Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Here we go! I have a horse for the Ladies Challenge! I haven't seen  
her yet, but her name is Suzi, owned by Sh. Hamdan I believe. Sheikha  
Madiya invited me to come ride last week and arranged to provide me  
with a horse! It's going to be the first time I've competed here  
since 2001 when they shipped my big Orlov Trotter Nature's Khruschev  
over for the World Cup (Worlds Most Preferred).  Since then I've been  
here in UAE many times, but not as a rider. This is going to be a  
blast! I assume I'll be riding with Sheikha Madiya and her crew. I'll  
be counting on Madiya, and the people who know Suzi best, to set the  
pace. I don't know what she's capable of so will just have to ride  
loop to loop and see how it goes.

We were going to try the horses today, but I think the rain is  
predicted to fall -all- day, so it will probably be postponed till  
tomorrow. I picked up a nasty cold last weekend, so I don't mind  
another day of hot tea and rest before riding. I'm nearing the end of  
the big fat book I'm reading - Shantaram - a fairly epic book which  
has just taken me from India to Pakistan and on into Afghanistan.  
It's a highly recommended read. Incredibly descriptive narrative,  
poignant and sad and amazing too...

For now I'll be staying at Madiya's stable (she has a little chalet  
there, small but very nice) and will be coming over to Bab Al Shams  
hotel to use their wireless internet in the lobby. UAE is a mess at  
the moment - they are experience record rainfall and everything is  
under water!! It's been raining since Sunday, and the last 36 hours  
have been heavy rain non-stop, and they are predicting more to come.  
Major highways are flooded and closed, lots of accidents, schools are  
closed, flights cancelled... flash flood warnings in the wadis. I  
can't imagine what it's doing to the tourist industry. Madiya's  
chalet is leaking - water is seeping into the house along the floor  
and wall seams, her stables are little lakes. The stash of shavings  
for the stalls is under a covered roof, but the ground is lower than  
the surrounding sand and it is a lake as well.  This does not feel  
like the desert :)

It's supposed to clear up though tomorrow, and current prediction for  
Saturday ride is pretty good  - 20C (70F - thanks!), partly sunny.  
The track will probably still have puddles though!

From the press:
Abu Dhabi: The First Round of the Dr. Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin  
Zayed Al Nahyan Challenge endurance competition has attracted over 35  
entries and with Hydra Properties lending its support this event for  
lady riders has received a tremendous boost.
Shaikha Hessa Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Shaikha Madiya  
Hasher Mana Al Maktoum, Shaikha Maryam Bint Omer Al Qasimi and  
Shaikha Asma Taleb Al Qasimi along with riders from the UAE, France,  
Germany, Uruguay, US, Australia, Great Britain and Canada are among  
the 35-plus who have entered so far.
(that's me from US - woo hoo!)

more later-

Steph

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