Season-opening endurance race kicks off

Manama, Nov. 29. (BNA) --The Season-Opening Endurance Race kicked off this morning with more than 85 riders from different local stables battling for a distance for 120km and 80km in qualifying. The race is held under the patronage of Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (BREEF) Honorary President Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Meanwhile, BREEF President Shaikh Faisal bin Rashid Al Khalifa attended the Medical Inspection for the horses, and stressed the importance of success of this season and in providing all different forms of support and assistance for all riders in order to highlight the picture of Bahrain Endurance. He praised the regulatory actions that accompanied the veterinary examination of the horses participating in the race. The race consists of five stages as follows: the first stage (Red Colour) for a distance of 30km, the second stage (Blue Colour) for a distance of 30km, the third stage (Green Colour) for a distance of 20km, the fourth stage (Yellow Colour) for distance of 20km and the fifth and last stage (White Colour) for a distance of 20km. The qualifying race, covering a distance of 80km, started at 7.15am. On the occasion of the first race of the season, Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, leader of the Royal Endurance Team, urged his own team to achieve outstanding results in the race and win the top positions, saying that the stages of the race is a real opportunity for the riders to see the horses' capabilities early in the season. He expressed full confidence of his own team members who will compete in the race, according to the vast experience gained from participating in various tournaments and sporting events, and noted that the Royal Team is always considered as a firm favourite in endurance races. Leader of Al Ruood team Shaikh Daej bin Salman Al Khalifa expected that the race will be strong and exciting, based on the various number of participants from different local riders and stables, and he considered this race as a preparation for all horses and riders for the rest of the season.