Sheikha Alyazia completed the distance in three hours, 18 minutes and 30 seconds riding on an average speed of 24.18 kmph.

The FEI, CEI Two-star Round III was run in three phases of 30 km, 30 km and 20 km respectively. All the rides were held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation.

"I am just ecstatic" beamed the happy rider. "My horse Ningadoo Moesha was brilliant and she is an ideal mare to partner with." Sheikha Alyazia had finished first in Round II also riding the same mare. She had retired from Round I at Gate II keeping the welfare of her horse in mind.

The Organising Committee had formulated a point system based on which, any rider with the maximum number of points at the end of Round III, will be declared the "Ladies Champion." "The idea of point system was to encourage the riders to look after their horses with utmost care," Sheikha Alyazia said.

She also added that the Al Asayl Endurance Centre was planning to hold more rides for ladies exclusively in the coming season and want to introduce more stringent rules. One of the highlights of the coming season, she said, will be an invitation to GCC lady riders to come to the UAE for a championship series. She thanked her father His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan for all his "support and the encouragement'' to organize a Ladies Championship.

Second place in Friday's ride went to Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi who was riding 13-year-old chestnut mare Red Sonya from Al Reef Stables. She finished the ride in three hours, 21 minutes and 40 seconds riding on an average speed of 23.80 kmph.

Third place went to Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan Al Nahyan who was riding 6-year-old grey stallion Sabee, owned by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. She clocked three hours, 27 minutes and one second registering an average speed of 23.19 kmph.

The ride was chiefly sponsored by HE Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, along with Assisi Endurance Lifestyle.

The other finishers include the following:
4. Johanna Catherina Fourie, Kangala Zircon Selam, three hours, 27 minutes and five seconds, 23. 18 kmph,
5. Noora Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Murry, El Leche, three hours, 30 minutes and 54 seconds, 22.76 kmph,
6. Sheikha Maryam bint Omer Al Qassimi, Castlebar Trueman, three hours, 37 minutes and three seconds,
7. Brenda Cooke, Zad Al Khyr, three hours, 41 minutes and 8 seconds,
8. Sheikha Hissa bint Omar Al Qassimi, Bartimaeus, four hours, 2 minutes and nine seconds,
9. Cristina Calin, Cindy, four hours, 2 minutes, 34 seconds,
10. Maria Fernanda Villar, Barges, four hours, 12 minutes and 56 seconds.

HH Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Cup, which is the Round III of the three-round Al Asayl Ladies Championship Endurance Series, will be held on Friday, March 9, 2007, at the Al Asayl Endurance Centre, Sweihan, Abu Dhabi.

The FEI, CEI Two-star Round III is the culmination of three-round Al Asayl Ladies Endurance Championship, the first of which was held on January 19, and Round II was held on February 9. Friday will witness the last of the three rounds and declare the “Endurance Ladies Champion”. All the rides are held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation.

Round III, which is chiefly sponsored by HE Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will be again run in three phases of 30km, 30km and 20 km respectively and will begin at the Endurance Centre at 6 am. Around 30 riders are expected to take part in this Challenge.

The Organising Committee of the ride had formulated a point system and any rider who has the maximum number of points at the end of Round III would be declared the lady’s Champion.

At the end of Round II, Sheikha Alyazia bint Sultan Al Nahyan topped the list with 160 points followed by Maria Alvarez Ponton with 145 points. Sheikha Maryam bint Omer Al Qassimi 130 points, Sheikha Madiya Hasher Mana Al Maktoum 125 points and Layla Abdul Aziz Al Redha on 120 points.

Some of the lady riders who will be taking part Friday’s ride include the following: Sheikha Alyazia bint Sultan Al Nahyan (who finished first in Round II), Sheikha Hissa bint Sultan Al Nahyan, Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan Al Nahyan, Sheikha Maryam bint Omer Al Qassimi, (who finished first in Round I), Sheikha Hissa bint Omar Al Qassimi, Sheikha Madiya Hasher Mana Al Maktoum, Maria Alvarez Ponton, Shamsah Awad Al Otaiba, Martha Mary Misheff, Brenda Cooke, Layla Abdul Aziz Al Redha, Dana Ahmed Al Mansoor, Cristina Calin, Noora Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Murry, Humyan bint Khalid Al Meraikhi, Johanna Catherina Fourie, Leila Arsamekova, Nicola West, Bayan Abdullah Abbas Ahmed, Reem Shaban Ibrahim Hasan, Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Khasiba Waleed Al Amri, Jamila Ahmed, Maria Fernanda Villar, Amna Jumaa Al Alawi and others.

An amount of Dh 111,000 will be distributed among the top five point holders at the completion of the third round. The rider with the highest number of points will get Dh. 37,000. The next four winners will get Dh. 29,500, Dh 22,000, Dh. 15,000 and Dh 7,500 respectively. Apart from this a purse of Dh 37,000 had been allocated for each round to be distributed among first five finishers.

Ms. Elizabeth Frazier, President of the Organising Committee, said that the Al Asayl Endurance Centre held several qualifiers for ladies last year. She said since the response was tremendous, the Centre decided to have a three-round FEI Challenge. She said during the coming season, the Centre plans to invite ladies from other GCC countries and make it an international ride for ladies. She said following the completion of the Round III, a gala entertainment evening has been organized for the ladies, the proceeds of which will be donated to the UAE “Make A Wish Foundation”.

The Al Asayl Endurance Ladies Championship Round III (which is the final one) will be held on March 9, 2007, at the Al Asayl Endurance Centre, Sweihan, Abu Dhabi.

The Round III, which is called the HH Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Cup, has already attracted 25 lady riders. This was announced at a press conference in Abu Dhabi Jazeera Hotel on Tuesday, March 6, by Samer Al Ketbi, Managing Director, Al Asayl Endurance Centre.

The first round was held on January 19 and the second round was held on February 9. The UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, in cooperation with the Al Asayl Endurance Centre, is organising this three-round FEI, CEI, Two-star Challenge, which is the first of its kind in the region featuring lady riders exclusively.

At the end of Round II, Sheikha Alyazia bint Sultan Al Nahyan topped the list with 160 points followed by Maria Alvarez Ponton with 145 points. Sheikha Maryam bint Omer Al Qassimi 130 points, Sheikha Madiya Hasher Mana Al Maktoum 125 points and Layla Abdul Aziz Al Redha on 120 points.

Dr. James Bryant, President of the Veterinary Commission, for Round III, said that the series was the first FEI ride featuring ladies only. He hoped more rides will be held in the coming season.

Ms Elizabeth Frazier, Chairman of the Al Asayl Endurance Organsing Committee, said that last year they had organised several qualifiers featuring ladies. "Based on the good response, we decided to hold a championship series. It has been a big success and we hope to invite entries from other GCC countries in the future so that it will become an international ride," she said.

Dr. Stefano Daneri, member of the Organising Committee, thanked His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Sultan for the encouragement and spoke about the point system.

Margarida Perdomo of Assisi Endurance Lifestyle, one of the sponsors, thanked the organisers for giving them an opportunity to be associated with ride. "Our decision to sponsor this important initiative is based on the common values that both our organizations have assigned to this equestrian discipline of great excellence in which the horse is seen as a symbol of sound passion for sports and a choice of lifestyle."