The first week here in Doha went really well!
Thursday started off great: we finished eighth in the Grand Prix. Don Diarado jumped very confidently and easily – especially considering it was his first competition under floodlights. But that didn’t bother him at all.
Saturday was the Grand Prix over three rounds. The first two rounds were really tough and the jump-off very fast, but Don jumped really, really well in all three rounds.
In the second round, he lost a shoe at the penultimate jump. It had to be quickly put back on before the jump-off. Time was pretty tight, but Don handled it all very calmly. I was really impressed with how he presented himself in all three rounds – super relaxed right up to the last jump and still absolutely fit and fresh in the jump-off.
One small drawback: I was the first rider to go in the jump-off, which wasn’t ideal. If we could have watched some of the other riders beforehand, we might have found our rhythm even better. From jump two to three and from three to four, I took one extra stride each time, which of course cost me a few seconds. If you want to be among the top three, everything has to go perfectly. In the end, we finished sixth, and I’m very happy overall.
Don Diarado is very comfortable here in Doha. The place is huge, and he obviously likes that. The stadium is enormous, the atmosphere is incredible, especially under the floodlights, the stadium looks spectacular, but Don Diarado isn’t impressed by any of it. The conditions for the horses are fantastic, the stables are air-conditioned, and during the week you can even ride on the huge racetrack. It couldn’t be better!
With only one horse here and now a few days’ rest, I’ve also had a little time to see Doha. There’s really only one word for it: enormous! One of the World Cup football stadiums is right next to us. It’s unbelievable what they’ve built here.
Until Thursday, when the Global Tour starts, I’ll just work Don Diarado lightly and keep him happy. I really hope he’s in as good a mood next weekend as he has been the last few days. So: fingers crossed 🙂
