The Championship race now shifts its focus to America for LGCT Miami Beach, scheduled from April 3 to 6.
Belgium’s Abdel Said and his resilient steed, Bonne Amie, seized the major title of the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) Grand Prix of Doha after a 10-rider jump-off showdown at Al Shaqab’s Longines Arena.
The €375,000 competition unfolded with Said and Bonne Amie clocking an impressive 37.33 seconds. The duo narrowly edged out Ireland’s Harry Allen and Calculatus by a mere 0.21 seconds in Allen’s inaugural appearance in an LGCT Grand Prix.
After the thrilling triumph, Abdel Said shared his joy, saying: “I am really delighted with her, she’s an incredible horse but she’s a sensitive big lady.”
Said acknowledged the challenges faced in past jump-offs but expressed his delight in the small changes that led to Bonne Amie’s maturity and victory. “She truly deserves this win,” he added.
“To be here in this incredible venue at Al Shaqab is an incredible feeling – a mix of the hospitality, the venue, the organisation by the team at Global Champions, it couldn’t be a better time for it all to come together,” he noted.
German legend Marcus Ehning and Coolio 42 secured the third spot with a time of 38.08, followed by Wilm Vermeir on Iq van het Steentje (38.44). Saudi Arabia’s Abdulrahman Alrajhi, astride Ventago, impressed with a fifth-place finish after clocking 39.09.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s Denis Lynch dominated the CS15* Against the Clock, clocking a stunning 56.31 with Vistogrand. Abdel Said, riding Arpege Du Ru, secured second place with a commendable time of 57.40. Spaniard Eduardo Alvarez Aznar, partnering with D’orient Batilly, completed the podium in 58.03.
The United Kingdom’s Oliver Fletcher (Hello William) and Austria’s Gerfried Puck (Equitron Ornaat V) rounded up the top five in the competition featuring 20 riders and horses.
The opening round of the 2024 Global Champions League season witnessed the Cannes Stars making history as the first all-female team of six riders to lead the championship race.
Performances from Sophie Hinners, Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann, and Sanne Thijssen, also took the stage.
The Championship race now shifts its focus to America for LGCT Miami Beach, scheduled from April 3 to 6.