DOHA: The sixth Qatar International Show Jumping Championship will start at the Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF) premises at the Al Rayyan Park here tomorrow.
The three-day championship will have four competitions – jumping, dressage, three-day event and endurance.

Briefing newsmen about the details of the championship, QEF President Sheikh Hamad bin Ali Al Thani said about 180 horses and 38 teams will take part in the event which carries a total prize money of QR 270,000 and two Mitsubishi ‘Outlander’ cars, sponsored by Qatar Automobiles Company, exclusive dealers of Mitsubishi vehicles in Qatar.

Sheikh Hamad said this year’s championship would have the biggest gathering of Asian challengers and added that this was done so in view of the 2006 Asian Games where all the four disciplines – jumping, dressage, three-day event and endurance – would be medal sports.

“We want to focus on Asian competitors this year because next year most of them will be back here for the Asian Games. In effect this event will be our first dress rehearsal for the Asian Games 2006,” he said.

The QEF chief said that there would be important meetings of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and the Asian Equestrian Federation (AEF) during the championship.

“This year’s championship will be the biggest gathering of Asian participants. There will be competitors from Brunei, India, Philippines besides all the Arab nations. We have also entries from Germany, Belgium and other European countries. There will be several important meetings of the international federation (FEI)

and the Asian Equestrian Federation,” Sheikh Hamad, who is one of the AEF vice-presidents, said.
Earlier, a sponsorship deal was signed between QEF and Qatar Automobiles Company (QAC). The agreement was signed by Sheikh Hamad bin Ali Al Thani, on behalf of QEF and Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser bin Khaled Al Thani, on behalf of QAC.