Equestrian Promotions launches 2008 South East Asian World Cups

Quzier Ambak welcomed the Deputy Minister to the event and thanked the many corporate sponsors who have supported the event in the past and again this year. There was an impressive array of mock cheques presented, amounting to over RM 1 million in cash.Equestrian Promotions will organise three shows at 3Q Equestrian: the 3QE Classic from 10th to 13h July, the Malaysian Open from 24th to 27th July, and the Merdeka Masters from 31st July to 3rd August.Five South East Asian League World Cup events will be held this year, all of which will be in Malaysia. Three World Cups will be held in these events at 3Q Equestrian. The other two World Cups are held as part of the Premier Cup Series, at Taman Equestrian Putrajaya, the first of which was held yesterday.The winning rider of the South East Asian World Cup League will earn the right to compete at the FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas in April 2009.The format this year is that riders will count their best four points finishes of the five World Cup events this year. With only one score to be dropped, it will mean that Malaysians will find it tougher to qualify for next year’s FEI World Cup Final to be held in Las Vegas. There were ten qualifiers last year, six held in Malaysia and 4 in Hong Kong. South East Asian riders counted their best five results, which means that they could drop as many as five of their worst points finishes.In bidding to hold four South East Asian League World Cup events last year, Hong Kong had promised the FEI that they would hold South East Asian World Cup League events yearly. They have reneged on that promise as no World Cup events are scheduled for Hong Kong this year.Yesterday’s World Cup was won by Helena Gabrielsson of Sweden, with Jasmine Lai of Hong Kong second. Brothers Quzier and Qabil Ambak finished 3rd and 4th respectively.Equestrian Promotions Managing Director and World Cup rider Quzier Ambak said, “Yesterday’s event was not great for me or Qabil personally.”“It is disappointing that Hong Kong is not doing any World Cup shows this year. They promised to do it yearly.”Quzier went on to say that Hong Kong were very good hosts last year, with good facilities and providing good stabling for the rider’s horses. He refused to be disappointed, saying that Hong Kong’s pull out would not affect his or Qabil’s chances of winning the South East Asian World Cup League.Hong Kong riders Jasmine Lai and Jennifer Chang continue to compete on the South East Asian World Cup circuit. Other Hong Kong riders will also compete in the South East Asian Young Riders League and the Dressage Champions League, all part of Equestrian Promotions 2008 horse shows.The Ministry’s of Youth and Sports’ statement recognised that 11 years of continuity and corporate support for the South East Asian World Cup League had brought equestrian success for Malaysia at every SEA and Asian Games since.