Muscat – H H Sayyid Ali bin Ghalib Al Said has set his sights on world championship glory after conquering a demanding 100km International Endurance Race in Buch, Germany, overcoming bitter cold and heavy rain aboard his horse Attila to claim first place in Buch on Saturday.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Sayyid Ali described the victory as a proud moment for the Sultanate of Oman, highlighting its importance as a test of readiness ahead of the World Endurance Championship, scheduled for December 19 in Butheeb, Abu Dhabi, over 160km.

The race tested both horse and rider, with heavy rain during the third stage adding to the difficulties of an already demanding contest. The competition began at 7.30am and comprised four stages of 30km, 20km, 30km and 20km.

Around 98 entries from 14 countries featured across the event’s categories, bringing together international competitors and providing an opportunity to assess performance against riders from different equestrian backgrounds.

For Sayyid Ali, however, the greatest challenge was not simply keeping pace with his rivals, but maintaining Attila’s physical condition throughout the four stages while balancing speed with endurance.

“The biggest challenge was maintaining the readiness of the horse throughout the four stages and achieving the right balance between speed and endurance without affecting its safety and physical condition,” he said.

He said the team overcame the difficult conditions by following its technical plan, carefully managing the pace and continuously monitoring Attila’s condition. Effective coordination among team members was also essential in helping the pair negotiate the changing weather and ground conditions.

The victory, he stressed, was the result of a collective effort involving the rider, horse and support team.

The rider dedicated the victory to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, expressing his appreciation for the attention and support given to Omani youth and sport.

“Achieving this victory in the name of the sultanate gives me a great sense of pride and places an even greater responsibility on us to deliver our best in future competitions,” he said.

Beyond the immediate achievement, the race in Buch formed an important part of the team’s preparations for December’s World Endurance Championship. The 160km event in Abu Dhabi will present a significantly longer test, requiring sustained physical fitness, tactical judgement and careful management of the horse throughout the competition.

Sayyid Ali said the objective in Germany was not simply to secure victory, but also to evaluate the readiness of the rider, horse and technical team, gain experience in different weather conditions and identify areas requiring further improvement.

“We recognise that the World Championship will be different in terms of distance, the level of competition and the climatic conditions. The coming period therefore requires more work, concentration and proper preparation,” he said.

Sayyid Ali said his ambition was to go beyond participation and achieve a result that would reflect well on Oman’s standing in international equestrian sport. 

He also urged young people to believe in their abilities, pursue their ambitions and remain determined when faced with difficulties.

“Success does not happen overnight. It requires patience, discipline, sacrifice and continuous work. Talent alone is not enough; determination, teamwork and the willingness to learn from experience are equally important,” he said.