smart bay, D Towajan (Excalibur EA x D Shahira), bred and owned by Dubai Arabian Stud with 91.75 points. Third place went to the free moving iridescent Tuwaiq Mudhar (AJ Alaf x Quiriz), bred by Josy and Chantal Everars-Van den Broek and owned by Mudhar Stud with 91.63 points. Mushyr Gharnatah (Alexxanderr x Maysah Gharnatah) stood fourth with 89.75 points, bred by Nasser bin Khelaifekh Alhajri and owned by Khalid bin Mohamed Al Kindi of Oman. Completing the Top Five was Akram RC (Masoun al Adeyat x Malaya NA), bred and owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman, with 89.5 points.
Tarantino C
The final class of the day was for the three-year-old colts, and it was very closely contested. The winner certainly brought the wow factor – the very showy bay Tarantino C (El Tino x Scarlett C). Bred by Coleal Farms and owned by Al Zobair Stud, this incredibly showy bay commanded the ring to earn two 20s for type and one for movement, and to take the win with 92.13 points. Hot on his heels, and just 0.13 points behind, was E.S. Salem (E.S. Sarab x E.S. Salma), bred and owned by Emirates Stud. This colt was also very showy and correct, but such was the depth in this class that he had to settle for second. Third place, this time just 0.12 points behind on 91.88, was Akmal Stud’s bay homebred Aali Akmal (FA el Rasheem x HHC Ali-K), who also impressed. Completing the Top Five were Prestige RC (FA el Rasheem x Pristina LD), bred and owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman, and Kahil al Sultan (Classic Miracle x Ellemira Aljaliyla), bred by Sultan Mohammed Ali al Farsi and owned by Abdul Salam Abdulla Sulaiman al Balushi – Bin Am. They scored 91.63 and 86.13 respectively.
E.S. Salem
Aali Akmal
Day two
Day two of the show dawned bright and sunny, and there was a real buzz as people arrived at the showground. It was noticeable throughout the show that people were happy and relaxed, and there were smiles all around – from those in the ring to those sitting watching. The show intrigued locals, and a great many came, including dignitaries, to experience the joy of watching some world-class Arabian horses in their homeland. Everywhere I looked, people were enjoying themselves – something that was also commented on from those watching the livestream. To transmit that happiness though to those watching around the world was the sign of something very special indeed.
Copper bowls in the Heritage Village. Credit Samantha Mattocks
Stallions
E.S. Rasheeq
The afternoon began with three stallion classes, with the four-to-six-year-old age group in first. This was a big class, full of quality, and there were some very showy stallions forward. Taking the win was E.S. Rasheeq (FA el Rasheem x Vitorio Secret TO). Bred by Emirates Stud and owned by Mohsen Hussein Hussein Emara. A free-moving bay, he scored 92.63 points to take the top spot ahead of Shareem RC (FA el Rasheem x EKS Shakira). Bred and owned by the Royal Cavalry of Oman, this grey stallion earned a 20 each in type and movement but finished half a point behind the winner. There was a tie for third and, with the higher type score, the place went to another very showy stallion from the Emirates Stud, their homebred E.S. Taj (Shanghai EA x AJ Kahayla). Settling for fourth was Badr Akmal (QR Marc x Pepita), bred by Akmal Stud and owned by Al Ibdaa Stud in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Completing the Top Five was Al Zobair Stud with their homebred Dagher al Zobair (Ashhal al Rayyan x SA Misha Apal), with a score of 91.13 points.
Shareem RC
Shawan al Hawajer
On to the seven-to-ten-year-old stallion class and the winner was the powerful bay Shahwan al Hawajer (FA el Rasheem x Joharat al Hawajer), bred and owned by Al Hawajer Stud. With two 20s for head and neck, this typey stallion scored 92.38 points. One full point behind in second place was Wajeeh Athbah (EKS Alihandro x El Dorada), bred and owned by Athbah Stud in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With one 20 for movement, this grey stallion impressed judges and audience alike. In third place, with 89.88 points, was Wortex Kalliste (Shanghai EA x Mirwanah Kalliste), bred by Kalliste Arabians and owned by Ghazi bin Bashir Al-Otaibi from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Completing the Top Five was the grey straight Egyptian stallion, Nashwan Al Bidayer (Nadeed al Naif x Imperial Baaraah). With 88.25 points, he was bred by Sheikh Mohammed Saoud Sultan Saqar Al Qssimi in the UAE and is owned by Tariq bin Hamdoon al Hashmi from Oman.
Wajeeh Athbah (and cover photo)
Girlan-Bey
There were just three forward in the final class, that for stallions aged 10 years and over, and it was lovely to see the return to the ring for former Reserve World Champion Colt, Girlan-Bey (Pesal x Gracja-Bis). Now 21 years of age, this Polish-bred stallion put on a good show to win with 90.5 points; like all of us, age is catching up with his trot, but it is still there! Bred by Michal Bogajewicz, he is owned by Emad bin Mohammed al Rasheed from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In second, on 90.13 points, was Classic Miracle (Shanghai EA x Classica), bred by Sussana Uhlen and owned by Sultan Mohammed al Farsi from Oman. In third was another straight Egyptian, this time Abbar Al Bidayer (Laheeb al Nasser x Antares D Nile). Bred by Sheikh Mohammed Saoud Sultan Saqar Al Qssimi, he is owned by the Royal Stables Stud in Oman. He is a better horse than his score of 87.25 points suggests – and that is part of the vision of this show, to help educate Oman breeders on conditioning and showing their horses.
For part one of Alrubatiya International Arabian Horse Championships, click here.
For part three of Alrubatiya International Arabian Horse Championships, click here.
