Thank you. I would say I felt a sense of relief knowing that the culmination of all my hard work over the past years and more importantly the support of the people around me and my team were able to celebrate such a grand accomplishment. I’m only beginning to realize the magnitude of our accomplishment.
The final came down to a jump off. Describe the pressure you were under, how did you deal with it?
I honestly did not feel any pressure. Or let’s say I had less pressure because I knew in the back of my mind that the gold, silver and bronze were in the reach of my colleagues Sheikha Latifa, and Khalid Al Eid whom I consider dear friends and worthy contenders of the gold.
Did you ever imagine you’d achieve something like the double?
It was a wishful dream that in reality came true.
What are you aiming for next?
Well my ultimate goal is to maintain my level of riding at the top for many years to come and to be able to compete against the best of the best. And to always raise my country’s flag in the highest honours. Any accolades or rewards along the way are an added bonus.
Do you regard this as the high point of your career to date?
It’s difficult to isolate one event as a single high point in ones career. But I would say that it is definitely among my top achievements and something I am very proud of.
How do see the Saudi team? How do they compare against past groups?
I obviously hold the Saudi team in very high regard as they are all top level riders who are committed to the passion of the sport. It’s only natural that we progress through the years as a team and this is reflected in the amount of positive team results we have achieved.
Why do you think that the team excels to such an extent in jumping? Is there more focus on riding than dressage in the Kingdom?
I’m not in a position to comment as to why other teams excel or don’t. I can tell you that my personal focus has always been show jumping as it is my passion.
Who do you regard as your biggest threat, in both individual and team events? In what ways are they particularly strong?
I don’t view anyone as a threat per se. I go about approaching the competition in a way where I can motivate myself by just trying to be the best I can be as an individual or for my team.
What changes when you go from individual riding to working within a team?
I would say the biggest change is the fact that you have to be selfless and you have to put your team’s interest before any other. From a personal point of view I feel that when we are in a team competition I’m less inclined to take risks in order to not jeopardize the team’s effort.
How does it feel to represent Saudi Arabia in an international event?
Of course as a Saudi this is of the greatest honour for any athlete and I hope to do so for many years to come. God willing.
Moving on, how did you get into riding? How old were you?
I was 10 years old when by chance my father bought some horses on our farm in Derreiyah. As a result my brothers and I were enamoured and intrigued about these creatures. It drove us to get obsessed and addicted to the horses and the riding. I was the youngest of my brothers and I remember being very scared, I feel that it was this feeling that pushed me to try and overcome this fear that motivated me.
What was it about the sport that first excited you?
I think it was the day that I was prepping for my first jump which if I recall correctly was a measly 50 cm. The preparation and the anticipation of the day of the jump was like no feeling I ever experienced.
Where did you train at first?
In Saudi on our farm.
At what point did you realize that you had such an impressive talent?
I’m glad that someone considers me as impressive and talented. I will make sure to ask my wife to read this article so that I can be praised at home. I really am always looking to improve on myself and view myself as still rough on the edges.
How did you further your skills? When did you begin to enter competitions?
I broke out on to the competitive scene locally at the age of 12 in smaller competitions and went on to my first international competition at the age of 14.
When did you first represent the KSA?
14 years old in the U.A.E. Metropolitan International competition
What sort of training regime do you partake in?
It is a mixture of endurance training in the gym and a lot of riding in several competitions during the year in the international circuit in Europe.
Do you need state-of-the art equipment to reach the very top of the sport?
I like to compare horse riding to the Formula 1. Without a good car and team servicing your individual skill you will never reach the top.
What does competitive riding do you for? How does it change, or improve, someone?
Competitive riding for me it’s a sense of self fulfilment more than anything else. I know very few people in this world that are in a position to do what they love and make it their vocation. I consider myself very lucky in that respect. In terms of changing someone it gives you a sense of having to take care of someone other than yourself, i.e. the horse, where there is no verbal communication. The connection that is built between yourself and this exceptional creature of God is spiritual beyond any means of explanation.
How are equestrian sports seen in Saudi Arabia, and in the rest of the Arab world?
It’s quite big as it’s very much intertwined into our culture and our spirit. We are witnessing a renaissance in the equestrian field.
What about competitive sport in general in the Middle East? What would you like to see happening in the future?
In general I would say that things over the past decade have improved dramatically with the introduction of satellite TV and the Internet both of which aided in creating bridges between the consumer and the sports authorities. Competitive sport is now big business in our region where once upon a time it was by no means lucrative to be an athlete.
Regarding equestrian sport, what do you think could be done to improve our chances in the years to come?
From my experience I believe with the continued support of the King and an opportunity to showcase international events in the Kingdom will be the most ideal scenario.
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