RIYADH — Saudi equestrians filled their country with pride as they claimed the highest number of medals in the fierce six-day Diriyah Equestrian Festival held at Al Duhami Farm, racking up a total of 43 finishes across the two weekends.

The history making festival attracted competitors from across the globe, witnessing participants from Norway, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Poland, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Algeria, Morocco and Sudan.

Over 150 equestrians mounted their horses to put on masterclass displays in a momentous first for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Points collected from winnings counted towards qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2020 FEI World Cup, making it a crucial outing for many of the riders looking to take their horses to Tokyo in 2020 and bring their Olympic dreams to fruition.

Taking the crown as the winner from the final big class round of international jumping competition (1.60m) was young Saudi equestrian star Khaled Al Mobty, clearing a double round in 35.94 seconds.

In runner up position was Emirati jockey Abdullah Al Muhairi with a time of 36.97 seconds. Taiwanese equestrian and 2020 Olympics athlete Jasmine Chen claimed the third-place position with a time of 37.32 seconds.

Top prize winners in the small, middle and big classes hailed from Saudi, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Italy and Egypt. Jordanian equestrian Sara Al Armouti was the first ever woman to be crowned with a winning position as she claimed first place in the international jumping competition against the clock (1.20m) on day 2 of the Diriyah Equestrian Festival.

The competition was not just limited to the equestrian sport, but it included a full-scale event village packed with art exhibitors, retail stores, food trucks and family activities, a true showcase of Saudi hospitality met with world-class standards, as is the case with every detail of the incredible Al Duhami Farm host venue.

The Festival is part of the wider Diriyah Season, an epic month of iconic sports events such as Formula E, top-class men’s tennis and a World Heavyweight Title fight — The Clash On The Dunes.

Known as the home of kings and heroes, the stunning UNESCO World Heritage site Diriyah has seen stage performances from some of the biggest music artists on the planet, including Swedish House Mafia, Calvin Harris, Usher, Imagine Dragons and more. — SG