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Al Reef riders grab first Places in endurance rides Ahmed Salim Al Balushi from Al Reef Stables won the CEI 2* 120-km endurance ride Sorouh Challenge held on Saturday, November 14, 2009, at the Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. Riding 11-year-olld Pure-bred Arabian Silversprings Kabir Arwa, Balushi finished the ride in 4:45:13 seconds riding on an average speed of 25.24 kmph. It was an exciting win for Balushi as he dominated the five-looped race from Phase 1. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of UAE and Dubai Ruler, attended the ride along with UAE Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of EIEV Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Several sheikhs, senior officials and representatives from Sorouh Group, who sponsored the ride, were in attendance. Hassan bin Ali finished second on Kalkadoon Vagabond, 11-year-old grey Gelding owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance. Riding on an average speed of 25.02 kmph, Bin Ali completed the ride distance in 04:49:01 seconds. Third place went to Abdullah Rashid Mohammed Saeed Al Naqbi, who was riding 12-year-old grey mare Blue Monnet, owned by Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He took 04:52:34 seconds with an average speed of 23.29 kmph. The 120-km attracted a field of 84 riders of whom 21 successfully covered the ride distance. Saturday also featured CEI 1* 81 km endurance ride featuring 51 starters. The three-phased ride was won by Ali Abdullah Abdul Wahid from Al Reef Stables. He was riding Cyden Cloud Dancer. Three Indian riders, Arshad Ali Sadul Khan on JG Opie, Karan Singh Rajput Singh on Jalbenmat Al Haaq and Aldan Singh Kishore Singh on LA Zamba, followed him to secure the second, third and fourth places respectively. Twenty-two riders completed the loops successfully. Taleb Dhaher Al Muhairi, Secretary General, Emirates Equestrian Federation, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Fahad Al Ketbi, Commercial Director, Sorouh, distributed the prizes (worth Dh 300,000) and the keys of a four-wheel-drive to Al Balushi.   View Photo 1View Photo 2View Photo 3View Photo 4