Media covering World Cup Endurance 2001 and GCC Endurance in Bahrein 2003

Media covering World Cup Endurance
21-3-2001
From Gulf News: 

Taher a truly respected endurance rider

While riders from the UAE will no doubt be starting as favourites in tomorrow's World Cup Endurance, Saudi Arabia's Tarek Taher is the one Arab from outside the UAE who is a respected competitor.

Tomorrow's World Cup Endurance, Saudi Arabia's Tarek Taher is the one Arab from outside the UAE who is a respected competitor.

One of the most competitive riders on the international circuit, Taher, is a very popular rider in Europe, particularly in Spain and France.

"Thursday's ride is really going to be very competitive as the event has drawn a strong field. A few new horses who are reported to be very promising will be appearing here and competition is bound to be very tough," said Taher, speaking to Gulf News on the ride route yesterday.

Driving with his crew, Taher was having a good look at the various stages of tomorrow's 130-km event in which he brings his trusted horse Namouk Du Dacour. Namouk Du Dacour, a 17-year-old Chestnut gelding, won the Qatar World Cup with Taher in 1997 apart from quite a few other rides.

"I have been here since a few days and my horse has looked promising. We hope to do well," added the Saudi ace.

Taher, who won the silver medal at the European Open Championship when UAE took the team gold, feels apart from the UAE, Australia and the U.S. riders will be tough to beat.

"I have heard that General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence, has a good prospect while the Americans have also come here with good horses. The Australian horses as always are very good and so a good championship is on the cards," said Taher, who himself will be starting off as one of the favourites.

Taher, who has won rides at home and in Spain, France apart from the Qatar triumph has had a long break since the world championship in Compiegne last August.

Another rider from the Arab world who will be looking to make a mark is Jordan's Abid Fateh. On the rounds yesterday with his horse Alan, Abid is currently Jordan's top-ranked rider. "I have completed four 160-kilometre rides and Alan is a very good horse," said Abid, who has also taken part in rides in France and Egypt.

Abid, who finished 35th in the last world championship in France in August 2000, says the familiar conditions will be of help to his chances here on Thursday. "I have been through this terrain here before and past experience will help me and I hope to do well," added Abid.

Media covering  GCC Endurance Race  in Bahrein 2003 in Arab News

JEDDAH, 3 February 2003 — Saudi equestrian Tarek Abdulhadi Taher, who came second in the 1st GCC Endurance Horse Ride Championship held in Bahrain on Thursday, was given a warm welcome as he returned in his private jet at the ARABASCO Terminal here yesterday. “I’m thrilled and excited by the championship results because the competition was fierce. I got second place in individual championship and our team won bronze (third) in the overall championship,” Taher told waiting media representatives as he emerged from the plane holding his trophy.
His team comprised four riders, including Hadi Al-Dosari. There were 50 participants in the 120-km championship race. He emerged from the plane holding the cup he won and told waiting media representatives that Java, his horse, had been with him for the past five years.
“Java helped me to get the first place in the New Market championship in the UK in 1999,” he added.
Apart from Java, his team had four generations of endurance horses in classes A, B and C, which were being maintained and trained both in Spain and the Kingdom, he added. “Java won us several trophies including the Qatar World Cup 1997 and the coveted King Abdul Aziz Endurance Cup held as part of the Kingdom’s centenary celebrations, and won first place in two competitions held in Jeddah and one in Madinah.
Ignasi Casas, veterinary surgeon, equine sports medicine of Catalonia, Spain, praised Java as an exceptional horse that had been taking part in championships for the last 10 years.
The individual champion of the Bahrain event was Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi, Tarek said. Third and fourth places were taken by Sheikh Ahmad Al-Ghunaim and Sheikh Nasser Al-Khalifa, son of the king of Bahrain.
Tarek thanked the Bahrain royal family for hosting the event and offering excellent facilities.
He was looking forward to taking part in various upcoming championships including the World Cup in Debol, Spain, on March 26, Tarek said. “A lot of hard work is going into preparations for the upcoming events, but I enjoy every bit of it and am confident of performing well.”
It was only a few years ago that the equestrian became the first non-European to qualify for the World Cup for endurance. Riding his horse Lizazat, he emerged sixth in the overall ranking at the 1997 European Endurance Championship held at Pratoni del Vivaro, Rome.
Tarek, president and chief executive officer of the Taher Group of Companies and a leading Jeddah-based dealer in custom-made luxury cars, is captain of Almughirat team comprising horses and riders competing in international and local endurance races as well as in local show jumping championships.
The team’s main objective was to participate in endurance races, Tarek said, but its tasks also include training horses for endurance races in accordance with their grades — preliminary, medium and international — depending on their age and experience, and maintaining the breeds of Arabian horses of noble origin.
Tarek’s track record as a rider between 1996 and 1999 was exceptional. He ranked first in the World Cup (Qatar) in 1997 and in the July Championship in France in 1998, both on horse Jalmoud; the King Abdul Aziz Cup (130 km) on Saqr Al Madinah; the New Market Championship (140 km) on Java; and Monte Cup Championship (France) on Jalmoud in 1999. “I broke three records within one year in 1999,” Tarek boasts. He ranked second in the Araw Championship (200 km x 2 days) in Switzerland on Ami in 1996, the Spanish Championship (160 km) on Saqr Al Madinah in 1998, and the European Championship (160 km) on Java in 1999.
He emerged third in Wadi Ram Championship in Jordan on Saqr Al Madinah in 1998 and sixth in the European Championship (160 km) on Lizazat in 1997. While ranking 12th and 14th in a few of the championships he took part during 2000 and 2001, he ranked first with a gold medal and best horse prize in the Todelo Championship (130 km) in Spain on Saqr Taibah and the top prize — a car — in the Jeddah Race (75 km) on Saqr Al Madinah.
“My enjoyment of endurance riding comes from my love for Arabian horses. I feel a close bond with them - their character, their stamina, their wildness and their beauty,” Tarek said.
The King Abdul Aziz Endurance Cup held as part of the Kingdom’s centenary celebrations was the most rewarding of these competitions, Tarek said. “Each championship in which I’ve taken part has been an absolutely wonderful experience. First and foremost I’m a rider. I love to ride and compete. I’m thrilled to be racing against the best. To win is the ultimate honor and achievement for me.”