CYRINE CHERIF LEADS FRANCE TO CSI5* GRAND PRIX VICTORY AT AL SHAQAB CUP
France finished on top on the closing day of the Al Shaqab Cup as Cyrine Cherif and Triple T Calamando Blue won the CSI5* Grand Prix, while Nasouh Kayali claimed the CSI3* Grand Prix and Khalid Jassim Al Suwaidi secured a home victory in the CSI1* Grand Prix.
The Longines Arena at Al Shaqab hosted the closing day of the Al Shaqab Cup 2026, part of the Doha Equestrian Tour, as the event concluded after four days of competition featuring 164 riders, 349 horses and 22 nations. The event was held without public attendance, with live coverage available across broadcast platforms and Doha Equestrian Tour social media channels.
Final Day Highlights:
The final day built towards the event’s three Grands Prix: the CSI1* Grand Prix 1.35m, CSI3* Grand Prix 1.50m and CSI5* Grand Prix 1.60m*. In the headline class, Cyrine Cherif (FRA) and Triple T Calamando Blue took the CSI5* Grand Prix 1.60m Two Rounds with Jump-Off, producing the only double clear of the class and sealing victory in the Al Shaqab Cup’s top contest. Faleh Suwead Al Ajami (QAT) finished second with Wathnan Quatro, while Kristen Vanderveen (USA) placed third with Bull Run’s Jireh, rounding out the podium in the feature class. Reflecting on the result, Vanderveen said: “Both my fellow competitors’ horses jumped phenomenally. They both deserved what they got tonight. They were flying,”
Earlier in the day, Nasouh Kayali (JOR) won the CSI3* Grand Prix 1.50m Jump-Off with Figueras de Laume, while Khalid Jassim Al Suwaidi (QAT) delivered a home win in the CSI1* Grand Prix 1.35m with E.T’s Queeny Z. The closing day also brought another international win for the United States as Kristen Vanderveen (USA) topped the CSI5* 1.50m Faults & Time with Starbucks 27. In the indoor arena, Hussain Alkharafi (KUW) won the CSI3* 1.40m Accumulator with Gk C'Est Un Reve, while Ahmad Jassim A A Al Suwaidi (QAT) took first place in the CSI1* 1.20m Accumulator with Power Girl Jmg. The final-day results gave the Al Shaqab Cup a strong finish, with wins shared across France, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait and the United States.
Results:
CSI5* Grand Prix 1.60m Two Rounds with Jump-Off
Winner: Cyrine Cherif (FRA) – Triple T Calamando Blue | 0 | 86.66 (Round 1) / 59.79 (Round 2) / 42.51 (Jump-Off)
2nd: Faleh Suwead Al Ajami (QAT) – Wathnan Quatro | 0 | 83.50 / 61.84 / 4 | 40.99
3rd: Kristen Vanderveen (USA) – Bull Run’s Jireh | 1 | 87.49 / 53.82
CSI3* Grand Prix 1.50m Jump-Off | Winner: Nasouh Kayali (JOR) – Figueras de Laume | 0 | 82.35 (First Round) / 55.73 (Jump-Off)
CSI1* Grand Prix 1.35m | Winner: Khalid Jassim Al Suwaidi (QAT) – E.T's Queeny Z | 0 | 75.20 (First Round) / 35.01 (Jump-Off)
CSI5* 1.50m Faults & Time | Winner: Kristen Vanderveen (USA) – Starbucks 27 | 0 | 66.99
CSI3* 1.40m Accumulator | Winner: Hussain Alkharafi (KUW) – Gk C'Est Un Reve | 65 | 50.97
CSI1* 1.20m Accumulator | Winner: Ahmad Jassim A A Al Suwaidi (QAT) – Power Girl Jmg | 65 | 44.43
CSIY-B 1.30m Jump-Off | Winner: Mohammed Yousef Al Jaber (QAT) – Christa 27 | 0 | 73.47 (First Round) / 34.98 (Jump-Off)
Cyrine Cherif (FRA), winner of the CSI5* Grand Prix 1.60m Two Rounds with Jump-Off:
“There were a lot of great riders today. It was still a tough competition. All of the riders were good and had a chance to win. You could see that some also had the chance to win, but they had an unlucky rail or a time fault. So it was competitive.”
Faleh Suwead Al Ajami (QAT), 2nd place of the CSI5* Grand Prix 1.60m Two Rounds with Jump-Off:
“It was a great competition today, and I’m very happy to finish in second place. Wathnan Quatro is a new horse for me, I just got him for the World Cup show in Aachen, and today I qualified with him. I’m looking forward to the future, and I hope it’s going to be a good season for me ahead in Europe.”
Kristen Vanderveen (USA), 3rd place of the CSI5* Grand Prix 1.60m Two Rounds with Jump-Off:
“My horse was quite fresh and excited to be out in that big ring again, so for me it was a bit difficult. I think the course designer built a really nice open track, but that made it quite difficult for us because he was playing around a bit. But my horse jumped great today, so I was very happy.”
Series Standings (After Al Shaqab Cup):
CSI4*/5* Rankings (Total Prize Money: €500,000)
Scott Brash (GBR) continues to lead the series with 199 points. He is followed by Abdullah Alsharbatly (KSA) on 155, moving into second place after the Al Shaqab Cup, while Harry Charles (GBR) sits third on 144.
Megane Moissonnier (FRA) remains fourth on 113, with Eve Jobs (USA) fifth on 109. Anastasia Nielsen (MON) holds sixth place on 103, followed by Khaled Almobty (KSA) on 96 and Gerfried Puck (AUT) on 94.
CSI1* Rankings (Total Prize Money: €100,000)
Saad Ahmed S A Al Saad (QAT) leads the standings with 88 points, maintaining a consistent run across the series. He is followed by Khalid Jassim Al Suwaidi (QAT) on 69, who strengthened his position with a win in the CSI1* Grand Prix on the final day of the Al Shaqab Cup. Hussain Said A M Haidan (QAT) sits third on 60, while Mohammed Jassim A J Al Thani (QAT) holds fourth place with 39 points. Khalid Al Hadi (KSA) completes the top five on 34, tied on points with Fatima Mohanad Alkishawi (EGY). Just behind them, Hamad Nasser Al Qadi (QAT) is seventh with 33 points, followed by Ali Omar A H Al Ansari (QAT) on 32.
What Next: Qatar Equestrian Federation Cup
Next on the Doha Equestrian Tour 2026 calendar is the Qatar Equestrian Federation Cup, running from 2 to 5 April at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab. The event will feature CSI1*, CSIO3* and CSI4* competition with a total prize fund of €784,000, as the season moves into its final stage.
Partners:
The Al Shaqab Cup and Qatar Equestrian Federation Cup are organized by Al Shaqab, the Qatar Equestrian Federation and the Qatar Olympic Committee, in partnership with Qatar Calendar and Doha Bank as Main Sponsors, Hamad Medical Corporation as Official Medical Partner, Al Abdulghani Motors as Official Mobility Partner, Al Kass as Official Broadcaster, Msheireb Properties as Official Partner, Education Above All as Official Humanitarian Partner, Equine Veterinary Medical Center as Official Veterinary Partner and Primepower as Supplementary Partner.
About the Doha Equestrian Tour:
Inaugurated in 2025, the Doha Equestrian Tour is a premium international show jumping series hosted at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab, one of the world’s leading equestrian venues. The Tour brings together elite riders, world-class horses, and top-level competition, combining sporting excellence with a refined event.
--ENDS--
Photos by Lukasz Kowalski/DET
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