DOHA (Qatar): Salmen Sultan Al Suwaidi will be flying Qatar’s flag at the Commercial Bank CHI AL SHAQAB 2021 Presented by Longines at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab.
Al Suwadi will feature in the show jumping category in the competition that will be held between February 25-27.
The three-day competition that has attracted top 85 riders from 27 countries and 138 horses from around the world.
Al Shaqab, a member of Qatar Foundation, is organizing CHI AL SHAQAB for the eighth time, and the riders will participate in the Olympic disciplines of showjumping, dressage, and para dressage.
Commercial Bank is the Title Sponsor; Longines is the Presenting Partner; ExxonMobil is the Main Sponsor; and The Social & Sport Contribution Fund (Daam) is the Supporter of the event.
Sweden’s Peder Fredrickon, ranked number four in the FEI Longines Jumping Rankings, headlines the riders’ list, while Olympians and former CHI AL SHAQAB winners Edwina Tops-Alexander (Australia) and Scott Brash (Great Britain) make welcome returns to Doha.
“The event has managed to attract globally respected champion riders and horses to Doha. They love to compete at Al Shaqab, and it shows in the number of riders who keep returning for the event. Al Shaqab has truly achieved its goal of developing an equestrian competition that other organizers aspire to and talk about, and that elite organizations wish to be a part of. This is highlighted by the quality of sponsors and partners who are associated with the event,” said Omar Al Mannai, Event Director and Commercial Manager, Al Shaqab.
A former international-level showjumper and dressage rider who represented Qatar at the 2006 Asian Games, Al Mannai emphasized the importance of para dressage as a part of the event.
“Al Shaqab continues to include this Olympic discipline in the event not only because our facilities are geared to meet the needs of the participants. But more importantly they are wonderful role models and sources of great inspiration. We look forward to seeing Qatari riders competing in this discipline in the future,” he said.
In line with the Ministry of Public Health’s (MoPH) COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, the venue will be restricted to 10 per cent of its capacity. As a further precautionary measure, there will not be a Festival Area this year.
Tickets can be purchased at the venue on event days.
Fans unable to access the venue can still catch all the action on Al Kass TV and beIN Sports while it will also be live-streamed on Al Shaqab’s website, alshaqab.com.
