Yesterday’s third day of the GCAT as part of a large festival called “Katara International Arabian Horse Festival” was also the last day of competition for horses in their age classes.
We started Saturday with the senior mares, 7-10 years old. The A section was won with a bang by the outstanding daughter of FA El Rasheem and World Gold Champion D Shahla, the seven-year-old D Shihanah with a fantastic score of 93.21, including a full set of “20s” for head and neck. Second place in the class belonged to the chestnut AJ Barakah (AJ Marzan – Princess Of Justice by WH Justice), whose wonderful movement was appreciated by the judges, as she received 7 x 20 for this feature and placed with a final score of 92.86 points. In section B, the well-known Michałów-bred Wildon (Shanghai E.A. – Wilda by Gazal Al Shaqab) took the class by storm, receiving 6 x 20 for type and the same marks for movement, receiving a total excellent score of 93.14 points.
The class of the oldest mares, i.e. 11+, was taken over by the phenomenal, milky grey Basandrasettimocielo (Ajman Moniscione – MA Scarlet by Hadid), well known from international show arenas, who scored 93.36 points.
As Abdulla Kammosy from Saudi Arabia told the portal polskiearaby.com: “the originators of the GCAT are certainly trying to reverse the global trend of declining quantity and quality of Arabian horses and to oppose the difficulties of many breeders in selling their horses. Such an initiative has a positive impact on the development of our entire industry. I hope that thanks to the fact that this is a planned series of shows, we will be able to watch famous and titled horses that we have not seen in the ring for several years, and whose owners are now motivated to remind the world of their existence. I believe that the GCAT will also influence the level of focus among smaller and larger breeders around the world, people will be even more motivated to breed high-quality horses. I keep my fingers crossed and wish everyone great success.”
After the end of the female competition, it was time for the most anticipated battle, pure testosterone, i.e. the older stallions.
The 4-6 year old class was won by the son of the Egyptian stallion Shael Dream Desert – WI Kanz. The B section was won by the bay Rhan Al Shahania (Marwan Al Shaqab – Jwaaher Al Shahania by FA El Rasheem) with a score of 92.57.
The 7-10 year old stallions (section A) were won by the grey son of the RFI Farida – Amaar, a veteran of shows in the Middle East, who won in good style with a score of 93 points.
The most anticipated and exciting class was the B section for 7-10 year old stallions. It was here that the most popular stallions in the world competed – both of them looked as if they were carved in marble or bronze and it can be said without hesitation that they were close to the ideal of an Arabian horse. What I mean here is the stallion Alexxanderr (Excalibur E.A. – AR Most Irresistible by ML Mostly Padron) and D Seraj (FA El Rasheem – Ladi Veronika by Versace).
Both “guys” received a set of “20s” for type and head and neck. Alexxanderr moved in the ring much better than D Seraj and won the “class of death”, thus gaining the highest score of the entire show – 94.14 points. D Seraj was second in class and scored 93.36 points.
In the class of the oldest stallions, i.e. 11+, the fantastic E.S. Harir (AJ Dinar – TF Magnums Magic by Magnum Psyche) turned out to be unrivaled. Like his younger colleagues, he charmed the judges by winning the maximum number of points for type and head and neck, and topped the class with a final score of 94.07 points.
As Giampaolo Gubiotti from Italy, representing Capecci Arabian Training Center, told polskiearaby.com: “staying in Qatar at this time of year is something really special, the country and the atmosphere in Doha are really favorable. The location of the show is excellent, it is certainly one of the most suitable places in the world for the promotion of purebred Arabian horses. The event has been taking place for the third year, in an excellent setting thanks to the professionalism of the organizer. The team we represent; Dubai Stud and the Capecci Arabian Training Center, was very well received, and our horses are doing their best to qualify for the championships. You can see the great excitement of the audience, many great horses taking part in the show, but probably one of the horses that is talked about the most is our yearling colt D Borkan. I believe that the Global Champions Arabians Tour, apart from great emotions here and now, thanks to its rank and huge financial prizes, will also be a promotion of Arabian horses that will reach many corners of the world.”
It was incredibly loud and very exciting. We can already imagine the level of excitement during tomorrow’s finals! It will be a duel of titans, a fight for titles, and therefore for enormous prestige and large financial rewards.
