El Jadida, Marocco – October 21, 2022 -To the delight of the public in El Jadida, the Moroccan Abdelkebir Ouaddar (MAR) and Istanbull V.H. Ooievaarshof have struck again hard. While the main event of the day, the €25,500 MAPM/SOREC Prize CSI 4*-W, seemed to be promised to the runner-up, the Belgian Jérôme Guéry (BEL), Kebir arrived, galloped, and won with a comfortable lead, claiming top honors aboard the 2008 bay Belgian Warmblood stallion (Casall x Calido I) in 61.24 seconds. The hero of Moroccan equestrian sports rarely disappoints when he is at home.
Jérôme Guery (BEL) and Azaria Dinero (Mylord Carthago*HN x Drakkar des Hutins) had to settle for second despite a valiant penalty-free performance in 62.53 seconds.
Francisco José Mesquita Musa (BRA) and Catch Me Marathon (Contagio x Werther) completed the podium with no penalties in 63.46 seconds.
The management of the Morocco Royal Tour does things delicately. After two weekends under the generous sun of Tetouan and Rabat, the international riders are invited to compete in the last stage in an indoor arena, in the flamboyant facilities of the Mohammed VI Exhibition Park of El Jadida where the Salon du Cheval is held at the same time. It is as if the MRT wanted to progressively reacquaint the riders, especially the European ones, with the indoor competitions of the winter season, which was launched last week in Oslo with the first stage of the World Cup for the European League.
Fortunately, there is still the possibility to train the horses in the morning at the beautiful outdoor arenas and enjoy the warm autumn rays for three more days before joining the large indoor arena where the German course designer Peter Schumacher (GER) works this weekend.
As every day at the MRT, four daily classes are on the program: two “one star” (won by Moroccan Mouhcine Yakhou – Gido – and French Guillaume Savineau – Belle de Muze) and two “four stars”.
After the Swiss victory of Elian Baumann (Clintfino) in the two-phase speed class (1,40 m), the Prix ANCFCC, the main class counting for the world ranking, the Prix MAPM/SOREC also served as a qualifier for Sunday’s Grand Prix which counts for the Arab League of the FEI World Cup. This Faults & Time class saw another fantastic victory for Abdelkebir Ouaddar and his Istanbull V.H Ooievaarshof, who beat the reigning world vice-champion, the Belgian Jérôme Guéry, by more than a second and a half. Simply breathtaking!
Final Results – €25,500 MAPM/SOREC Prize CSI 4*-W
1) Abdelkebir Ouaddar (MAR) & Istanbull V.H. Ooievaarshof – 0 – 61.24
2) Jérôme Guery (BEL) & Azaria Dinero – 0 – 62.53
3) Francisco José Mesquita Musa (BRA) & Catch Me Marathon – 0 – 63.46
Source: Press Release (edited) by Pascal Renauldon / Agence R&B Presse for the Morocco Royal Tour
Photos: © Morocco Royal Tour / Adèle Renauldon / Agence R&B Presse
Categories: CSI 4*, English, Jumper News Africa
