Muscat,(ONA) - The Oman Equestrian Association announced its schedule of activities and events for the 2020/2021 season which contains 54 competitions amid the implementation of the precautionary measures set by the competent authorities and without spectators.
Sayyid Munther bin Saif Al Busaidi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Equestrian Association, said, “This season is exceptional by all standards due to the current conditions that everyone knows about the spread of the Covid 19, in addition to reducing the association’s budgets similar to the rest of the state's administrative apparatus units.”
“In spite of this, we, as the Association’s Board of Directors, have endeavored to overcome obstacles and set up the season and ensure that it continues according to the available capabilities while seeking to find sources of support and care from private sector institutions,” he added. Olympic and international activities will be held, including show jumping, dressage and triathlon, in addition to endurance, and tent pegging with 54 activities distributed over the various equestrian fields and tracks in the Wilayat of Barka in the Al Batinah South Governorate, as well as the Dhofar Governorate.
Sayyid Munther Al-Busaidi said in a statement, “Show jumping as an Olympic sport will have the largest share of competitions for several factors, the most prominent of which is the true partnership with the private stables represented by the Olympic Equestrian Centre, Al-Safenat Stables and Al-Jiyad Equestrian Centre.” The total training and official competitions will reach 25, which will be held in the equestrian field at Al Rahba Farm, the Olympic Centre for Equestrian and Al-Jiyad Equestrian Centre. The competitions will start on October 13 and will end by the Omani Derby Championship on March 27, 2021. The Association will organize the Ministry Shield competition on November 24 and 25.
As for dressage and eventing sports, Sayyid Munther Al-Busaidi said, “The sport of dressage, which is also considered an Olympic sport, has had four competitions, all of which will be at Al Rahba Farm. The first competitions will start on November 30, and the conclusion will be on March 1, 2021. The eventing sport, which is one of the exciting Olympic sports is a mixture of three sports, show jumping, dressage and racing. This season will have two competitions, and each competition will be divided over three days. Each sport is held on a specific day, taking into account the horses and the rider to avoid any pressure that might get them. The first competition will be on the 7th, 8th and 9th of next December, and the second competition on the 15th, 16th and 17th of March 2120, and they will be held at Al Rahba Farm.
Sayyid Munther Al-Busaidi, in regard of endurance riding sport, said, “the endurance sport is an international sport that has its own masses of citizens and with the participation of government and private stables.” “This season, 11 competitions, including qualifying, international and local, were approved for the public, juniors and women, and they were distributed between the village of endurance in the Wilayat of Barka and Dhofar Governorate to give the people of the governorate the opportunity to participate. The start will take place on October 22 and will be concluded on February 19, 2021. During the upcoming Salalah tourism season in Dhofar Governorate, the association will hold a local race for a distance of 100 km, in addition to qualifying races of 40 km and 80 km.
Sayyid Munther Al-Busaidi concluded his statement by talking about the tent pegging sport, which will start on November 4 and conclude on March 10, including 12 competitions, including the Glorious 50th National Day Championship, the Oman Equestrian Association Championship, the Elite Championship and the Grand Prize, where all competitions will be at Al Rahba Farm.
(ONA)