It will be just the sand, the horses, the fresh desert air, and a display of sheer strength and determination. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab will join a flock of riders from dawn until dusk to monitor their endurance Click to view caption It is not often that one sees a 150 riders gallop through the desert by the Giza Pyramids. Next Saturday, however, expects to see just that. The third Al-Ahram Al- Arabi International Horse Endurance race will witness 150 male and female knights from around the world take their Arabian equines across the 120km course from dawn until dusk. This time, the challenge will be slightly different, starting from Khefren Pyramid rather than its usual Saqqara spot. Sponsored by the UAE and mutually organised by the Egyptian Equestrian Federation (EEF) and Al-Ahram Al-Arabi Magazine, the race will witness the UAE's crown prince and defence minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, participate to defend the title twice already his own. He does not, however, stand unchallenged, and the threat this year is his son. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohamed was quite a threat to him since his recent crowning as the new World Champion; riding Bowman in a ride time of 9:19:29 in the last World Endurance Championship that took place in Jerez, Spain last month. What will happen waits to be seen. The Arab riders have strut their stuff in these events new to them, yet a core part of their region's past. UAE's Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is better known in the sport as one of the world's leading racehorse owners-breeders, with stables in Britain, France and the United States. He is also a keen winner of international and prestigious endurance races worldwide, and has earned himself a commendable reputation as playing a key role in promoting the sport worldwide. The event itself is tough. The 120-kilometre race is divided into five loops: first 36km then a rest for 30 minutes, second 30km with 40 minutes rest, third 20km with a 50 minute rest, fourth 20km with a 50 minute rest and a final 14km followed by a vetinary check-up. The exhibition of pureblooded Arabians, thoroughbreds and mixed breeds will see the horses undergo routine check-ups at mandatory half-hour stops to monitor blood pressure, dehydration symptoms and injuries. If they are judged to be "unsound" or metabolically unfit, they are disqualified for the sake of their own well- being. Two days before the event begins, the organisation committee is busy making sure the area is up to scratch: from the availability of water and referees, to resting stations and to vets. Endurance riding is defined as an athletic event with the same horse and rider covering a measured course within a specified maximum time. "To Finish Is To Win," is the endurance rider's motto. Although endurance rides are technically 'races' many (if not most) riders participate for completion rather than placing. To these riders, the satisfaction of completing 120km on a sound horse is the prize. Winning, this sport proves, isn't everything.
